Louise Buckley
Leeds
Summary
Experienced insurance operations leader with more than 27 years across Retail SME Underwriting and Commercial Motor Claims, with a strong track record in people leadership, operational performance, change delivery and continuous improvement. A delivery-focused leader who brings structure, pace and clarity to busy operational environments. Experienced in leading and developing teams, balancing competing priorities and resources, improving processes and controls, and using performance insight to drive effective decision-making and sustainable business outcomes. Strong collaborator with experience working across functions and with senior stakeholders to translate business priorities into operational delivery. Passionate about developing high-performing teams, simplifying ways of working and ensuring change is successfully embedded to deliver improved outcomes for colleagues, customers and the business.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Retail SME Underwriting Team Manager
Zurich Insurance
Leeds
06.2025 - Current
- