Branch Operations Manager, Reinsurance
Regular Employment
Location: Toronto, ON, CA
About the Role
Swiss Re Canada is seeking a seasoned and highly capable Branch Operations Manager (BOM) to lead and strengthen the operational governance of our Canadian Branch.
This Vice President–level role sits at the center of the Branch’s operating model and plays a critical role in enabling effective governance, regulatory compliance, and operational resilience. The BOM partners closely with senior leadership, including the CEO, Country President, and Location Head, and works collaboratively across Legal, Risk, Compliance, Finance, and Business functions.
You will be accountable for designing, implementing, and sustaining the Branch's governance and operational framework in alignment with OSFI regulatory expectations and Swiss Re Group standards. The role has end-to-end accountability for key regulatory, governance and operational initiatives and requires the judgement and capability to operate independently in a complex, evolving, and highly regulated environment.,
This is a senior critical-control role with a direct impact on the stability, resilience and regulatory standing of the Canadian Branch.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the design, implementation, and continuous enhancement of the Canadian Branch governance and operating framework
Support Branch Management in fulfilling oversight responsibilities, including the effective functioning of governance committees and reporting structures
Translate Canadian regulatory requirements into clear, sustainable operational processes, and controls, and execution models
Drive operational resilience, business continuity, and preparedness initiatives in line with OSFI expectations including Guideline E-21
Oversee the development and maintenance of Branch policies, procedures, and operational standards aligned with Swiss Re Group frameworks
Lead regulatory monitoring activities and coordinate cross-functional implementation of new or evolving regulatory requirements
Manage operational risk and control frameworks, including RCSA processes, issue remediation, and control effectiveness monitoring
Oversee third-party risk management and intra-group outsourcing governance in line with OSFI Guideline B-10
Act as a key partner across functions to ensure effective execution of governance, compliance, and operational initiatives
Prepare and deliver clear, insightful reporting to senior leadership and governance bodies on regulatory, risk, and operational matters
About the Team
Branch Operations serves as a central enabling function for the Canadian Branch, providing the structure, coordination, and discipline required to support effective governance and operational execution across a broad and complex mandate.
The team operates in a highly collaborative, global, and matrixed environment and plays a central role in shaping how the Branch responds to regulatory change, manages operational and governance risk, and delivers sustainable outcomes. Working closely with senior stakeholders, Branch Operations bridges strategy and execution, translating regulatory and governance requirements into practical, implementable solutions.
This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of strategy, regulation, and day-to-day delivery in a role that demands judgement, structure and adaptability, and that has a direct impact on the stability and resilience of the Canadian Branch.
About You
You are a senior, VP-level leader who brings a strong blend of strategic thinking, regulatory expertise, and operational execution capability. You are comfortable operating in a complex, matrixed, and evolving environment, and you demonstrate a proactive, ownership-driven mindset.
You likely bring:
15+ years of experience in financial services, reinsurance, or a similarly regulated environment, with a minimum 5 years at an intermediate to advance level across relevant governance, regulatory and operational disciplines
Demonstrated experience in governance frameworks, regulatory implementation, and/or operational risk management
A proven track record of leading cross-functional initiatives and delivering outcomes in complex environments
Strong communication and influencing skills, including the ability to engage credibly and effectively with senior stakeholders
The ability to balance attention to detail with a broader strategic perspective
Strong business acumen and sound judgement
Core Competencies for Success:
Success in this role requires demonstrated strength across the following five core competencies outlined below.
1. Strategic & Critical Thinking
Translates complex regulatory, Group and business requirements into practical, sustainable governance frameworks and operating models
Connects interdependencies across regulations, initiatives and stakeholders; anticipates risks, gaps and downstream impacts at senior levels, shapes governance direction and provides insight to support leadership decision-making
2. Regulatory Acumen
Demonstrates a strong understanding of Canadian regulatory expectations (e.g., OSFI guidelines)
Interprets regulatory requirements and designs fit‑for‑purpose processes, SOPs and controls within a lean branch environment anticipates regulatory developments and guides implementation across the organization, balancing regulatory intent with business practicality
3. Ownership & Accountability
Takes end-to-end ownership for outcomes, including complex and ambiguous initiatives
Proactively identifies issues, defines solutions, and follows through to completion
Establishes accountability across stakeholders without reliance on formal authority, informed by strong organisational awareness
4. Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
Builds effective, trust-based relationships across functions, seniority levels and geographies
Aligns stakeholders on objectives, roles and expectations to drive delivery in a matrix environment
Navigates differing perspectives and secures buy-in on complex regulatory and governance initiatives
5. Timeliness & Prioritization
Effectively manages competing priorities and delivers clear, accurate outputs within agreed timeframes
Applies sound judgment to prioritize high-impact activities
- Maintains momentum across multiple concurrent workstreams spanning development, implementation and business-as-usual phases
Additional Success Factors
The following capabilities further differentiate strong candidates:
Project & Change Management: Designs, plans and delivers complex regulatory and governance initiatives, including change adoption, training and reinforcement Process Design & Documentation: Develops clear, structured, and scalable governance processes, SOPs and supporting documentation
Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Structures complex issues, identifies what matters most and develops practical, proportionate solutions
Communication, Storyboarding & Presentation: Communicates complex topics with clarity, structure and impact across all levels of the organization
Organizational Awareness, Business Acumen & Attention to Detail: Brings precision and pragmatic judgement when navigating complexity, with a strong und
The base salary hiring range for this existing position located in Toronto is CAD $165,000 to $200,000. The specific base salary offered for this or any given role will take into account a number of factors including but not limited to job location, scope of role, qualifications, complexity/specialization/scarcity of talent, experience, education, and employer budget. At Swiss Re, we take a "total compensation approach" when making compensation decisions. This means that we consider all components of compensation in their totality (such as base pay, short-and long-term incentives, and benefits offered), in setting an individual compensation range.
About Swiss Re
Swiss Re is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. We anticipate and manage a wide variety of risks, from natural catastrophes and climate change to cybercrime. We cover both Property & Casualty and Life & Health. Combining experience with creative thinking and cutting-edge expertise, we create new opportunities and solutions for our clients. This is possible thanks to the collaboration of more than 15,000 employees across the world.
Our success depends on our ability to build an inclusive culture encouraging fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. We embrace a workplace where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive and develop professionally regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, skillset, thought or other characteristics. In our inclusive and flexible environment everyone can bring their authentic selves to work and their passion for sustainability.
If you are an experienced professional returning to the workforce after a career break, we encourage you to apply for open positions that match your skills and experience.
Swiss Re is an equal opportunity employer. It is our practice to recruit, hire and promote without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, pregnancy, sexual orientations, marital status, military status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Decisions on employment are solely based on an individual's qualifications for the position being filled.
During the recruitment process, reasonable accommodations for disabilities are available upon request. If contacted for an interview, please inform the Recruiter/HR Professional of the accommodation needed.
We may use AI-powered tools to support the review and evaluation of applications for this position. These tools provide additional insights to our recruitment teams, but all hiring decisions are carefully reviewed and made by people. To learn more about how we use AI in recruitment and how we handle your personal data, please review our Data Privacy Statement before applying.
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