UK

United Kingdom · Finance · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of International Claims

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports25-100+ reports
  • Reports toVP, Global Claims Operations
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of Global Claims Operations · VP Claims (International Finance) · Claims Director, EMEA/APAC

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate In Providing Financial Services City & Guilds Limited · Level 2 · covers 2 of 10 standards
City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate In Providing Financial Services City & Guilds Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 10 standards
City & Guilds Level 3 Award in Providing Financial Services City & Guilds Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Highfield Level 2 Certificate in Providing Financial Services (RQF) Highfield Qualifications · Level 2 · covers 1 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Contributing to the delivery and achievement of team and business objectives in a financial services environment City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate In Providing Financial Services
Monitoring own performance in placing risks or handling claims against key performance indicators City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate In Providing Financial Services
Settling complex insurance claims City & Guilds Level 3 Award in Providing Financial Services
Dealing with straightforward claims for insured losses Highfield Level 2 Certificate in Providing Financial Services (RQF)

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Change Fluency taking people through change
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of International Claims

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Contributing to the delivery and achievement of team and business objectives in a financial services environment City & Guilds Limited · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 2
  2. Monitoring own performance in placing risks or handling claims against key performance indicators City & Guilds Limited · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 3
  3. Settling complex insurance claims City & Guilds Limited · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 3
  4. Dealing with straightforward claims for insured losses Highfield Qualifications · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 2
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of International Claims?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI & Automation Strategy for Claims
  • Digital Transformation Leadership
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of International Claims plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

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3What this role really is

This job means leading the claims function for complex international losses across a business unit. It involves setting strategic direction, managing a significant P&L, and keeping the claims function efficient and compliant.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Guidewire ClaimCenter (or similar enterprise claims platform) Strategic

Leading system integration projects, evaluating and selecting new platform vendors, defining data governance rules, and ensuring the platform supports strategic claims objectives across the business unit.

Kyriba / FIS Integrity (or similar Treasury Management System) Strategic

Designing and approving global payment workflows, managing banking relationships, setting FX hedging strategy for claims payouts, and ensuring payment security and compliance at an enterprise level.

LexisNexis Bridger Insight XG / World-Check (or similar Compliance Screening) Architect

Setting the firm's risk tolerance and screening policies, managing the relationship with compliance tool vendors, and ensuring the integrity of our global compliance framework.

SharePoint / OpenText Content Suite (or similar Document Management) Strategic

Architecting the enterprise-wide document management strategy for the claims function, ensuring auditability, data retention policies, and seamless access for a global team.

MS Excel (Power Query, VBA, Advanced Modelling) Strategic

Modelling the financial impact of loss trends, creating complex claims bordereaux for strategic partners, and presenting findings to senior leadership in compelling, data-rich dashboards.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Claims Policy & Strategy Follows established policy, escalates deviations. Interprets policy for complex cases, proposes minor adjustments. Designs and recommends policy changes, leads policy implementation.
Budget & Resource Allocation Operates within allocated daily resources. Manages project budgets up to £5K, requests additional resources. Approves project spend up to £50K, allocates team resources for workstreams.
Vendor Selection & Management Uses approved vendors for routine tasks. Evaluates vendor performance for specific projects, provides feedback. Selects vendors for workstreams up to £100K, negotiates service terms.
Regulatory Compliance Approach Adheres to compliance procedures for individual claims. Identifies potential compliance issues, escalates to senior staff. Ensures team compliance, advises on complex regulatory interpretations.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Loss Adjustment Expense (LAE) Ratio
The percentage of claims costs spent on handling and investigating claims (e.g., legal fees, adjusters).
Target · Maintain LAE ratio below 8% (or industry benchmark)

If total claims paid are £10M and LAE is £800K, your LAE ratio is 8%. You'll be expected to find ways to reduce this without compromising quality.

Subrogation & Recovery Rate
The percentage of recoverable claims where we successfully get money back from liable third parties.
Target · Achieve >30% recovery on all eligible claims

If your team identifies £5M in subrogation potential, you'll be expected to recover at least £1.5M of that, directly impacting our P&L.

