Director, Information Technology

Starr Insurance Companies is a leading insurance and investment organization, providing commercial property and casualty insurance, including travel and accident coverage, to almost every imaginable business and industry in virtually every part of the world.

Cornelius Vander Starr established his first insurance company in Shanghai, China in 1919. Today, we are one of the world’s fastest growing insurance organizations, capable of writing in 128 countries on 6 continents.

The Director, Information Technology will be a key member of our IT team, responsible for defining and delivering digital products that meet the needs of our business and customers in Starr’s enterprise Salesforce environment.

The Director will act as the Product Owner to Lead our Salesforce team and work closely with cross-functional teams, including IT, business stakeholders, and external partners, to ensure successful product outcomes.

The Director will assume full accountability for the Salesforce environment and all related projects, serving as the singular point of responsibility for its overall success and ensuring that objectives are met with the highest standards of excellence.

Key Responsibilities :

• Define and prioritize product backlog items for Starr’s enterprise Salesforce environment based on business value, customer needs, and market trends.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather and refine requirements, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Drive the execution and delivery of features by collaborating with many cross functional teams, architects, product owners and engineers.
• Direct the decisions, advocate the use and communicate the functionality and value of the Salesforce tool at Starr to all users.
• Represent all product lines by providing feedback about enhancements and issues during monthly meetings for prioritization and resolution.
• Develop expertise in the functionality and operation of Salesforce and its critical integrations.
• Work with executives to gain understanding of current business needs and priorities.
• Hold regular meetings with the Salesforce Executive Steering Committee members and key stakeholders to collaborate on strategies and key business objectives.
• Manage a team of developers, analysts and other support personnel.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the business and IT teams, translating business needs into technical requirements.
• Work closely with the Scrum Master and development team to plan and execute sprints, ensuring timely delivery of product features.
• Validate product features and user stories, ensuring they meet acceptance criteria and deliver the desired customer experience.
• Manage product roadmaps, release plans, and communicate progress to stakeholders.
• Oversee product budgets, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and projects stay within financial constraints.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to inform product strategy and feature prioritization.
• Facilitate user acceptance testing and gather feedback to continuously improve the product.
• Keep abreast of all Salesforce updates, new products / features, industry trends, technologies, and regulatory changes that may impact the product.
• Provide technical guidance, career development, and mentoring to team members.
• Maintain high morale and motivate the delivery team to go above and beyond.
• Participate in cross-functional coordination, planning, and reviews with leads from other teams.

Job Requirements :

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in product ownership, business analysis, or a related role within the IT sector, preferably in the insurance industry.
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or equivalent Agile certification is highly desirable.
• Proven track record of delivering digital products from concept to launch.
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and principles.
• Experience with project management tools (e.g. Azure DevOps, JIRA, Confluence) and product management software.
• Advanced proficiency in computer applications : Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio
• Proficiency in Salesforce preferred or desire and ability to learn
• Ability to work alone but also collaborate across groups & functions in a fast-paced setting.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn business workflows and system data flows.
• Able and willing to handle multiple competing tasks and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Required Skills :

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Knowledge of insurance industry practices, regulations, and challenges is preferred.
• Technical proficiency and the ability to understand complex IT systems and architecture.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities :

• Attend daily stand-ups, sprint planning, review, and retrospective meetings.
• Refine the product backlog, ensuring that user stories are clear, concise, and ready for development.
• Provide clarification and guidance to the development team on user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Review and accept completed user stories to ensure the work meets the agreed-upon criteria.
• Communicate with stakeholders about product features, timelines, and changes.
• Monitor product performance post-launch and prioritize necessary enhancements or fixes.
• Stay informed on industry trends and incorporate best practices into product development.

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Starr is an equal opportunity employer, which means we'll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic.

We recruit and develop our people based on merit and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We offer first class training and development opportunities to all employees. Our aim is to grow our own talent and bring out the best in people.