Director - Customer Experience & Operations - Scotiabank - Toronto

Job description
POSITION SUMMARY:
The purpose of this role is to direct and oversee all aspects of operations and customer experience for all Creditor Insurance products and channels to mitigate operational, reputational and legal risks, and to maximize financial opportunities.

Primary accountabilities of this role are as follows:
1. Develop, lead, and implement Creditor Insurance Operations and Customer Experience Strategies including development, implementation and management of product delivery framework by leveraging complex internal and external Bank and partner systems and processes.
2. Develop, lead, implement and oversee the management of Creditor insurance operations by ensuring effective operational risk management, including operational continuity, efficiencies, standards and targets for the business. The incumbent is expected to make “Out of Policy” decisions on escalated issues within the scope of the position’s mandate and authorization levels.
3. Oversee, direct and manage all aspects of Customer Experience and litigation matters pertaining to Creditor Insurance.
4. Oversee, direct and collaboratively manage the Insurance Canada Processing Centre, and the Insurance Canada Service Centre.
5. Lead and develop the Customer Experience, ICSC, ICPC and the Operating teams towards high performance.


KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Strategy, Development and Implementation
• Develop, implement and oversee customer experience and operational strategies to support and align with overall Creditor Insurance strategy to optimize Bank and partner systems capabilities.
• Ensure continued evolution and refinement of the customer experience and operational strategies to support the overall business and Bank strategies and growth.
• Act as Project Sponsor, as required, for new business process/system modifications, ensuring Project Managers and project teams tasked with the implementation of all operational/system projects do so successfully; ensuring that projects are implemented on-time, within budget and aligned with the business strategy.
• Lead and obtain stakeholder alignment to ensure successful execution of Creditor Insurance strategic initiatives.
• Lead and develop project delivery strategy, including project initiation, project management, implementation, and post implementation management of existing and new initiatives for Creditor Insurance.
• Oversee and manage prioritization and synchronization of projects to ensure strategic alignment with the business unit and Bank objectives; ensuring adequate funding and resource availability both internally and externally.
• Lead negotiation of operational terms, conditions and service levels with insurers and third party vendors.
• Identify, assess and oversee implementation of operational efficiencies through partnerships and determine appropriate strategies for outsourcing versus in-house development.
• Act as key business lead in building and maintaining strategy relationships for Integrated Business Solutions, Information Technology & Solutions, Electronic Banking Support Services, Shared Services, Non Branch Central Accounting Units, the Central Mortgage Unit, internal and external Legal Counsel, Audit, Office of the President and the Scotiabank Ombudsman.

Customer Experience and Litigations
• Oversee and direct Creditor insurance litigations, claims and underwriting appeals. Participate in discoveries, cross-examinations, mediations, and testifying at court proceedings.
• With the advice of legal counsel (internal and external), recommend negotiation strategies, final settlements for all legal claims while balancing customer needs and Bank impact (financial and reputational risks).
• Oversee and direct the Creditor Insurance complaint handling / special investigations unit. Provide direction to staff on customer experience/complaints escalated by customers, the Insurance Canada Service Centre (ICSC), the ICPC, the Canadian Bank branch network, 3rd party outsourcers, Insurance partners, Office of the President, or the Scotiabank Ombudsman Office that have a high potential for risk to the Bank’s reputation; ensuring that response standards are met; that Executive management is kept informed; and that all federal, provincial and industry complaint reporting is done accurately and on time.
• Ensure customer complaints are resolved effectively and reported to executives, appropriate internal and external parties, as appropriate.
• Assume a leadership role for all escalated business issues where provincial/federal government and law enforcement agencies are involved and provide appropriate assistance to their investigations.
• Ensure that customer experience administration is in alignment with federal/provincial regulations; industry guidelines and Scotiabank’s best practices.

