Chief Financial Officer

Berkley - Stamford, CT

Full-time - Executive

Stamford, CT

Administrative and Support Services

About the position

Berkley One is seeking a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join our team, reporting directly to the President of Berkley One. This pivotal role involves leading and managing the finance function, serving as a strategic partner in the development and growth of the organization. The CFO will oversee all financial and accounting activities at the highest level, which includes managing financial and management reporting, premium collection, the general ledger, and ensuring compliance with SOX, GAAP, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations related to finance and tax issues. In this role, you will be responsible for building, validating, and documenting all processes, systems, and workflows for the finance department. Collaboration is key, as you will work closely with the W.R. Berkley (WRB) corporate finance team to ensure alignment and meet expectations. Our culture emphasizes innovation, creativity, and teamwork, and we value our employees, as reflected in our trademarked phrase, "Everything Counts, Everyone Matters®". This philosophy underscores our commitment to recognizing the importance of every individual and the impact of their contributions to our success. Key functions of the CFO include leading comprehensive P&L reporting of revenues, losses, and expenses, supporting both short and long-term strategic financial objectives, and providing guidance and insights to the leadership team to enhance profitability. You will conduct financial forecasting, budgeting, and reporting, manage monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting processes, and ensure effective controls are in place for the credibility of results. Establishing and maintaining relationships with internal and external auditors is also a critical aspect of this role. The CFO will proactively collaborate with senior team members to ensure sound processes affecting financial outcomes and will direct the management and documentation of all systems, workflows, and processes related to financial and reinsurance accounting, reporting, billing, and premium collection. Additionally, you will lead the finance staff, ensuring clear performance objectives and metrics are established, staffing levels are appropriate, and employees are engaged and developed. Building collaborative relationships across Berkley One and the W.R. Berkley organization will be essential to identify and strategize how to manage market dynamics and finance trends.

Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive P&L reporting of revenues, losses, and expenses.
• Support company short and long-term strategic financial objectives and provide guidance, insights, and strategic direction to the leadership team.
• Advise on the impact of short- and long-term planning via financial modeling and projections.
• Conduct financial forecasting, budgets, and reporting.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting processes in collaboration with Berkley One and WRB corporate Finance team.
• Ensure effective controls are in place for credibility of results and compliance with SOX, GAAP, and other laws, standards, and requirements.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external auditors.
• Collaborate with senior team members to ensure sound processes affecting financial outcomes.
• Direct the management and documentation of all systems, workflows, and processes for financial and reinsurance accounting, reporting, billing, and premium collection.
• Lead Finance staff ensuring clear performance objectives and metrics are in place, staffing levels are appropriate, and employees are engaged and developed.
• Build collaborative relationships with peers and stakeholders across Berkley One and the W.R. Berkley organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• CPA required.
• 10+ years finance leadership experience required.
• Strong preference for candidates with insurance industry/personal lines (High Net Worth) experience.
• Expertise in the development and analysis of business unit profitability reporting.
• Track record with setting and achieving financial goals.
• Demonstrated data analysis and strategic decision-making skills.
• Ability to translate data into useful information and communicate key findings to senior management.
• Experience writing business plans and creating financial cases for investment.
• In-depth knowledge of GAAP, Statutory Insurance Accounting, FASB, and other accounting rules and principles.
• Understanding of reinsurance and the actuarial reserving process preferred.
• Effective leader and motivator with strong stakeholder management skills.
• Exceptional communication skills with a flexible communication style.
• Strong sense of accountability and a love for process optimization.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in the insurance industry, particularly with personal lines and high net worth clients.
• Familiarity with reinsurance and actuarial processes.
• Proven ability to challenge norms and drive innovative improvements.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation plan.
• Robust benefits package for full-time regular employees.