Jared Williams
Leeds
Summary
Senior manager with expertise in leading diverse teams focused on data insight and analysis, reporting, and strategic resource planning. Proven track record in leadership, team collaboration and delivering innovative solutions that add value.
Effective at managing and influencing stakeholders across Operations, Product, Finance, and Risk at senior leadership levels. Collaborates with business leaders to optimise operational performance and efficiency whilst enhancing customer service and minimising costs. Teams deliver actionable management insights that empower operational leaders to make informed decisions and drive business value.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Strategy & Intel Manager
Direct Line
Leeds
2023.11 - 2026.02
- Lead long-term budgeting, demand, and resource planning ensuring operational leaders have robust, actionable intelligence to guide key business decisions.
- Oversight of significant budget process (c.£70m headcount cost), focusing on rigorous spend vs. plan reviews and proactive identification of risks and opportunities.
- Lead Data & Insight and Operational Reporting teams delivering actionable M.I. and insight to drive value and efficiency in operational performance and insight into customer journey.
- Maintain strong relationships with Senior Leadership, Directors, and Managing Directors across all operational areas.
- Ensure that business intelligence and resource plans are accurate and reliable, enabling leaders to evaluate performance and make informed decisions.
- Foster collaborative approach, built on influencing, trust and alignment on all levels, supports both internal and operational stakeholders.
- Led teams to deliver value add M.I. solutions, supporting automation and enhancing planning processes on secure systems aligned with business data strategy and governance.
- Pioneered development and implementation of market-leading forecasting methodology for non-telephony workload in Claims, significantly improving accuracy and efficiency of workload and required resource.
- Delivered and implemented machine learning models that accurately forecasted call volumes, removing manual effort from teams in downstream planning cycle.
- Successfully led team through major transformation project, migrating data platform and sources from database desktop to secure, cloud-based solution—enhancing scalability, data integrity/governance, and reporting capabilities from PowerBI to Tableau, inc’ transitioning reporting source from AVAYA to Genesys.
Claims Business Partnering Manager
Direct Line Group
Leeds, West Yorkshire
2020.11 - 2023.11
- Cultivated strong relationships with Claims MD and senior leadership to inform business decisions regarding strategic planning.
- Led planning and delivery of end-to-end projects, integrating strategic objectives into operational plans.
- Onboarded major new partner by equipping planning team with comprehensive capacity and recruitment plans.
- Developed and implemented Benefits Management Framework to quantify transformation initiatives accurately.
- Ensured alignment of benefits with resource plans to facilitate targeted headcount reductions.
- Provided online mentoring to A-Level students through Direct Line's Bright Futures Programme, enhancing social responsibility efforts.
Head of Claims Planning
Direct Line
Leeds, West Yorkshire
2019.04 - 2020.11
- As Head of Planning, ensured accuracy and quality of claims operations planning, covering strategic budgeting, supply planning and daily performance.
- Managed six teams, covering entire planning cycle, overseeing c.35 FTE and £1.5m OpEx to drive optimal planning results.
- Cultivated strong relationships with senior stakeholders, enhancing strategic alignment and decision-making.
- Guided Planning team through Covid-19 challenges, providing analysis and scenario plans for operational adaptation.
- Led project team in successfully upgrading telephony platform to improve platform stability.
Relationship Manager
Direct Line
Leeds, West Yorkshire
2012.11 - 2019.04
- Worked closely with Heads of Business in Claims Operations to deliver long-term strategic demand and resource/recruitment plans at optimal cost with good customer service.
- Successfully led team of analysts maintain long-term accurate, robust and relevant capacity plans for Claims.
- Developed and maintained strong relationships with Heads of Business and their management teams built on trust, understanding and operational experience from previous roles, influencing at all levels of management.
Various Front Line and Technical Operational Roles
Direct Line
Leeds, West Yorkshire
1999.10 - 2012.11
- Various front line operational roles in technical Claims, including Bodily Injury, twelve years in Litigation and team leader.
Education
Higher Nat.Dip Sports Science - Sports Science
Wakefield College
Wakefield 1997.09 - 1999.05
BTEC Nat.Dip Sports Science - GCSE Maths
Park Lane College
Leeds 1995.09 - 1997.05
7 Grade C and above - GCSE
Priesthorpe High School
Leeds 1990.09 - 1995.06
Skills
- Relationship / Stakeholder Management
- Strategic Thought Leadership
- People Leadership & Coaching
- Team Mentoring
- Problem Solving
- Data Analysis / Interpretation
- Root Cause Analysis
- Process Optimisation
- Strategic Planning
- Risk Management & Assessment
- Project Management
Certification
· Prince2 Foundation & Practitioner (unreg.) Aug-14
· Agile SCRUM Fundamentals May-22
· IT Skills - Microsoft Office applications, i.e. PowerPoint, Excel, Word.
Affiliations
- Cooking
- Fine Wine
- Travelling
- Dogs
- Family
- Walking
References
References available upon request.
Custom Section
Microsoft Office applications, i.e. PowerPoint, Excel, Word.
Driving licence
full UK driving licence, no convictions
References
Available on Request
Interests
- Cooking
- Fine Wine
- Travelling
- Dogs
- Walking
- Family
Timeline
Strategy & Intel Manager
Direct Line
2023.11 - 2026.02
Claims Business Partnering Manager
Direct Line Group
2020.11 - 2023.11
Head of Claims Planning
Direct Line
2019.04 - 2020.11
Relationship Manager
Direct Line
2012.11 - 2019.04
Various Front Line and Technical Operational Roles
Direct Line
1999.10 - 2012.11
Higher Nat.Dip Sports Science - Sports Science
Wakefield College
1997.09 - 1999.05
BTEC Nat.Dip Sports Science - GCSE Maths
Park Lane College
1995.09 - 1997.05
7 Grade C and above - GCSE
Priesthorpe High School
1990.09 - 1995.06