Operations and Risk Management
Operations Management:
• Responsible for establishment and management of Operating Budget for multiple transits.
• Ensure effective and efficient administration of the Creditor insurance business adhering to applicable federal and provincial laws and regulations.
• Oversee and provide business unit direction on the assessment of new systems or system enhancement functionality developed by IT&S or other third party vendors, and determine relevant applicability to the Creditor Insurance business.
• Oversee and direct customer application, billing, claims submission and reporting processes, ensuring timeliness & accuracy and that any issues are resolved quickly and effectively.
• Oversee and direct the development and delivery of policy, procedures, privacy, product and systems training for all sales force, Bank support departments, insurers, and 3rd Party Outsourcers.
• Oversee, lead and provide strategic direction to the Insurance Canada Processing Centre (ICPC), Insurance Canada Service Centre (ICSC), other Bank units, multiple insurance partners, internal and external legal counsel, and 3rd party vendors on all operational, administration and customer experience issues.

Risk Management:
• Collaborate with internal partners, external business partners and insurers to identify, develop and implement operational risk assessments, and mitigation processes that improve administrative goals/targets and profitability. This requires ongoing communication and relationship building as well as developing, negotiating and implementing service contracts/agreements.
• Oversee management of strategic relationships with insurers, conduct yearly performance and compliance reviews and develop, negotiate and implement service contracts, where appropriate.
• Ensure operational risk is effectively managed to mitigate reputational, regulatory and legal risks.
• Oversee and direct operational audit functions, including the audit management of ICPC and ICSC, ensuring that effective processes and strong internal controls are in place.
• Oversee, direct and manage outsourcing arrangements ensure operational compliance through the development of annual reviews and reporting on risk Identify, clearly define and mitigate the inherent operational and reputational risks associated with the business.
• Act as Creditor Insurance’s Business Continuity Officer, ensure that BCPs are up-to-date, testing exercises and simulations and documentation are completed in accordance with bank standards and provincial/federal legislation, and that communication is provided to staff, other bank units and external vendors.

Insurance Canada Service Centre (ICSC) and Insurance Canada Processing Centre (ICPC)
• Oversee and direct the ICSC and ICPC business support units to ensure adherence to the group insurance policies, federal and provincial regulations, minimize legal risk to the Bank.
• Oversee business management direction, advice and support to the ICSC and ICPC Managers through Senior Manager Customer Experience, including establishment strategic plans with both Toronto CCC and Shared Service CMU Directors in order for the ICSC and ICPC support units to achieve Insurance Canada operational and administrative goals/targets.
• Establish, review and approve all operational monthly expenses for the units, within authority thresholds.
• Oversee the development and delivery of policy, procedures, privacy, product and systems training for all ICSC and ICPC staff.
• Assume a leadership role for all escalated ICSC/ICPC business issues where provincial/federal government and law enforcement agencies are involved and provide appropriate assistance to their investigations.
• Oversee and direct business control measures for monitoring and reporting on adherence to ICSC/ICPC service standards and procedures, and Business Continuity Plans.

Leadership
• Develop an organizational structure to best support business objectives and goals.
• Recruit, retain and develop staff to establish high performing teams.
• Engage and empower staff to be accountable for delivering superior results.
• Coach, mentor and develop staff to achieve desired career goals.
• Provide leadership to the larger Creditor Products & Operations team and Insurance Canada staff, as appropriate.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Superior leadership skills are essential to successfully manage the business mandate. The incumbent must be able to effectively direct the operations functional area within the Creditor Insurance business line. Results are largely developed through collaboration and through many areas of the Bank.

Highly effective negotiation skills are critical as the business line leverages network of external partners to cost-effectively operate its business model. Strategic influencing and relationship building skills are also needed to ensure internal Bank resources are leveraged appropriately. To manage through the conflicting priorities of these numerous departments and vendors, strong integrative skills are also required.

EDUCATION:

University education (degree) in business management preferred. Insurance industry designations are an asset such as FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute) from LOMA (Life Office Management Association).

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