Chief Actuarial

Location: Shanghai, China (hybrid working may be considered)

Salary: £0 per year

Eligibility: 18y+

Overview

This senior leadership role is responsible for setting actuarial strategy and ensuring robust governance across pricing, reserving, capital management and financial reporting. You will provide independent oversight, challenge and assurance to executive stakeholders, ensuring that methodologies, assumptions and controls meet regulatory, professional and internal standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the actuarial function, including pricing, reserving, valuation, capital and model governance.
• Lead the production, review and sign-off of actuarial analyses supporting financial statements and management reporting.
• Oversee the development and validation of models (including experience studies, assumptions setting, and sensitivity/stress testing).
• Provide strategic input to product design, underwriting, reinsurance and portfolio optimisation.
• Ensure effective governance, controls and documentation, including model risk management and audit readiness.
• Partner with Finance, Risk and Compliance to support enterprise risk management and regulatory engagement.
• Lead, mentor and develop an actuarial team; set performance expectations and succession plans.

Essential Requirements

• Fellow of a recognised actuarial professional body (e.g., IFoA or equivalent), in good standing.
• Extensive post-qualification experience in insurance actuarial leadership (life, health, general insurance or reinsurance).
• Deep expertise in reserving and/or pricing, with strong understanding of capital frameworks and solvency concepts.
• Proven experience of actuarial reporting and governance, including assumption setting, validation and controls.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with ability to explain complex topics clearly to non-actuarial audiences.
• Demonstrated people leadership, including coaching and building high-performing teams.
• Advanced analytical capability; proficient with actuarial and data tools (e.g., Excel, R/Python, SQL and/or relevant actuarial software).
• Excellent written and verbal communication in British English; additional language capability is advantageous.

Desirable

• Experience supporting regulatory submissions and interacting with regulators in Asia.
• Exposure to IFRS 17 and modern actuarial model governance frameworks.
• Track record of driving transformation, automation and improved data quality.

Working Conditions

This role is based in Shanghai and may require occasional regional travel. Appointment is subject to verification of right to work, relevant professional credentials and background checks in line with local requirements.