Claims Manager

Claims Manager | High-Growth Specialty MGA | Bristol (Hybrid) | Full-Time | up to £45K + Bonus About the Company Our client is a modern, high-growth specialty MGA dedicated to bringing technical excellence and operational agility to the insurance marketplace. Operating in an incredibly fast-paced, high-growth scale-up environment, they champion absolute autonomy and radical ownership. They move dynamically from start-up flexibility to scale-up discipline, meaning they listen well, move fast, and empower their people to execute without layers of bureaucracy or hand-holding. If you thrive in a rapid-iteration culture where you are trusted to define the roadmap, make high-impact technical decisions, and see your work directly move the business forward every single day, you will find a massive opportunity here. They keep their customers at the heart of all their decisions. As they continue to scale, they are looking for a high-performing professional who wants to leave traditional corporate bureaucracy behind and help them build a category-defining claims environment. About the Role As the Claims Manager, you will be the core technical anchor and escalation force behind claims operation. Reporting directly to the Head of Claims, this is a crucial role focused on providing technical expertise and day-to-day support to our claims handling team. You will ensure that claims are managed accurately, fairly, and in perfect accordance with regulatory, insurer, and internal requirements. This isn't a generic processing role; you will act as our first-line referral point for complex claim scenarios and technical queries. You will use your experience to coach our handlers, oversee strict financial controls, and spot process improvements to help our operations engine grow. Key Responsibilities

• Own and manage complex, high-value, or technically challenging claims across specialty lines from initial notification through to final settlement.
• Act as the first-line referral point for the team on policy coverage, liability, quantum, and strategy, providing clear guidance to resolve customer disputes.
• Review and approve claims decisions within your delegated authority limits, running quality assurance file reviews to maintain pristine handling standards.
• Authorize claim payments within your delegated limits while tracking reserves and monitoring for leakage or potential financial risks.
• Deliver technical coaching, share knowledge, and assist with the onboarding of new claims colleagues to level up team capabilities.
• Track referrals, contribute to management reporting on claims trends, and recommend sharp process improvements to the Claims Oversight Manager. Skills & Competencies
• Deep understanding of claims handling principles, specialty policy interpretation, indemnity, and settlement practices.
• The confidence to assess complex information and make sound, balanced, and commercially focused decisions.
• Comfortable providing technical assistance, mentoring handlers, and building their technical confidence.
• Absolute accuracy when reviewing complex claim files, reserves, and financial document trails.
• Capable of reading operational data to spot trends, leakage, and opportunities for continuous improvement. Qualifications & Experience
• Significant, proven experience in insurance claims handling with strong technical knowledge across specialty products.
• Clear experience mentoring, supporting, and delivering technical coaching to claims handlers.
• Proven track record working within delegated authority frameworks and handling sign-offs/payment approvals.
• Deep, working knowledge of FCA regulations, Consumer Duty obligations, and claims handling best practices.
• Highly organized and comfortable using modern claims management systems and reporting tools. Role Details
• 35 hours per week (Monday–Friday).
• Immediate start
• Hybrid (minimum 2 days per week based out of our Bristol office).
• A fast-moving startup environment that prioritizes accountability, trust, and brilliance.