Chief of Staff, GCUO

AXA • Stamford, CT

6d

About The Position

The Chief of Staff is the strategic integrator and execution lead for the AXA XL Global Chief Underwriting Officer (GCUO). The role supports the Global CUO Office in executing the GCUO mandate, connecting global direction with business and local underwriting execution, and enabling timely, evidence-based decisions. It brings strategy, governance, communications and follow-through together as a coordinated system, with clear ownership, accountability and measurable outcomes. The Chief of Staff identifies and solves problems proactively, mitigates risks, fosters collaboration, works closely with Regional CUOs and their teams on transversal topics, and manages key stakeholder relationships.

The role supports and, where appropriate, leads delivery across the six GCUO mandates: Strategy, Technical Excellence, Authority & Governance, Data, Client & Commercial Markets, and Capital & Reinsurance. It partners with senior leaders at local, regional and global levels on strategic matters, including highly confidential or sensitive issues, and engages with stakeholders across underwriting, pricing, distribution, client relations, data and analytics, risk management, operations and technology, HR, communications, and AXA Group GUO.

The Chief of Staff leads execution and accountability for strategic and operational initiatives; establishes the GCUO Office's operating rhythm, decision forums, action tracking and escalation; monitors progress, risks, interdependencies and value realization; and ensures leadership decisions become clear actions with accountable owners and follow-through. The role also supports portfolio steering with finance, actuarial, risk, data and analytics teams; improves management information and executive materials; supports governance and role clarity; shapes communications and coordinates stakeholder engagements.

In the GCUO Office, the role designs effective ways of working and interfaces, leads planning and prioritization, promotes an inclusive and accountable culture, and oversees special projects and time-sensitive matters requiring discretion, judgment and rapid coordination. The posting gives two different reporting lines: it initially states that the role reports to and primarily supports the Global Chief Underwriting Officer, and later states that it reports to the Global Head of Technical Claims and Exposure Management.

Requirements

• Outstanding background and experience leading business transformation and process-improvement projects, driving portfolio management, and analyzing, designing and implementing sustainable change within the Commercial Insurance Sector.
• Ability to challenge constructively and bring clarity to ambiguous or complex issues.
• Ability to visualize clear outcomes and strategy, identify gaps, and formulate and execute a clear plan.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, collaboration, presentation, facilitation and influencing skills.
• Ability to communicate and engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• Excellent track record of delivering tangible results through structured project management, process analysis and continuous improvement.
• Experience designing and facilitating results-focused workshops with stakeholders, front-line staff and managers to identify root causes, prioritize improvement opportunities and deliver measurable business performance.
• Comfort reviewing and analyzing business data to support business cases and benefits tracking, such as intermediate or advanced Excel skills.
• Understanding of business readiness and the potential effect of change on people and business-as-usual operations when developing and implementing solutions.
• Ability to act independently and demonstrate business acumen, including consideration of global and strategic aspects of change.
• Imaginative, thoughtful approach to problem solving, identifying gaps and formulating a clear execution plan.
• Innovative thinking, willingness to challenge the status quo, and capability to handle highly complex situations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working on digital, robotics and/or AI initiatives.
• Experience with Agile, Lean and Six Sigma methods, Visio, MS Project and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Identify GCUO Office priorities, support problem solving, and help execute critical initiatives across the AXA XL Underwriting Community.
• Lead and sponsor execution and accountability for key operational and strategic initiatives while maintaining clear business ownership.
• Establish a disciplined operating rhythm for the GCUO Office, including decision forums, action tracking and escalation.
• Monitor progress, risks, interdependencies and value realization, and intervene early when execution is off track.
• Deliver the GCUO Office's strategic priorities and objectives across products, regions and enabling functions.
• Engage, influence, align and partner with stakeholders across AXA XL and AXA Group to advance GCUO objectives.
• Translate leadership decisions into clear actions, accountable owners and visible follow-through.
• Plan and coordinate key Global CUO offsite meetings, and ensure outputs, deliverables and escalation points are understood and actioned or resolved.
• Partner with finance, actuarial, risk, data and analytics teams to provide a coherent view of portfolio performance, exposure, trends and forward-looking risks.
• Frame information around decisions and actions, improve management information, and prepare fact-based, concise, decision-ready strategic narratives and executive materials.
• Support the definition and ongoing application of internal and external governance, and establish clear roles and responsibilities.
• Shape communications for executive audiences, underwriting communities and internal and external stakeholders; prepare leadership communications, briefings, agendas and meeting materials.
• Coordinate critical stakeholder engagements on behalf of the GCUO and maintain continuity across conversations and commitments.
• Connect teams across the enterprise to accelerate information flow and resolve cross-functional issues.
• Build the effectiveness of the GCUO Office and advise or act as a sounding board for new ideas and initiatives.
• Design ways of working, roles and interfaces across the GCUO Office to maximize collective impact.
• Lead planning and prioritization for the office, balancing strategic initiatives, governance obligations and emerging issues.
• Promote an inclusive, high-accountability culture grounded in enterprise thinking, constructive challenge and practical delivery.
• Oversee special projects and time-sensitive matters requiring discretion, judgment and rapid coordination.

Benefits

• Robust support for flexible working arrangements.
• Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits.
• AXA XL Hearts in Action programs, including a Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave and an annual volunteering day (Global Day of Giving).
• Competitive compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits covering health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed