Insurance Operations & Underwriting Lead

For over 30 years, APRIL International has specialised in providing innovative international health insurance solutions. We design, distribute, and manage insurance plans and assistance services for individuals and businesses worldwide. With teams operating across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, we are committed to ensuring our members have access to the best care, no matter where they are.

As part of the APRIL Group, an insurance specialist with 3,000 staff members in 20 countries, we are dedicated to simplifying insurance and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

To sustain the company's growth and expand our services, we are currently looking for Insurance Operations & Underwriting Lead

Role Purpose:

This role is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of insurance operations in China, covering Underwriting, Policy Management, Claims Handling, and Customer Service. The position requires a hands-on, multifunction profile able to ensure operational quality, regulatory compliance, and service excellence in a developing or transitioning market.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Underwriting Support & Risk Assessment

Perform and oversee underwriting activities in line with delegated authority and regional underwriting guidelines
Review risks, policy terms, benefits structures, exclusions, and pricing inputs
Act as the operational interface between local teams and regional underwriting/insurer partners
Ensure underwriting decisions are properly documented and auditable

2. Policy Management & Administration

Manage the full policy lifecycle: onboarding, issuance, endorsements, renewals, and cancellations
Ensure accuracy and timeliness of policy documentation and system records
Coordinate with brokers, insurers, and internal stakeholders on policy changes
Identify and correct data quality or process gaps impacting policy administration

3. Claims Handling & Oversight

Manage day-to-day claims handling, from first notification to settlement
Ensure claims are assessed in line with policy terms, SLAs, and local regulations
Act as escalation point for complex, high-value, or sensitive claims
Monitor turnaround times, leakage risks, and claimant experience

4. Customer Service & Service Quality

Act as senior point of contact for key corporate and individual clients
Ensure consistent, professional, and timely responses across all touchpoints
Handle service escalations and complaints, including root-cause analysis
Drive a client-outcome-focused service culture across operations

5. Compliance, Controls & Market Practices

Ensure compliance with local regulatory, insurer, and internal governance requirements
Maintain operational controls across underwriting, policies, and claims
Support audits, insurer reviews, and internal compliance checks
Keep abreast of regulatory and market practice changes impacting operations


6. Continuous Improvement & Cross-Functional Support

Identify and implement process simplifications and efficiency improvements
Support regional initiatives such as system enhancements, reporting upgrades, and standardisation
Contribute to operating model evolution as the China business scales
Provide ad-hoc operational or project support as required

Qualifications and Experience:

Solid experience across multiple insurance functions (underwriting, policy admin, claims, or operations)
Prior exposure to health insurance / IPMI / employee benefits strongly preferred
Strong understanding of insurance policy structures and claims adjudication
Ability to operate hands-on, independently, and with limited local support
High attention to detail and strong ownership mindset
Comfortable interfacing with insurers, brokers, providers, and internal stakeholders

Key skills:
Fluent Mandarin required; working English required
Experience with insurance administration and claims systems preferred