Subsidence Claims Operations Manager

Overview

As Subsidence Engineer you will be the technical authority for subsidence claims, guiding team capability and claim strategy. You will lead a subsidence-focused team to investigate, validate and resolve complex claims fairly and commercially. You’ll collaborate with external specialists and internal stakeholders to drive improvements in outcomes and customer experience. The role sits at the heart of Home Claims, supporting data-driven decisions and continuous improvement within Hastings Direct’s 4Cs culture.

Pay / Benefits

• 5k car allowance
• Flexible hybrid working
• Competitive annual bonus
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance 4x salary
• Pension contributions up to 10%

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of subsidence claims handlers, allocate work, monitor workloads and ensure timely progress within SLA targets
• Provide expert guidance on subsidence, heave, landslip, drainage, tree-related movement and related structural claims; shape liability, mitigation, repair scope and settlements
• Oversee external specialists and networks, ensuring evidence-based recommendations and challenging supplier conclusions when needed
• Ensure clear, empathetic customer communications, especially on complex or disputed claims, supported by quality reviews and root cause analysis
• Balance customer experience with technical accuracy and indemnity control across the claims portfolio; monitor lifecycles, reserves and settlements
• Support continuous improvement through audits, training needs identification and action planning
• Use one-to-ones and performance conversations to drive colleague development and improve outcomes
• Maintain accurate file records and contribute to effective claims strategy and decision-making

Key requirements

• Appropriate professional building qualification or equivalent relevant experience
• Strong knowledge of subsidence engineering, building surveying, repair methodology, site investigation and monitoring
• Understanding of domestic structural defects including cracking, foundation movement and drainage-related damage
• Ability to diagnose damage causes from photos, reports, survey findings and monitoring data
• Knowledge of policy liability, proximate cause, indemnity, exclusions and settlement options
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills with stakeholder management ability
• Excellent communication skills to explain technical details in plain language

• Stakeholder management
• Decision-making
• Problem-solving
• Subsidence engineering
• Building surveying
• Repair methodology

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