Head of Insights and Analytics
AXIS Capital · New York +1 · 1mo ago
This is your opportunity to join AXIS Capital – a trusted global provider of specialty lines insurance and reinsurance. We stand apart for our outstanding client service, intelligent risk taking and superior risk adjusted returns for our shareholders. We also proudly maintain an entrepreneurial, disciplined and ethical corporate culture. As a member of AXIS, you join a team that is among the best in the industry.
At AXIS, we believe that we are only as strong as our people. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming culture where employees of all backgrounds and from all walks of life feel comfortable and empowered to be themselves. This means that we bring our whole selves to work.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic, including age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any basis prohibited by the laws that govern its operations.
How does this role contribute to our collective success?
The Head of Insights & Analytics leads a multidisciplinary team that transforms data into actionable insights and measurable business value. You will be accountable for enterprise reporting, business intelligence, performance analytics, insight generation, analytics strategy, and business adoption of analytical solutions.
The role identifies and prioritizes opportunities where advanced analytics and AI can drive business value and partners with Data Science & AI Delivery leadership to ensure successful execution.
The role’s purpose is to ensure the business gets the right solutions for the right needs, whether that’s a dashboard, a predictive model, an AI-driven tool or an agentic solution, always focused on delivering optimal business outcomes rather than analytics for its own sake. This is a high-impact leadership role, requiring a blend of strategic vision, technical acumen, and exceptional people leadership to drive a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and business partnership.
What will you do in this role?
Lead a High-Performing Analytics Function: Build, inspire, and manage a multidisciplinary team (spanning BI/reporting analysts, and data analysts) to deliver insights and analytics to AXIS in support of the business’ goals. Strategically lead the Data Science & AI Delivery team to leverage with Data Science & AI Delivery leadership to leverage specialized AI and data science capability. Cultivate a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Drive Outcome-Focused Delivery: Work with business leaders across underwriting, claims, finance, operations, and other functions to understand how analytics and AI can support and enable their goals. Own prioritization, funding alignment, value realization, and adoption of analytical capabilities across the business. Act as the executive sponsor for analytics and AI initiatives. Ensure the team delivers practical solutions that drive decision-making and measurable improvements – prioritizing business outcomes over output volume.
Advanced Analytics, Data Science & AI Delivery: Define business priorities, success metrics, governance requirements, and expected outcomes for advanced analytics and AI initiatives. Execute with the Data Science & AI Delivery team, who are accountable for technical design, model development, deployment, and operationalization. Ensure business value realization and organizational adoption following implementation. Champion the selection of the right analytical approach (e.g., diagnostic analysis, predictive modelling, machine learning, AI automation) to solve each business problem, ensuring solutions are fit-for-purpose and add tangible value (e.g., improved loss ratio, enhanced customer experience, operational efficiency).
Traditional Insights & Management Information: Oversee development and enhancement of dashboards, reports, and key performance indicators (KPIs) that provide a single source of truth. Ensure reporting is accurate, timely, and clearly communicates insights to business stakeholders for areas like underwriting performance, claims trends, customer insights, and financial metrics.
Strategic Planning & Vision: Define and communicate a clear vision and roadmap for the Insights & Analytics function, aligned with the company’s strategy. Identify opportunities to leverage emerging tools and methods to continuously advance analytical capabilities in a pragmatic way.
Stakeholder Engagement & Consulting: Act as a trusted partner to business leaders. Translate complex data science and analytics concepts into clear, actionable business insights. Build strong relationships with key stakeholders (including underwriters, claims managers, actuarial teams, product leaders, and senior executives) to ensure analytical initiatives meet real business needs and are fully adopted.
Cross-Functional Partnership: Partner closely with other Data & Analytics functions, working as one team to ensure the best possible end-to-end outcomes are delivered for the business.
Governance & Best Practices: In partnership with the Data and AI Governance team, establish standards and best practices for analytics and reporting, including data quality control, model governance, and ethical AI use. Ensure adherence to regulatory and compliance requirements relevant to insurance data and models. Promote data-driven decision-making and champion data literacy across the organization.