Claims Leakage Reduction
Identifying and implementing initiatives that reduce unnecessary payouts or overpayments.
Target · Deliver >£1M in annual savings through leakage prevention

Through process automation or improved fraud detection, you might identify a recurring error that saves £250K per quarter, hitting your £1M target.

Regulatory Fines & Penalties
Number and value of fines incurred due to non-compliance in claims handling.
Target · Zero material fines or penalties

A single breach of sanctions regulations could result in a multi-million-pound fine. Your job is to ensure that doesn't happen on your watch.

Strategic Claims Transformation
Leading and successfully implementing major initiatives to modernise claims operations (e.g., new systems, AI adoption, process re-engineering).
  • Successful project completion within budget and timeline
  • measurable improvements in efficiency or customer experience
  • positive feedback from project sponsors and affected teams.
Talent Development & Retention
Building a strong, high-performing claims leadership team and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
  • High retention rates for key talent
  • successful internal promotions
  • positive feedback in 360-degree reviews
  • demonstrable succession plans for critical roles.
Stakeholder Trust & Influence
Being seen as a trusted advisor by senior leadership, effectively influencing decisions that impact the claims function and broader business.
  • Regularly invited to executive planning meetings
  • your recommendations are consistently adopted
  • positive feedback from C-suite and regional heads regarding your strategic input and collaboration.
Regulatory Engagement & Foresight
Proactively engaging with regulatory changes and anticipating future compliance requirements, positioning the business ahead of the curve.
  • Successful navigation of new regulations without disruption
  • positive feedback from Legal & Compliance
  • participation in industry bodies or working groups influencing future policy.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Driving Large-Scale Transformation

You'll spend your days identifying inefficiencies, designing new claims operating models, and championing the adoption of new technologies. Seeing a complex, multi-year project come to fruition and deliver tangible results for the business is what gets you up in the morning.

Successfully implementing a new global claims platform that reduces average claims cycle time by 15% and saves £2M annually in operational costs.

Shaping Organisational Policy & Strategy

You'll be defining the 'how' and 'why' behind our claims processes, setting the standards for compliance, efficiency, and customer experience. This means working on policy documents, engaging with legal teams, and presenting strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

Developing and getting approval for a new global sanctions screening policy that significantly enhances our risk posture while streamlining operations.

Building and Mentoring High-Performing Teams

A big part of your role is developing your leadership team and ensuring they have the skills and support to succeed. You'll be coaching managers, setting clear expectations, and fostering a culture where people feel empowered to grow and deliver their best work.

Seeing one of your direct reports get promoted to a regional claims head, knowing you played a key part in their development.

What frustrates people
  • Legacy systems that stubbornly refuse to integrate, forcing manual workarounds at a strategic level.
  • Regulatory changes that come out of nowhere, requiring immediate, costly overhauls to processes.
  • Getting buy-in from multiple, often competing, regional stakeholders for a global standardisation initiative.
  • The constant pressure to reduce costs while simultaneously enhancing compliance and customer experience.
  • Inheriting complex, unresolved issues from previous leadership that become your problem to fix.
What this role does not give you
  • Daily, hands-on claims adjudication or direct interaction with claimants.
  • A purely technical role with minimal people management or strategic oversight.
  • A static environment where processes rarely change and new challenges are few.
  • An easy ride with no difficult conversations or political navigation.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes the financial performance and risk profile of a significant business unit. You'll be accountable for millions in claims payouts and associated expenses, driving operational efficiency, and ensuring regulatory adherence across multiple jurisdictions. Your decisions directly influence client retention, market reputation, and ultimately, the company's profitability.

