To lead and manage the Group’s insurance and claims function, ensuring appropriate insurance protection, effective claims management, strong governance, and the provision of expert insurance advice. Act as the principal insurance adviser to the organisation, supporting major infrastructure projects, international operations, claims management, and contractual risk management, while providing leadership to the Insurance Services team.
Responsibilities- Lead the strategic management of the Group’s insurance programme, ensuring appropriate risk transfer solutions, coverage optimisation, and alignment with organisational objectives across domestic and international operations.
- Direct the handling of complex, high-value, and sensitive claims, providing oversight on claims strategy, litigation management, settlements, and insurer engagement to minimise financial exposure.
- Serve as the organisation’s principal insurance advisor, providing expert guidance on insurable risks, contractual liabilities, policy coverage, and risk transfer arrangements.
- Design and implement insurance solutions for major infrastructure and capital projects, ensuring effective protection, contractual risk allocation, and project-specific insurance requirements.
- Manage multinational insurance programmes and international insurance compliance obligations, coordinating with brokers, insurers, and stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions.
- Oversee insurance-related financial governance, including budgets, premium expenditure, claims reserves, procurement activities, service provider performance, and regulatory compliance.
- Deliver executive-level reporting, strategic insurance insights, and stakeholder engagement to support informed decision-making and effective governance.
- Lead and develop the Insurance Services team, fostering technical excellence, accountability, continuous improvement, and a high-performing customer-focused culture.
Experience
Substantial senior-level experience, typically a minimum of seven to ten years, in insurance, claims management, risk transfer, brokerage, underwriting, loss adjusting, legal claims management or a related discipline. The role requires a demonstrable record of leading complex insurance programmes, managing high-value or sensitive claims, advising senior stakeholders, operating within a complex business environment and engaging effectively with insurers, brokers, legal advisers, auditors and internal business leader.
Skills
Advanced insurance leadership: Strong technical knowledge of complex commercial insurance programmes including aviation insurance exposures, policy structures, market practice, insurer negotiations, coverage analysis and insurance placement strategy.
Claims strategy and litigation oversight: Proven ability to manage complex claim portfolios, reserves, settlement approaches, litigation strategy and engagement with legal advisers, insurers, loss adjusters and other claims specialists.
Contractual risk and indemnity expertise: Ability to review and advise on contractual insurance provisions, indemnities, liability exposures and risk transfer arrangements in commercial, infrastructure and operational contexts.
Strategic judgement and commercial awareness: Ability to assess complex insurance and risk issues, balance retained risk and market transfer, and provide practical, commercially sound advice to senior decision-makers.
Financial governance and assurance: Strong understanding of insurance budgets, premium management, claims provisioning, reserve reviews, reconciliations, audit support and financial control requirements.
Stakeholder management and influencing: Ability to engage credibly with executive management, business units, brokers, insurers, advisers, auditors and external partners, and to communicate complex insurance issues clearly and persuasively.
Education & Qualifications
A relevant third-level qualification in business, insurance, risk management, law, finance or a related discipline is required.
Mandatory Practicing/Training/Compliance Certification
Professional Memberships
Candidates must hold a minimum of a CIP designation, with a strong preference for Advanced Diploma in Insurance (ACII) or Higher Diploma in Insurance (MDI) or equivalent advanced professional insurance qualifications.
About UsWe're an airport industry leader with operations in four continents and over 3000 employees working together to ensure we deliver the best services for all our customers globally. We are a fast paced, energetic and diverse company. Offering careers that range from IT, Finance, Technical, Airport Operations to frontline security and customer focused roles and many more. Whether you are starting your career or looking for your next move, we have lots of great opportunities to choose from. About the TeamSkills Required
- Seven to ten years of senior-level experience in insurance, claims management, risk transfer, brokerage, underwriting, loss adjusting, legal claims management, or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex insurance programs and managing high-value or sensitive claims.
- Experience advising senior stakeholders and working with insurers, brokers, legal advisers, auditors, and internal business leaders.
- Advanced knowledge of complex commercial insurance programs, aviation insurance exposures, policy structures, insurer negotiations, coverage analysis, and insurance placement strategy.
- Experience with claims strategy, reserves, settlements, litigation oversight, and claims specialists.
- Expertise in contractual insurance provisions, indemnities, liability exposures, and risk transfer arrangements.
- Understanding of insurance budgets, premium management, claims provisioning, reserve reviews, reconciliations, audit support, and financial controls.
- Relevant third-level qualification in business, insurance, risk management, law, finance, or a related discipline.
- Minimum CIP professional designation.
- Advanced Diploma in Insurance ACII, Higher Diploma in Insurance MDI, or equivalent advanced professional insurance qualification.
What We Do
We are a global airport and travel retail group with business in 15 countries around the world. daa’s principal activities include operating and managing Dublin and Cork airports, global airport retailing through our subsidiary Aer Rianta International, and international aviation consultancy through daa International. The company is state-owned and headquartered at Dublin Airport.
