Senior Operational Excellence Lead

Locations: Windsor, CT, US | Kansas City, MO, US | Houston, TX, US | Chicago, IL, US | Alpharetta, GA, US

Are you a transformation-driven professional with a passion for reimagining how organizations operate at scale? Do you thrive at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and execution? If so, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact at a global level.

About the Role

As an Operational Excellence Lead , you will be a key driver of business transformation within a high-impact, globally connected team. At the core of this role is the opportunity to design and shape new operating models for e.g. fast follow and facility schemes — reimagining how these critical commercial insurance structures function end-to-end, and setting the standard for how they scale globally.

This role places you at the heart of evolving underwriting operating models, enabling the organization to operate smarter, faster, and more effectively. You will lead strategic change initiatives, challenge the status quo, and work collaboratively across Lines of Business, Integrated Platforms, and Global Functions to design fit-for-purpose operating models that balance local market needs with global consistency. You will also champion digital innovation — including GenAI — to unlock new levels of productivity and deliver measurable, sustainable business impact.

This is not a back-office role — it is a high-visibility, high-influence position for someone who is energized by complexity, motivated by outcomes, and committed to shaping the future of how a global organization operates.

Key Responsibilities

• Champion digital innovation and adoption , including the integration of GenAI and emerging technologies to enhance productivity and deliver measurable business impact.
• Lead end-to-end transformation initiatives , designing and implementing operating models that balance global consistency with local market needs.
• Drive operational rigor and efficiency by identifying process gaps, designing solutions, and embedding best practices across the organization.
• Manage and execute complex projects from inception through to delivery, ensuring milestones, timelines, and quality standards are consistently met.
• Engage and align senior stakeholders across Lines of Business, Integrated Platforms, and Global Functions to build consensus and drive change.
• Analyze and optimize underwriting operating models , identifying opportunities to enhance service differentiation, compliance, and user experience.
• Monitor and report on transformation outcomes , using data-driven insights to track progress, demonstrate value, and inform strategic decisions.
• Collaborate across geographies and functions to ensure initiatives are inclusive of diverse market needs and deliver consistent global impact.

About the Team

The Operational Model Excellence (OMEX)team is a global transformation function dedicated to evolving end-to-end operational models across Lines of Business (LoBs), Integrated Platforms (IP), and Global Functions. With a mission rooted in driving operational rigor, user relief, and capability building, the team works at the intersection of people, processes, systems, and data — all within a unified framework.

OMEX leads business transformation and strategic change initiatives that enhance efficiency, compliance, and service differentiation. The team designs and implements end-to-end operating models that balance local market needs with global consistency, while championing innovation and digital adoption — including GenAI — to improve productivity and deliver measurable business impact.

Joining OMEX means becoming part of a forward-thinking, collaborative, and globally connected team that is actively shaping the future of how the organization operates. Here, your ideas matter, your expertise is valued, and your work creates real, visible impact.

About You

You are a strategic thinker and a pragmatic doer — someone who can navigate complexity with confidence, inspire teams and stakeholders, and translate ambitious transformation goals into tangible results. You bring deep domain expertise, a collaborative mindset, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. You demonstrate strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to present complex ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. You are curious about innovation, comfortable with ambiguity, and energized by the opportunity to drive meaningful change in a dynamic, global environment.

We are looking for candidates who meet these requirements:

• Deep understanding of the commercial insurance market , including fast follow and facility operating models, with the ability to apply this knowledge to drive relevant and impactful operational change.
• Proven ability to lead and execute projects end-to-end, managing scope, stakeholders, timelines, and deliverables in complex, cross-functional environments.
• Comprehensive knowledge of end-to-end underwriting operating models , with experience identifying inefficiencies and designing solutions that enhance performance and compliance.
• Strong expertise in digital innovation and transformation , including familiarity with emerging technologies and the application of tools such as GenAI to drive productivity and business value.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, engage, and align diverse stakeholders , building trust and consensus across functions, geographies, and seniority levels.

These are additional nice to haves:

• Experience working within an agile operating model, with the ability to apply agile principles to drive iterative and adaptive transformation.
• A strong background in business and service design and/or business consulting, bringing structured problem-solving and human-centered design thinking to operational challenges.
• Familiarity with Lean or other operational excellence methodologies.
• Exposure to data analytics and the use of data-driven insights to support transformation decisions
• Experience in capability building, including the development of training materials, frameworks, or knowledge-sharing tools
• A track record of delivering change in regulated industries, with an understanding of compliance and risk considerations

The position location is flexible to one of the following Swiss Re offices: Chicago, Kansas City, Houston, Alpharetta, or Windsor. Our company uses a hybrid work model requiring at least three days in the office each week, with the option to work onsite full-time if preferred. This position is not eligible for full-time telework or relocation assistance.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $120,000 to $180,000. The specific salary offered for this or any given role will take into account a number of factors including but not limited to job location, scope of role, qualifications, complexity/specialization/scarcity of talent, experience, education, and employer budget.

At Swiss Re, we take a "total compensation approach" when making compensation decisions. This means that we consider all components of compensation in their totality (such as base pay, short-and long-term incentives, and benefits offered), in setting individual compensation.