Head of Commercial Trading and Transformation

We have an exciting opportunity to join us here at Covéa Insurance as Head of Commercial Trading & Transformation within our Commercial Trading Team!

At Covéa Insurance, we’re all about protecting what matters most - whether it’s your home, your car, or your business. With our award-winning customer service and a wide range of insurance products, we’re here to make a real difference.

Our purpose is simple but powerful: to help protect people against the worst happening and put it right if it does. It’s what drives us every day, and it’s why our people are proud to be part of something meaningful!

Our mission is to build inclusive, empowered teams where everyone feels welcome and valued! We celebrate what makes each of us unique and believe that diversity drives innovation and success. Whoever you are, we want you to feel confident being yourself in your team at work.

In this pivotal role, you’ll be delivering to the company’s strategic objective of sustainable and profitable growth in Commercial Lines. You will lead the business’s commercial trading delivery to the market and be responsible for all aspects of the operation including profit & loss performance, operating models, service delivery and quality, legal and regulatory compliance, risk management, and people and culture.

This is a hybrid position, combining the best of both worlds - working from home and spending time in one of our offices in the UK such as Halifax, London, Bristol, Chelmsford or Manchester.

Step into a role where your potential is valued and your growth is supported.

What are the core responsibilities?

• Strategic Leadership: Leading and inspiring Commercial trading operations to deliver the company’s strategy and purpose through clear objectives and vision
• Shaping and refining the trading operating model to respond to market dynamics, ensuring competitiveness, profitability, and efficiency
• Staying informed on external developments to identify opportunities and adapt trading strategies accordingly
• Performance & Operational Excellence: Delivering the business plan with a focus on service quality, efficiency, and exceeding profitability targets
• Continuously improving trading operations by optimising models, embracing innovation, and fostering cross-functional collaboration, ensuring performance meets key metrics
• People & Culture: Building and maintaining a high-performing team aligned with strategic goals and responsive to business needs
• Fostering a culture of continuous improvement, personal development, and high engagement through objective-setting, regular feedback, and celebrating success and development
• Customer & Market Focus: Understanding and anticipating the needs of commercial brokers and their customers
• Promoting a data-led service environment that enhances broker satisfaction and strengthens market reputation, clearly communicating and evolving the service proposition to meet market expectations
• Change & Innovation: Leading change initiatives to align trading operations with market opportunities and company ambitions
• Championing efficiency through new and existing models, AI, and data-driven solutions
• Governance & Compliance: Ensuring all trading activities comply with regulatory, legal, and company policy requirements, whilst embedding Consumer Duty principles across all operations
• Corporate Responsibility: Supporting and uphold Covéa Insurance’s Corporate Environmental and Social Responsibility initiatives
  
  

What You’ll Need To Succeed

• Proven leadership experience – empathetic & people-oriented, with strong practical understanding of coaching and mentoring
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present and disseminate complex matters, details & concepts to large audiences at all levels
• Excellent problem identification and solving skills, ability to challenge assumptions, identify key issues and escalate as appropriate.
• Personal impact and ability to form effective relationships and achieve influence at a senior level in the organisation including engagement with the Executive Team, Board and external executive stakeholders
• Understands and interprets complex business requirements, with proven ability to drive change across Commercial trading operations and to make robust/tough decisions which may be contrary to business wishes
• A good understanding of AI and technology
• Strong experience in change and project leadership, with track record of delivery of P&L targets within the commercial insurance industry
• Excellent understanding of trading operations and firm understanding of commercial underwriting principles and practices
• A good understanding of the production of business cases and financial models to identify and deliver benefits to the business
• Educated to degree standard or equivalent - MBA desirable
  
  

Not sure if you tick every box? That’s okay!

At Covéa, we know that great people don’t always meet every single requirement listed in a job ad. If this role excites you and you think you could be a good fit, we’d love to hear from you - so go ahead and apply! We’re all about building a diverse, inclusive team where everyone can thrive.

The perks of joining us…

• Flexible working – 36.25 hours a week with flexitime & hybrid options
• Annual pay review – plus performance bonuses (up to 30% depending on level)
• Generous holidays – 25–27 days + bank holidays, with buy/sell options
• Pension perks – 7.5% employer contribution, rising to 9% with your input
• A culture where everyone belongs – we're committed to diversity, equity & inclusion, with real action, employee-led community groups, and ongoing learning to make Covéa a place where everyone can thrive
• Mental & financial support – through our dedicated Wellbeing group
• Career growth – training, qualifications & apprenticeships to help you thrive
• Health & wellbeing – private medical cover, 24/7 Virtual GP, health checks, flu jabs & more
• Drive in style – Tusker Car Scheme with fully maintained insured vehicles
• Extra savings – gym discounts, Cycle to Work, and retail offers via Perkpal
• And much more!
  
  

Excited about this opportunity? So are we!

Apply today and be part of our journey.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we’re committed to fair and accessible recruitment. If you need any adjustments or support during the application process, just let us know - we’re here to help.

Applicants must currently reside in the United Kingdom and possess full and unrestricted right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer Visa sponsorship for this role.

Salary

Competitive

Working Hours

36.25