Chief Financial Officer - Berkley
Stamford, CT
About the Job
Company Details
Berkley One exists to insure and protect the lifestyles of a modern generation of affluence. We seek clients that are sophisticated individuals and families who require world-class risk and claims management customized to their needs, a team of select expert independent agents and innovative digital tools to keep it simple and easy. We’ll blend our partners, products and capabilities with all that is Berkley, generating a modern solution for the customers we serve.
Our culture is one of innovation, creativity and teamwork. Our team is highly motivated, passionate about our business, and deeply experienced in developing and delivering product and service solutions in the personal insurance marketplace.
The company is an equal opportunity employer.
Responsibilities
We have an opportunity for a Chief Financial Officer to join our Berkley One team! Reporting to our Berkley One President, you will be responsible for the leadership and management of the finance function and will serve as a key strategic partner in the development and growth of Berkley One. You will lead all financial and accounting activities of the business at the highest level including the management of financial and management reporting; premium collection; the general ledger; and compliance with SOX, GAAP and all applicable federal, state and local regulations for finance and tax issues. You will also be tasked with building, validating and documenting all processes, systems and workflow for Finance work. There is a high degree of collaboration and engagement with the W.R. Berkley (WRB) corporate finance team.
We have a welcoming culture valuing our employees – we trademarked the phrase Everything Counts, Everyone Matters® to describe the Berkley commitment to our people and how we do business. We believe that every person in the organization is important and every accomplishment makes a difference in our results. Come join us!
Key functions include but are not limited to:
- Lead comprehensive P&L reporting of revenues, losses and expenses
- Support company short and long-term strategic financial objectives and provides guidance, insights and strategic direction to leadership team to meet financial objectives and enhance profitability
- Advise on the impact of short- and long-term planning via financial modeling and projections
- Conducts financial forecasting, budgets, and reporting
- Manage monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting processes deeply collaborating within Berkley One and with WRB corporate Finance team to ensure alignment with and to meet expectations
- Ensure effective controls are in place for credibility of results and compliance with SOX, GAAP and other laws, standards and requirements
- Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external auditors to ensure the company’s direction is clearly advised and approved
- Proactively and regularly collaborates with other members of the senior team to ensure that processes affecting financial outcomes are sound
- Direct the management and documentation of all systems, workflows and processes for financial and reinsurance accounting, reporting, billing, and premium collection
- Lead Finance staff ensuring that clear performance objectives and metrics are in place at all levels, staffing levels are appropriate and in line with budget, and employees are engaged and being developed
- Build collaborative relationships with peers and stakeholders across Berkley One and the W.R. Berkley organization to identify and strategize how to manage market dynamics and finance trends
- Other duties, projects and initiatives as assigned
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree
- CPA required
- 10+ years finance leadership experience required
- A strong preference for candidates with insurance industry/personal lines (High Net Worth) experience
- Expertise in the development and analysis of business unit profitability reporting
- Track record with setting and achieving financial goals
- Demonstrated data analysis and strategic decision-making skills
- Ability to translate data into useful information and to communicate key findings and assumptions in a concise fashion to senior management for decision making purposes
- Experience writing business plans and creating financial cases for investment
- In-depth knowledge of GAAP, Statutory Insurance Accounting, FASB and other accounting rules and principles
- Understanding of reinsurance and the actuarial reserving process preferred
- Must be an effective leader and motivator who understands how to successfully influence and manage a number of resources and initiatives from initiation through delivery; a master at stakeholder management, able to collaborate with corporate senior leaders, peers and subordinates, other internal corporate constituents, customers, and outside vendors to drive portfolio profit and growth and deliver an exceptional customer experience
- Exceptional communication skills; a communication style that is flexible to the situation
- A love of process and optimization; able to identify and resolve challenges and prioritize deliverables to ensure critical milestones are met
- Calm under pressure with exceptional organizational skills, integrity, and great follow-through on tasks Comfortable challenging norms while working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels of the organization
- An incredibly strong sense of accountability, fun and adventure
- Natural curiosity and a love learning how things work; always looking for creative and innovative improvements; excited to experiment with different strategies, track results, and make improvements