Analytics Operating Model & Governance: Establish and maintain enterprise standards for reporting, KPI definition, insight generation, business performance measurement, and analytics prioritization. Ensure AI and advanced analytics initiatives align with business strategy and governance requirements.
Performance Management: Define and track key performance indicators for the Insights & Analytics function. Ensure work is prioritized for maximum impact, resources are allocated effectively, and projects are delivered on time and within budget.
Technology & Innovation: Stay abreast of industry trends in insurance analytics, data science, and AI. Evaluate and adopt new technologies and analytical techniques that can drive better outcomes (e.g., new predictive modelling techniques, generative AI, advanced data visualization tools). Foster a test-and-learn environment, encouraging the team to pilot innovative solutions in a controlled, value-focused manner.
Success Measures / Key Outcomes
Success in this role will be measured by:
Business Impact of Insights: Demonstrable improvements in business outcomes fueled by analytics (e.g., improved underwriting decisions, reduced claims leakage, increased revenue) due to insights and models delivered by the team.
Stakeholder Trust & Adoption: High stakeholder satisfaction and trust, evidenced by strong demand for the team’s services and the embedding of analytics outputs into day-to-day decision processes across the business. Analytics and AI solutions are actively used and drive decisions, not just delivered and shelved.
Right Solution for the Right Problem: A track record of delivering fit-for-purpose solutions by correctly matching business needs with appropriate analytics techniques.
Team Growth & Performance: A highly engaged and skilled team. Team members develop new skills and perform at a high level.
Continuous Improvement: Establishment of improved processes and practices that increase the speed, quality, and reliability of analytics delivery.
Innovation & Modernization: Successful introduction of new analytical capabilities or technologies that enhance the function’s effectiveness, accompanied by clear value and appropriate governance.
You may also be required to take on additional duties, responsibilities and activities appropriate to the nature of this role.
About You:
We encourage you to bring your own experience and expertise to the table, so while there are some qualifications and experiences, we need you to have, we are open to discussing how your individual knowledge might lend itself to fulfilling this role and help us achieve our goals.
What you need to have:
Proven experience within the Insurance sector
Leadership & Team Management: Proven leadership experience in analytics, business intelligence, data science, or related fields, ideally including insurance exposure. Ability to build and inspire a diverse team, set direction, and create a high-performance culture.
Analytics & Data Science Expertise: Deep understanding of a broad range of analytics approaches. Ability to evaluate and sponsor AI and advanced analytics initiatives, rather than personally designing or delivering technical solutions. Experience leading enterprise analytics organizations and aligning analytical investment with business priorities.
Business Acumen: Strong knowledge of insurance industry dynamics and core processes. Able to quickly grasp business problems and industry-specific challenges, then lead the design of analytics/AI solutions that address them
Strategic & Outcome Orientation: Strategic thinker who can define a vision for analytics in line with business strategy. Relentlessly outcome-focused, ensuring projects have clear objectives and deliver tangible business value.
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Excellent communication skills, especially in bridging the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders. Adept at translating complex analytical and AI concepts into clear, compelling business stories and actionable recommendations.
Change & Innovation Driver: Demonstrated ability to introduce new tools, methods, or technologies and drive adoption. Passion for continuous learning and keeping up-to-date with the latest advancements in data, analytics, and AI. Comfortable leading a team through change, fostering innovation while managing risk appropriately.
What we prefer you to have:
Education: An advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., Data Science, Statistics, Business Analytics, Computer Science, or similar) is highly desirable, or equivalent professional experience.
Role Factors:
Be in the office 3 days per week
Travel internationally quarterly
For this position, we currently expect to offer a base salary in the range of $280,000 - $325,000 USD. Your salary offer will be based on an assessment of a variety of factors including your specific experience and work location.
In addition, you will be offered competitive target incentive compensation, with awards based on overall corporate and individual performance. On top of this, you will be eligible for a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes medical plans for you and your family, health and wellness programs, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, and much more.
Where this role is based in the United States of America, this role is Exempt or FLSA purposes.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.