Director of Recoveries- Subrogation and Salvage

Job Description

Job Description

About the Opportunity

Aspire General Insurance Company is seeking an accomplished Director of Recoveries – Subrogation and Salvage to lead the strategy, operations, and performance of our recovery functions.

This is a highly visible leadership position with direct impact on the Company’s financial performance. The Director will develop and execute strategies that maximize recovery opportunities, strengthen operational effectiveness, improve vendor performance, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Reporting to the Vice President of Claims, this leader will serve as the Company’s subject matter expert for subrogation and salvage. The ideal candidate brings deep automobile claims expertise, strong knowledge of California recovery laws, and a proven ability to lead high-performing recovery operations.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Insurance, Risk Management, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible claims operations experience.
• Significant leadership experience overseeing Subrogation and/or Salvage functions.
• California claims and recovery experience.
• In-depth knowledge of California subrogation and salvage laws and regulations.
• Extensive automobile claims experience, including property damage, liability investigations, claim evaluation, negotiations, subrogation, and salvage.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing recovery strategies, operational procedures, workflows, and best practices.
• Experience managing recovery performance, workforce development, strategic planning, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Strong people leadership experience with the ability to coach, mentor, and develop high-performing teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Leadership experience across both Subrogation and Salvage operations.
• Multi-state claims and regulatory experience.
• Experience establishing departmental metrics, scorecards, reports, and key performance indicators.
• Experience overseeing collection agencies, attorneys, skip-trace providers, salvage vendors, and other external recovery partners.
• Strong understanding of claims systems, reserving philosophies, recovery processes, and overall claims operations.
• Experience partnering with Information Technology on claims-system enhancements and technical solutions.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead Recovery Strategy and Operations
• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all Subrogation and Salvage functions.
• Develop and continuously improve recovery strategies, processes, workflows, and best practices.
• Direct recovery activities to ensure timely, efficient, and effective outcomes.
• Evaluate complex recovery opportunities and determine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of pursuing recovery.
• Establish recovery authority guidelines and approve settlements, recoveries, and escalated decisions within delegated authority.
• Provide technical guidance and handling recommendations on complex recovery matters.

Drive Financial and Operational Performance:

• Develop strategies that maximize recoveries and support the Company’s financial objectives.
• Establish and monitor departmental metrics, scorecards, reports, and KPIs.
• Analyze recovery data, operational trends, and performance results to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Translate findings into actionable plans that improve efficiency, profitability, and recovery outcomes.
• Partner with Claims leadership, Information Technology, and other business stakeholders to implement operational and system improvements.

Manage Vendors and External Partners:

• Evaluate, select, negotiate with, and manage external recovery partners.
• Oversee relationships with collection agencies, attorneys, skip-trace providers, and salvage vendors.
• Establish performance expectations and service-level requirements.
• Monitor vendor quality, compliance, cost-effectiveness, and recovery results.
• Hold external partners accountable for contractual obligations and performance standards.

Ensure Compliance and Manage Risk:

• Ensure recovery operations comply with federal and state laws, Department of Insurance regulations, carrier requirements, and Company policies.
• Develop and maintain appropriate procedures, controls, and governance processes.
• Identify operational, regulatory, legal, and business risks and recommend corrective action.
• Support audits, regulatory reviews, and compliance initiatives.
• Ensure recovery practices remain aligned with industry standards and organizational expectations.

Build and Develop the Team:

• Lead, mentor, and develop Subrogation and Salvage team members.
• Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and high performance.
• Oversee staffing, hiring, onboarding, workforce planning, performance management, and succession planning.
• Establish clear performance expectations and conduct employee evaluations.
• Partner with Human Resources on employee relations, compensation planning, performance concerns, and organizational development.
• Promote training and professional development across the department.

Partner With Executive Leadership:

• Present recovery performance, trends, risks, recommendations, and operational updates to executive leadership.
• Collaborate on departmental strategy, budgeting, resource allocation, and organizational priorities.
• Build strong relationships with Claims leadership, internal business partners, insurance carriers, attorneys, regulators, and vendors.
• Serve as the Company’s subject matter expert on subrogation, salvage, and recovery-related industry trends.

Skills and Capabilities:

• Strategic and operational leadership
• Subrogation and salvage expertise
• Recovery performance management
• Automobile claims knowledge
• Vendor and litigation management
• Regulatory and compliance knowledge
• Data analysis and executive reporting
• Budget and resource management
• Process and workflow improvement
• Strong negotiation and decision-making skills
• Clear executive-level communication
• Ability to lead through changing business and regulatory priorities

Working Conditions:

• This exempt position may require schedule flexibility or additional hours based on operational needs.
• Work may be performed in a professional office or approved remote-work environment.
• Occasional business travel may be required for meetings, training, conferences, audits, or vendor management.
• The position involves regular interaction with executive leadership, Claims personnel, vendors, attorneys, regulators, and business partners.
• The role requires frequent use of computers, claims systems, reporting tools, and communication platforms.
• The employee must be able to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive business, financial, employee, and claims information.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to remain stationary for extended periods while working at a computer or attending meetings.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, through video conference, and in writing.
• Visual ability to review claim documentation, computer screens, and operational and financial reports.
• Ability to maintain attention to detail and analyze complex information for extended periods.
• Ability to occasionally lift or move office materials weighing up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to travel by automobile or airplane when required.
• Remote employees must maintain a safe, secure, and functional home-office environment.
• Benefits

Eligible employees may receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off and Company holidays
• 401(k) plan with Company matching
• Additional voluntary benefits
• Professional development opportunities

Aspire is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees and applicants are treated with dignity and respect. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Aspire provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs and practices. Applicants requiring accommodation during any stage of the recruitment or hiring process should inform us right away.

Aspire complies with all applicable fair chance, ban-the-box, and criminal history consideration laws. Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with applicable law and the requirements of the position.

The pay range provided for this position represents the Company's good-faith estimate of the compensation for this role at the time of posting. Compensation for this position will be determined based on job-related qualifications, experience, education, skills, geographic location, and business needs. Aspire reserves the right to modify compensation and benefits programs as permitted by law.