Head of Technical Delivery

Why Chaucer

An established market leading Insurer, where over the past 5 years, the Chaucer Group has seen significant and successful growth. In 2019, we wrote $1.4bn of Gross Written Premium, closed 2023 with $2.7bn, and are on track to write well over $3bn in 2024.

This is an exciting time for Chaucer; we have the people, the platforms, the expertise and the relationships to continue our recent success. We will remain focussed on the areas where we can provide the most expertise and value to our brokers and clients.

Job Profile Summary

The role reports into the Group CIO and will be responsible for overseeing the development and delivery functions within the Chaucer Technology Group (CTG). This role will establish a newly formed department as part of the evolution of the operating model and be instrumental in evolving the ways of working.

This role requires a strategic thinker with a technical background and proven leadership skills. The role has overall responsibility for the quality of Delivery Methodologies, Development, Defect Management, Quality Assurance, Delivery Planning, Testing in line with the business roadmap. The role reports into the Chief Information Officer and will work closely with the rest of the leadership team within the CIO organisation to meet the change agenda.

They will manage development resources (internal and 3rd party) across traditional delivery teams, scrum teams and BAU activities, co-ordinating delivery plans with end-to-end outcomes.

Job Description

• Defining and implementing the strategy for the team, which includes monitoring and evaluating the team effectiveness and adapting the strategy in line with changing business and market dynamics

• Coordinate with stakeholders across teams to ensure projects and work is completed on time and within budget

• Identify risks associated with new tools, processes and ways of working and establish procedures to mitigate those risks

• Provide technical leadership on large projects to ensure they are completed effectively

• Design and develop new technologies for use

• Develop automated testing practices

• Automate and manage Dev Ops and release management across CTG

• Own and lead the quality assurance framework across all CTG capabilities collaborating closely with peers across the CTG CIO leadership team

• Being an active member of the CIO Leadership team

Leadership and Strategy:

• Develop and execute the engineering and delivery strategy in alignment with the company's overall objectives. Provide visionary leadership to the engineering and delivery teams.

• Leading and manage the team of Technical Delivery Managers, Engineers, Release Managers and Testers, ensuring that resources are allocated in line with business priorities and outcomes and evolving the collaboration across the CIO organisation

• Create and maintain a culture of delivery excellence in the company

• Ensure that the team is working efficiently and effectively, bringing an agile mindset, adapting to changing circumstances while working within the organisational constraints of budget, resource whilst adhering to quality standards

• Motivate the team to deliver the best services possible, and take responsibility for the teams' actions and decisions

Technical Delivery Management:

• Oversee the technical delivery, planning and execution of all projects across the CTG portfolio. Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

Technical Oversight:

• Provide technical guidance and support to the development teams. Ensure the adoption of best practices and the latest technologies. Ensure standardisation, simplification and effectiveness across the application value chain

Vendor Management:

• Conduct due diligence during the selection and onboarding of third-party development providers

• Monitor and review vendor performance against agreed KPIs and metrics

• Schedule regular governance meetings with vendors to review performance

• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Collaborate with key stakeholders, including senior management, clients, and partners, to understand their needs and ensure successful project outcomes.

Risk Management:

• Identify and mitigate risks associated with development and delivery activities.

• Implement robust processes and controls to ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.

Performance Monitoring:

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the success of development and delivery initiatives. Continuously seek opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Skills and Competencies

• Relevant industry experience in development and delivery roles, with previous experience in a technology leadership position within the insurance or financial services industry.

• Problem-Solving - Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities. Ability to think strategically and make data-driven decisions.

• A team-builder and collaborator, who can work comfortably in a highly collaborative setting.

• Can work comfortably with senior business leadership, has a positive can-do attitude, open and welcoming to change.

• Have exceptional leadership skills, being able to influence cross-functional departmental leaders in a particular direction.

• Can quickly form meaningful connections inspiring trust and confidence in others.

• Detail and quality oriented, with a customer focus, an exceptionally keen eye for detail and highly organised.

• Able to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines, demonstrating an ability to remain calm under stress and in times of uncertainty.

Why Join Chaucer?

An established market leading Insurer, where over the past 5 years, the Chaucer Group has seen significant and successful growth. In 2019, we wrote $1.4bn of Gross Written Premium, closed 2023 with $2.7bn, and are on track to write well over $3bn in 2024.

This is an exciting time for Chaucer; we have the people, the platforms, the expertise and the relationships to continue our recent success. We will remain focussed on the areas where we can provide the most expertise and value to our brokers and clients.

We offer:

• A flexible 2 days in the office hybrid work model that supports individual and team needs.
• A diverse, inclusive culture that values people for who they are.
• Extensive, non-contributory benefits, including medical, life, and pension cover, flexible holidays, and wellbeing support.