Protection & Resilience Regional lead for Europe

The Lead of Protection and Resilience manages a multi-country team in the assigned region responsible for Allianz Partners Business Continuity Management, Crisis Management, Global Incident Management, , IT Service Continuity Management, Outsourcing, Protective Security Management and interacts with the respective responsible for Information and Document Management, Information Security, IT,  Data Privacy, Communication, Legal, Risk and Procurement.

What you do

• Overseeing the P&R function of the organization within the region of competence
• Lead and manage multiple, diverse teams in BUs
• Support the development, definition and execution of Business Unit’s P&R strategy.
• Oversee the adherence to local regulation
• Promote and reinforce the AP values of being responsible, connected, excellent and caring through a process of leading by example.
• Support the development of key successors by selecting talented individuals and providing feedback that addresses skills gaps and coach the team in learning new capabilities
• Drive and proactively monitor a consistent and coherent global governance framework.
• Establish and maintain stringent governance standards, overseeing regular quality reviews and audits of provider
• Ensure regional alignment with local, regional, and global regulations, liaising with finance, legal, and compliance teams to establish policies that uphold industry and legal requirements.
• Lead the resolution of audit findings, reporting progress and issues directly to the global head, and proactively address areas for improvement to meet compliance expectations
• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments, identifying and prioritizing potential threats (cyberattacks, natural disasters, pandemics, political instability, etc.) specific to the region. Extremely relevant because failure to identify and prioritize risks leaves the organization vulnerable to significant financial losses from unforeseen events.
• Develop and implement regional risk mitigation strategies, including business continuity plans, disaster recovery plans, and cybersecurity protocols. Extremely relevant as inadequate planning can lead to significant operational disruptions, impacting policyholder services and financial performance.
• Regularly review and update risk assessments and mitigation strategies to adapt to evolving threats and regulatory changes. Extremely relevant because a static approach to risk management leaves the organization exposed to emerging threats.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regional and international regulations related to risk management, data protection, and cybersecurity. Extremely relevant as non-compliance can result in substantial fines and reputational damage.
• Prepare and submit regular reports to regulatory bodies and senior management on risk assessments, mitigation efforts, and incident responses. Extremely relevant because accurate and timely reporting is crucial for transparency and accountability.
• Develop and implement incident response plans for various scenarios, including cyberattacks, natural disasters, and other disruptive events. Extremely relevant as a well-defined response plan is crucial for minimizing the impact of incidents.
• Lead the organization's response to incidents, coordinating with internal teams and external stakeholders. Extremely relevant because effective incident management minimizes financial losses and reputational damage.
• Conduct post-incident reviews to identify lessons learned and improve future preparedness. Extremely relevant as continuous improvement is essential for enhancing resilience.
• Continuously benchmark best in class standards for the function within your scope and drive change programs to achieve these standards.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, government agencies, law enforcement, and other external partners. This aspect is extremely relevant because effective collaboration is crucial for navigating complex regulatory environments and responding to incidents effectively.
• Collaborate with internal teams across various departments (IT, legal, claims, underwriting, etc.) to ensure a coordinated approach to risk management. This responsibility is relevant because a siloed approach to risk management can lead to inefficiencies and vulnerabilities.
• Develop and manage the regional budget for protection and resilience initiatives. Extremely relevant because effective resource allocation is crucial for maximizing the impact of risk mitigation efforts.
•  Prioritize investments in risk mitigation technologies and training programs. Extremely relevant because continuous investment in risk management is essential for maintaining a strong security posture.

What you bring 

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Insurance, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
• 6+ years of experience similar function in financial services or in advanced large service companies
• Extensive experience in a similar senior/ executive compliance related role leading complex and geographically dispersed teams
• Demonstrable expertise in
  • Risk assessment and management
  • Financial services specific regulations (with focus on insurance) and other relevant regulations (e.g. DORA)
  • Compliance reporting
  • Incident management
• Extensive experience leading large, complex organizations, with a track record of aligning multi-regional teams and driving global strategies
• Previous experience successfully implementing process and people changes.
• Experience in collaborating with multiple teams and stakeholders in complex organizations with functional reporting to Global Office
• Ability to influence and build effective relationships at all levels of the business.
• Negotiation and executive-level communication skills, with a proven ability to influence board members, the C-suite, and senior external stakeholders.
• Displays solid attention to detail and has ability to analyze information to identify problems and develop appropriate solutions.
• Proven success leading teams and building high performing and accountable teams
• In-depth knowledge of local insurance/assistance regulations and market trends.
• Fluency in English and country’s local languages is mandatory

What we offer

Our employees play an integral part in our success as a business. We appreciate that each of our employees are unique and have unique needs, ambitions and we enjoy being a part of their journey. We are there to empower and encourage you with your personal and professional development ensuring that you take control by offering a large variety of courses and targeted development programs. All that in a global environment where international mobility and career progression are encouraged. Caring for your health and wellbeing is key priority for us. This is why we build Work Well programs to providing you with peace of mind and give the flexibility in planning and arranging for a better work-life balance.

74990 | Operations | Professional | PG12 | Allianz Partners | Full-Time | Permanent

Allianz Group is one of the most trusted insurance and asset management companies in the world. Caring for our employees, their ambitions, dreams and challenges, is what makes us a unique employer. Together we can build an environment where everyone feels empowered and has the confidence to explore, to grow and to shape a better future for our customers and the world around us. 
We at Allianz believe in a diverse and inclusive workforce and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to bring your whole self to work, no matter where you are from, what you look like, who you love or what you believe in.
We therefore welcome applications regardless of ethnicity or cultural background, age, gender, nationality, religion, disability or sexual orientation.
Join us. Let's care for tomorrow.