[Hiring] AVP, Business Optimization @Crum & Forster

Role Description

In this newly created role, the AVP, Business Optimization will provide leadership for workforce management, vendor governance, and operational transformation across TII's Claims and Contact Center operations.

The AVP, Business Optimization, will partner closely with the Operations Leadership team, Claims, Service, Sales, Finance, Human Resources & Training, Compliance, IT, Legal, and external partners to optimize service delivery, strengthen governance, improve efficiency, and execute strategic transformation initiatives.

This leadership role will bring deep experience in operational leadership, workforce planning, vendor oversight, performance management, and cross-functional execution. This leader will use data-driven decision-making, disciplined governance, and strong people leadership to improve operational results, cost efficiency, and organizational effectiveness.

This role manages others and reports to the VP, Operations.

What you will do:

• Lead business optimization across TII Operations, including workforce management, vendor management, and enterprise project/program execution.
• Drive scalable operational capabilities that support business growth, customer satisfaction, service delivery, and cost efficiency.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve service quality, operational efficiency, customer outcomes, and overall organizational effectiveness.
• Establish governance frameworks, KPIs, scorecards, and reporting processes to monitor performance and support decision-making.
• Develop and present operational performance reporting, business insights, and executive updates to senior leadership.
• Support budgeting, financial management, ROI analysis, and expense optimization efforts across operational functions.
• Serve as a key escalation point for operational, service, and vendor-related issues.
• Build, lead, and develop high-performing teams, including workforce management resources and other operational support staff.
• Develop and maintain short- and long-term workforce forecasts across contact center and claims operations.
• Analyze business trends such as volume, seasonality, productivity, handle time, shrinkage, absenteeism, and growth to inform staffing and capacity strategies.
• Build and manage staffing and capacity models that support service levels, response times, claims processing targets, and operational SLAs.
• Oversee workforce planning and execution, including scheduling, PTO and holiday coverage, contingency staffing, peak-demand readiness, schedule adherence, intraday management, and resource allocation.
• Create and maintain workforce dashboards and operational analytics to identify trends, improve forecast accuracy, and optimize staffing efficiency and resource utilization.
• Ensure data integrity across workforce planning, scheduling, forecasting, and reporting systems.
• Lead third-party vendor management across claims, assistance, contact center, and other operational support functions.
• Design and continuously improve the vendor management lifecycle, including onboarding, governance, performance monitoring, renewals, risk assessment, and offboarding.
• Establish and maintain consistent vendor governance practices, including business reviews, standardized oversight routines, and stakeholder guidance.
• Monitor vendor performance against contracts, SLAs, KPIs, and operational expectations, and lead corrective actions and service improvement initiatives where needed.
• Lead or support RFPs, renewals, strategic partner evaluations, contract reviews, and related supplier decisions.
• Partner with sourcing, compliance, legal, and vendor risk teams to ensure effective third-party oversight, risk mitigation, and audit readiness.
• Leverage external partner capabilities, tools, and technologies to improve efficiency and customer outcomes.
• Lead enterprise project and program governance in support of strategic operational priorities and transformation efforts.
• Oversee a portfolio of initiatives to ensure strong prioritization, execution, risk management, stakeholder alignment, and measurable outcomes.
• Provide executive reporting on project progress, dependencies, risks, outcomes, and implementation readiness.
• Partner across the organization to drive business transformation, process improvement, automation, modernization, and change adoption.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required.
• 10+ years of experience in operations, workforce management, vendor management, PMO/project leadership, contact center operations, or related leadership roles is required.
• 4+ years of people leadership experience.
• Experience leading workforce forecasting, staffing, capacity planning, scheduling, and operational reporting programs is required.
• Experience managing third-party vendor relationships, supplier performance, contract governance, and risk oversight is required.
• Experience leading strategic initiatives, enterprise projects, or PMO-related functions is required.
• Experience with workforce management systems, reporting platforms, business intelligence tools, Salesforce, and Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced Excel capabilities.
• Insurance industry, Travel insurance or other regulated industry experience is preferred.

Requirements

• Strong understanding of insurance operations, claims processes, customer service, and contact center environments.
• Expertise in workforce management methodologies, forecasting models, staffing strategies, and scheduling practices.
• Knowledge of vendor governance, third-party risk management, contract oversight, and supplier lifecycle management.
• Strong project, program, and organizational management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ownership mentality: action-oriented, and capable of understanding business needs and thinking critically about how to execute without explicit step-by-step instruction.
• Transformational Experience: experience in leading and executing transformational initiatives, driving change, and implementing innovative solutions to enhance organizational effectiveness and competitiveness.
• Outstanding Communicator: Highly effective written and verbal communication skills, including proficiency in developing and delivering presentations. Ability to tailor communication styles to different audiences, including internal cross-functional teams and external customers and partners.
• Strategic mindset: Proven abilities to develop and execute operational strategies aligned with the organization's goals and objectives. Aptitude for identifying trends, patterns, and operational bottlenecks to proactively address challenges and optimize processes.
• Analytical mindset: Thinks analytically with the ability to articulate complex ideas into clear frameworks; uses data to conduct root cause analysis and develops high quality, consumable, and consistent metrics that drive strategic objectives and priorities.
• Customer Centric: skilled at prioritizing the customers’ needs and experiences, understanding what they want and delivering exceptional service.
• Has a thorough understanding of our industry, the relevant business landscape, and trends in growth and insurance environments; can spot early indicators of change and apply strategies to adapt quickly is required.
• Flexible and agile, comfortable with the ambiguity of a growing and transforming organization, skilled at working and building culture in remote environments.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package.
• Generous 401K employer match.
• Employee Stock Purchase plan with employer matching.
• Generous Paid Time Off.
• Excellent benefits that go beyond health, dental & vision, focused on your whole family’s wellness, including your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
• A core C&F tenet is owning your career development, providing a wealth of ways for you to keep learning, including tuition reimbursement, industry-related certifications and professional training.
• A dynamic, ambitious, fun and exciting work environment.
• Encouragement of social and community responsibility, matching donation program, volunteer opportunities, and an employee-driven corporate giving program.