Inside the business
  • CFO and Finance Leadership Team
  • Regional Business Unit Heads
  • Underwriting Directors
  • Legal & Compliance Department
  • Risk Management Committee
Outside the business
  • Major Reinsurance Partners
  • Key Brokers and Distribution Partners
  • International Regulatory Bodies (e.g., FCA, MAS, FINMA)
  • External Auditors
  • Strategic Claims Vendors (e.g., loss adjusters, legal firms)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Proven track record of leading and transforming large-scale international claims operations, demonstrating measurable improvements in efficiency, compliance, and financial performance.
  • Extensive experience (10+ years) in a senior leadership role within international claims or a related finance function, with direct P&L responsibility for a significant business unit.
  • Deep expertise in at least two major international claims specialisms (e.g., marine, property, casualty, financial lines) and a broad understanding of others.
  • Demonstrable experience in managing complex regulatory relationships and successfully navigating challenging compliance environments across multiple jurisdictions.
  • Strong experience in talent management, including developing high-performing leadership teams and driving organisational change initiatives.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Data Analytics & Visualisation Leadership

The volume and complexity of claims data are exploding. As Director, you need to be able to interpret sophisticated analytics, ask the right questions, and drive data-driven decision-making across your function.

Executive Dashboard Design · Root Cause Analysis with Big Data · Data Storytelling for Strategic Impact

  • This quarter: Work closely with your data analytics team to understand their methodologies and challenges.
  • Next 6 months: Commission a deep-dive analytical report on a key claims trend and use it to inform a strategic decision.
  • Next 12 months: Champion the adoption of a new business intelligence tool for claims reporting, ensuring it meets strategic needs.
  • Ongoing: Regularly review industry reports and academic papers on claims analytics and predictive modelling.

Quick win: Request a 'deep dive' session with your existing data team to understand the current capabilities and limitations of your claims analytics.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Active participation in industry bodies and associations (e.g., IIL, LMA, ACAMS) to stay abreast of market trends and regulatory changes.
  • Regular attendance at executive leadership programmes and strategic management courses focused on digital transformation and global business.
  • Mentoring junior claims leaders and actively contributing to internal knowledge sharing and best practice forums.
  • Publishing thought leadership articles or speaking at industry conferences on international claims trends or innovation.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI & Automation Strategy for Claims

AI isn't just a tool; it's becoming a strategic imperative for efficiency, fraud detection, and customer experience. Competitors are already using it to gain significant advantages, and we need to be at the forefront.

  • Generative AI for Claims
  • Predictive Analytics for Loss Reserving
  • AI-Powered Fraud Detection
  • Ethical AI & Bias Mitigation

Digital Transformation Leadership

The entire finance industry is undergoing digital transformation. As Director, you'll be expected to lead significant technological shifts within claims, not just manage them. This impacts everything from our systems to our people.

  • Agile Transformation Principles
  • Cloud-Native Claims Platforms
  • Ecosystem Integration
  • Data Governance & Quality

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Strategic Subrogation & Recovery
  • Advanced Loss Reserving & Actuarial Interface
  • Global Foreign Exchange (FX) Risk Management
  • Enterprise Sanctions & AML Compliance (OFAC/KYC)
  • Policy Interpretation & Adjudication Frameworks
  • Strategic Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    International Claims Manager (L5)

    3-5 years as an L5

    Skills to master

    • Mastering team leadership, P&L management for a smaller function, strategic vendor management, and driving operational efficiency initiatives.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently exceeding financial targets (LAE, recovery) for your managed claims function.
    • Successfully leading and implementing at least one major claims transformation project.
    • Developing and promoting key talent within your team, demonstrating strong succession planning.
    • Building robust relationships with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level.
  2. 2

    Head of Finance Operations (with Claims oversight)

    4-6 years in a similar role

    Skills to master

    • Broadening financial operations expertise beyond claims, including treasury, accounts payable/receivable, and general ledger management, while maintaining strong claims knowledge.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Demonstrable experience in managing diverse financial operations functions, not just claims.
    • Proven ability to drive efficiency and cost savings across multiple operational areas.
    • Strong understanding of financial reporting and control frameworks.
    • Ability to influence and collaborate with C-suite executives on cross-functional initiatives.
  3. 3

    Senior Legal Counsel (Specialising in Insurance/Claims)

    5-7 years in a senior legal role

    Skills to master

    • Transitioning from legal advisory to operational leadership, focusing on strategic risk management, team management, and financial oversight, in addition to legal expertise.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Extensive experience in managing complex insurance litigation and regulatory matters.
    • Demonstrated ability to provide strategic legal advice that balances risk with commercial objectives.
    • Experience in building and leading legal teams or cross-functional project teams.
    • A strong desire to move into a P&L-responsible operational leadership role.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to positions such as Chief Operating Officer or Chief Risk Officer, or a non-executive director seat on a board.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of International Claims is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Contributing to the delivery and achievement of team and business objectives in a financial services environment, worked against Director of International Claims.

