Head of Finance

Head of Finance – Claims

Location: New York, NY or Atlanta, GA

Compensation: $200,000 – $250,000 base + bonuses + pension + 401(k) + full benefits package

Industry: Global P&C Insurance

About the role and the company.

James Search Group is working with a prominent global property & casualty insurance leader to identify a highly experienced Head of Finance – Claims to join either their New York or Atlanta office. This critical leadership role will serve as a strategic finance partner to the Claims organization, overseeing financial planning and performance while driving modernization and transformation efforts within the department.

This role is ideal for a dynamic finance executive with deep industry experience in commercial P&C insurance, particularly within claims or operational finance, who thrives in a fast-paced, change-oriented environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Planning & Performance Oversight:

• Lead all financial operations for the Claims division, including budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and monthly performance reporting.
• Collaborate with enterprise FP&A to deliver executive-level dashboards and actionable financial insights.
• Analyze key performance indicators, cost drivers, and operating metrics to support data-driven strategic decisions.

Financial Control & Compliance:

• Oversee the financial close and reporting for the claims division, including oversight of the claims adjustment company entity.
• Ensure the accuracy and timeliness of internal reporting through close partnership with corporate controllership.
• Monitor and maintain adherence to claims reserving methodologies in coordination with reserving and actuarial teams.
• Implement strong internal controls and compliance measures across financial processes within Claims.

Strategic Transformation & Modernization:

• Serve as finance lead on transformation projects, offering cost-benefit assessments, ROI modeling, and long-term strategic guidance.
• Partner cross-functionally with IT, Claims Ops, Finance, Reinsurance, and Underwriting on process improvements and systems implementation.
• Contribute to the modernization of finance tools, reporting systems, and data infrastructure.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field; CPA or MBA highly preferred.
• 8–12+ years of progressive finance experience, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership or controller-level role.
• Proven background in commercial property & casualty insurance; experience with claims operations is strongly preferred.
• Deep understanding of claims reserve accounting, financial modeling, and regulatory compliance within the insurance industry.
• Track record of successfully supporting business transformation or large-scale technology rollouts.
• Skilled communicator with the ability to influence across departments and executive stakeholders.
• Proficiency with financial and analytics systems such as Workday, Sapiens, Power BI, or Tableau.

This is a high-impact leadership role offering significant exposure to executive decision-making and organizational transformation.

Apply today to explore this exclusive opportunity with a global leader in the P&C space.