Senior Director, VSC Claims Operations

Job Description

Job Description

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Job Title: Senior Director, VSC Claims Operations

Reports to: Vice President, Operations
Location: Greenville, SC (Onsite)

Travel: Up to 30% (regular to Atlanta, GA and Client visits across US, Canada)

FLSA:  Exempt

Role Context

Safe-Guard Products International is seeking a Senior Director, VSC Claims Operations to lead end-to-end execution of its Vehicle Service Contract (VSC) Claims organization.

This role owns operational performance, claims financial outcomes, process governance, and claims AI/technology enablement across a scaled, multi-team environment.

The Senior Director will directly impact loss ratio and expense discipline through rigorous operational management and leakage control.

This is not a maintenance role. It is a performance transformation mandate.

Business Imperatives Driving the Hire

The selected leader will be expected to:

• Drive measurable reduction in claims leakage
• Improve cost-per-claim and productivity per FTE
• Enhance QA governance and operational controls
• Strengthen managers’ capabilities and bench depth
• Standardize workflow design and system governance
• Ensure operational scalability to support portfolio growth

Position Mandate

The Senior Director, VSC Claims Operations, will:

Own

• Claims performance metrics
• Leakage %
• Severity & frequency trends (operational influence)
• Cost per claim
• Cycle time & SLA adherence
• Claims operational expense budget
• In collaboration with WFM - capacity planning and driver based capacity management
• Workflow architecture and claims system configuration standards

Lead

• All VSC Claims operational managers
• Hiring, performance management, succession planning
• Cross-functional alignment with Risk, WFM, and IT

Govern

• Claims workflow and Claims 2.0 design
• Automation roadmap (AI triage, fraud analytics, workflow optimization)
• QA framework and operational controls
• Regulatory and compliance standards

Qualifications: 

• 10 years in insurance, VSC, claims adjudication OR Equivalent experience in technically complex environment leading large-scale team.
• 7+ years leading large-scale operations (75–200+ FTE)

• Direct experience managing claims financial performance
• Demonstrated leakage reduction success
• Experience implementing workflow or systems transformation
• Strong cross-functional exposure (Underwriting, Finance, IT)

Industry preference: VSC, warranty administration, OEM captive, auto P&C claims or industry with technically complex environment

Key Skills & Competencies Required

A. Financial & Margin Acumen (Non-Negotiable)

The candidate must demonstrate:

• Deep understanding of claims leakage mechanics
• Ability to connect operational behavior to loss ratio
• Comfort discussing loss ratios, severity, and expense ratios
• Proven track record improving financial outcomes

We are not seeking a service-only mindset.
This role requires a margin operator.

B. Operational Rigor & Systems Thinking

Must demonstrate:

• Experience redesigning claims workflows
• Strong understanding of end-to-end adjudication processes
• Data-driven management approach
• Structured problem-solving methodology
• Experience implementing QA and governance frameworks

The leader must think in systems, not anecdotes.

C. Workforce & Productivity Leadership

Must demonstrate:

• Productivity measurement discipline
• Experience improving FTE efficiency
• Strong manager development capability
• Clear performance accountability standards

This individual must be comfortable making difficult personnel decisions when needed.

D. Technology & Process Ownership

The candidate must:

• Have partnered with IT on claims system enhancements
• Understand system configuration vs. IT build distinction
• Be comfortable owning automation roadmaps
• Demonstrate openness to AI and analytics adoption

Technology literacy is required; coding background is not.

E. Change Leadership

Must demonstrate:

• Leading operational transformation
• Navigating resistance
• Elevating performance culture
• Building disciplined accountability

This role requires constructive tension management.

F. Executive Presence

Must demonstrate:

• Comfort presenting to C-suite leadership
• Ability to communicate in metrics
• Clear, concise, structured thinking
• High credibility across functions

Cultural Attributes

We are seeking a leader who is:

• Direct and accountable
• Financially disciplined
• Data-oriented
• Bias for action
• Comfortable in ambiguity

Avoid candidates who are overly consensus-driven or conflict-averse.

Search Strategy Recommendation

• Targeted search across major VSC administrators and OEM captive warranty entities with scaled, phone‑based claims operations, prioritizing leaders who possess strong mechanical/engineering understanding of vehicle systems and can apply that knowledge to claims adjudication, leakage control, and contract interpretation.
• Selective outreach to auto P&C claims operators who combine financial discipline and call‑center claims leadership with hands‑on exposure to mechanical claims, technical damage assessment, or complex repair decisioning , enabling credible oversight of frontline adjudication quality and severity control.
• Explicit prioritization of candidates with applied AI and analytics experience in claims environments where mechanical complexity matters —such as AI‑assisted triage, diagnostic validation, fraud detection, or agent‑assist tools that support technically accurate claim decisions.
• Alternative pathway: deeply technical military leaders (e.g., aviation, vehicle maintenance, engineering, logistics, or weapons systems backgrounds) who have:
  • Led large, multi‑layer operational teams
  • Owned mission‑critical, high‑risk decision environments
  • Executed workflow redesign, process standardization, and systems/process governance
  • Demonstrated strong analytical rigor, accountability, and performance discipline

These candidates are viable where their technical depth, operational scale leadership, and transformation experience clearly translate to claims adjudication, quality control, and financial risk management.

• Avoid broad generalist claims or contact‑center directors who lack mechanical/engineering fluency, transformation ownership, AI adoption experience, or direct accountability for financially material adjudication outcomes.

  Company Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account 
• 401(k) Plan with Company Match
• Company-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Company-paid Life Insurance
• Paid Holidays and Vacation
• Employee Referral Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Programs
• Paid Community Service Opportunities
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Ongoing Training & Personal Development
• And More! 

Safe-Guard Products International is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, disability or protected veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.