Head: Life Actuarial Product Development & Pricing at Hollard Insurance

Job Advert Summary    

• The Head: Life Actuarial Product Development & Pricing provides strategic leadership for life insurance product development and pricing across Hollard’s international businesses. The role ensures products are competitively designed, financially sound, and compliant with regulatory and Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) principles. The incumbent drives innovation and profitability, aligns product strategy with Hollard International’s growth objectives, and develops actuarial talent across the regions.

Reporting Structure:

• Reports into the Head of Actuarial Services and collaborates with the Executive team. This role interacts with Hollard Group’s broader Actuarial community, including domestic and international peers.

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategic Leadership & Product Strategy

• Sets strategic direction for product development and pricing across all Hollard International markets.
• Aligns product strategies with corporate goals and local market opportunities.
• Owns the product roadmap, presents recommendations for new products/enhancements to senior executives, and scans market trends for innovation.

Product Development & Pricing Oversight

• Leads design, development, and pricing of individual and group life insurance products in multiple territories.
• Guides new product innovation, ensuring features address market needs and strategic initiatives.
• Owns pricing models and assumptions, conducts profit testing, and updates models based on experience and data.
• Ensures thorough documentation and statutory sign-off for product approvals in each jurisdiction.

Existing Product Management

• Oversees regular pricing reviews and benefit structure revisions.
• Reviews actual experience (claims, lapses, expenses) and adjusts rates/benefits to maintain sustainability and competitiveness.
• Ensures TCF principles are embedded in all product decisions.

Reinsurance Management

• Manages reinsurance strategies, negotiates terms, and incorporates arrangements into product design.
• Maintains governance standards throughout the product lifecycle, enforces internal controls, and ensures compliance with actuarial control function requirements.

Financial Performance

• Monitors and reports on the financial performance of the life product portfolio.
• Conducts experience investigations to validate and refine pricing assumptions.
• Uses analysis results to recommend updates and ensure pricing reflects actual experience.

Regulatory & Compliance Management

• Ensures regulatory requirements are integrated into product development and pricing.
• Coordinates product approval submissions, addresses regulator queries, and secures timely approvals.
• Participates in governance committees to review marketing materials and policy documents for compliance.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Acts as key liaison for product pricing and development, engaging internal and external stakeholders.
• Partners with business heads, product managers, and distribution teams to align offerings with market strategy.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams (Valuations, IFRS17, IT, Operations, Finance, Risk) and external partners (reinsurers, bancassurance, joint ventures).

Leadership & Team Development

• Directly manages the PD&P team, sets objectives, and oversees deliverables.
• Mentors junior actuaries and analysts, fosters a learning environment, and builds depth in the team.
• Upskills in-country actuarial resources, develops training materials, and runs workshops.
• Conducts performance evaluations, identifies high-potential talent, and prepares succession plans.

Required Knowledge and Experience    

• Min 8–10 years in life insurance, focused on Product Development and Pricing.
• Hands-on experience with Life Product Pricing and Profit Testing across various product types and markets
• Experience with Group Schemes and Microinsurance is advantageous.
• Min 2–3 years in a Senior or Lead role within a Product Development/Pricing team.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects/teams and interface with senior management.
• Prior experience managing or mentoring Actuarial staff is highly desirable. 
• Familiarity with insurance operations in multiple countries, especially African markets.
• Proven experience dealing with regulatory bodies/statutory Actuaries for product filings and approvals.

Educational Requirements    

• Fully qualified Actuary (FASSA or FIA) is preferred.
• Nearly qualified actuaries with exceptional experience may be considered.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Finance, or related field (advanced degree a plus).

Technical Skills

• Mastery of Actuarial Pricing techniques and models for Life Insurance.
• Proficiency in actuarial modelling software/tools (Excel/VBA, Prophet).
• Strong grasp of setting assumptions and reinsurance structuring.
• Understanding of financial reporting metrics (VNB, Embedded Value, capital requirements).

Business & Industry Knowledge

• Deep understanding of life insurance products and markets.
• Experience in retail and group insurance segments; exposure to bancassurance/mobile insurance is a plus.

Strategic & Commercial Acumen

• Ability to link actuarial analysis to business strategy and market positioning.
• Innovative mindset, evidenced by successful product launches or improvements.

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex actuarial concepts for executives, regulators, and partners.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.

Leadership & People Development

• Proven ability to mentor and develop team members.
• Strong people management skills for a high-performing team.

Personal Attributes

• High analytical thinking and attention to detail.
• Balanced approach to strategy and technical work.
• Self-driven, proactive, adaptable, resilient, and committed to professionalism and integrity.

Deadline:14th November,2025