Assistant VP Claims Litigation

Encova•Columbus, OH

18d•Hybrid

About The Position

Encova Insurance is seeking an experienced Property & Casualty litigation leader to join its Claims organization. As a member of the Litigation Services leadership team, the Assistant Vice President may oversee the quality and performance of Litigation and Senior Litigation Specialists managing liability and coverage litigation involving Encova and its commercial and personal lines insureds, and may oversee paralegals who support those specialists. The role works with the Vice President, Claims Litigation, and peer AVPs to improve operational effectiveness, litigation quality, proactive claim management, and outcomes that address loss costs, expenses, and policyholder needs. The position reports to the Vice President, Claims Litigation. It may be performed hybrid from the Columbus, Ohio office or remotely from an eligible payroll state listed in the posting. Encova employs associates only in specified U.S. states. The AVP provides technical and people leadership, guides litigation strategy and claim outcomes, supports cost containment and performance measurement, and collaborates across the enterprise. The role also advises and supports the claims organization and other company associates and departments as needed. The position may assume the VP Claims Litigation’s duties in their absence.

Requirements

Experience as a practicing attorney and/or experience in Property & Casualty or Workers’ Compensation insurance litigation management.
Significant knowledge of Workers’ Compensation and/or Property & Casualty coverages, liability, and exposures, including commercial and personal auto; construction worksite accidents and defects; general liability; first-party property; first-party auto; and bad faith.
Thorough knowledge of contractual risk transfer, tort law, civil procedure, insurance coverage, general insurance law, and commercial lines products.
Skill in coverage and liability/damages analysis and litigation strategy, with expert litigation management skills, including large-loss management, mediation, arbitration, settlement negotiations, complex claim evaluation, and effective claims handling.
Superior written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to persuade, influence, and achieve buy-in.
Strong interpersonal, customer service, and conflict-resolution skills.
Ability to resolve problems with solutions that are fair to customers and right for the company.
Strong decision-making skills and ability to make well-reasoned decisions based on analysis and experience.
Strong analytical skills, including identifying problems, assessing information, analyzing possible solutions, and taking a logical approach.
Ability to coach, mentor, and develop talent, deliver performance assessments, and use performance management when necessary.
Ability to use analytics and management information to identify trends and opportunities and develop strategic actions.
Ability to lead, inspire, motivate, and drive performance.
Ability to foster collaboration and teamwork, build trust, and facilitate relationships.
Personal accountability for results and commitment to continuous improvement in processes and operations.

Nice To Haves

Property & Casualty or Workers’ Compensation insurance industry leadership experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide direction and technical guidance through management involvement and frequent file review to drive resolution-focused behaviors and proactive management of litigated claims.
Ensure sound litigation management practices that protect policyholders, provide a superior customer experience, and minimize litigation exposure.
Partner with AVPs and the VP to develop and execute cost-containment strategies, including law firm relationship management, performance monitoring, and legal bill review.
Partner with AVPs and the VP to develop key performance indicators for claim outcomes, expense management, and operational effectiveness.
Analyze Litigation Services results and recommend or implement strategies and action plans to improve results, policies, procedures, efficiency, or service.
Support Litigation Services and Claims missions, strategies, and business objectives through effective communication and action.
Promote collaboration with outside counsel to achieve desired outcomes for stakeholders.
Use reporting, management information, and analytics to identify trends, exposures, and opportunities for management intervention and resources.
Ensure large-loss governance, including timely notifications to Business and Reinsurance partners and ongoing monitoring and file review of qualifying matters.
Review and approve settlement, payment, and reserving authority requests as appropriate.
Review new litigation matters and assign them to team members with appropriate skills, consistent with specialization strategies.
Ensure timely and appropriate reserving throughout litigation, including adjustments based on loss development.
Develop and maintain enterprise relationships and collaborate with stakeholders to align Litigation Services objectives with broader enterprise objectives.
Share legal-environment and loss-development insights to help the business understand trends and support profitable growth and business retention.
Provide advice, guidance, and legal support to Claims and other company associates and departments as needed.
Attract, retain, and develop talent; partner with AVPs and the VP on development, training, career pathing, succession planning, staffing, engagement, and retention strategies.
Provide real-time coaching, performance assessments, and feedback to improve operations and support continual development.
Build a culture of innovation and diversity of thought in which team members feel empowered and connected to business objectives.
Participate in or facilitate roundtables and authority board reviews covering resolution, reserving, coverage, liability, and damages; provide legal opinions as needed.
Participate in or lead Litigation Services projects as directed.
May assume the duties of the VP Claims Litigation in their absence.
Perform other duties as assigned.