Contributing to the delivery and achievement of team and business objectives in a financial services environment Level 2

Applied to your work in Director of International Claims

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to contribute effectively to team and business objectives within a financial services environment. Learners will be able to plan and manage their work, maintain effective relationships, identify improvements to productivity, and comply with internal policies and procedures.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

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See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of International Claims
  • Strategic Subrogation & Recovery
  • Advanced Loss Reserving & Actuarial Interface
  • Global Foreign Exchange (FX) Risk Management
  • Enterprise Sanctions & AML Compliance (OFAC/KYC)
  • Policy Interpretation & Adjudication Frameworks
  • Strategic Dispute Resolution & Litigation Management
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of International Claims is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. VP, Global Claims Operations (L7)

    3-5 years in the Director role

    Enterprise-wide strategic responsibility, managing a larger global team, direct board governance, and significant P&L accountability (£10M+).

    • Global claims policy harmonisation and standardisation.
    • Enterprise risk management for claims.
    • Advanced actuarial and reserving oversight for the entire portfolio.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, leading a large international claims team means you're often drowning in strategic planning, budget reviews, and stakeholder management. Imagine if your team could handle more claims, faster, and with fewer errors, freeing you up to focus on the truly strategic stuff. That's where AI comes in.

We're not just talking about automating simple tasks. We're talking about embedding AI into the core of our claims operations to drive efficiency, enhance compliance, and provide you with deeper insights. As Director, you'll be championing the adoption of these tools, overseeing their implementation, and leveraging their output to make better, faster decisions. This isn't just about saving time; it's about fundamentally transforming how we operate.

Document Triage & Data Extraction

Imagine AI automatically reading and categorising thousands of incoming claim forms, invoices, and complex loss reports from around the globe. It extracts key data points and pre-populates your claims management system, reducing manual entry for your team by hours. Your role shifts to validating the AI's output and focusing on the exceptions, not the mundane.

Fraud & Anomaly Highlighting

AI can analyse new claim details against millions of historical data points, flagging suspicious patterns that human eyes might miss. Think duplicate invoices, unusual service provider billing, or narratives matching known fraud schemes. This gives your team a powerful early warning system, allowing them to focus their investigative efforts where they's most needed, and protecting our P&L from leakage.

Compliance & Sanctions Pre-Screening

The headache of international sanctions screening? AI can continuously monitor global lists and run automated, preliminary checks on all parties involved in a claim. It flags potential 'OFAC hits' for your team to perform final due diligence, drastically reducing the manual burden and ensuring we stay ahead of ever-changing regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

Templated Claimant Communication

AI can generate high-quality drafts for routine communications based on claim status, specific policy wording, and claimant history. Your team can then review, personalise, and send, saving significant time. This means more consistent, compliant, and faster communication with claimants, improving satisfaction and reducing cycle times—all under your strategic oversight.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of International Claims?

Common routes in include International Claims Manager (3-5 years as an L5), Head of Finance Operations (with Claims oversight) (4-6 years in a similar role) and Senior Legal Counsel (Specialising in Insurance/Claims) (5-7 years in a senior legal role). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of International Claims progress to?

This role can lead on to VP, Global Claims Operations (3-5 years in the Director role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of International Claims?

Increasingly, AI & Automation Strategy for Claims and Digital Transformation Leadership. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in finance

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

A grounding in risk, finance and international operations opens doors beyond claims. It can lead to leadership roles in banking or asset management, consulting work, or roles within regulatory bodies, where expertise in complex operations and compliance carries weight.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Director of International Claims plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.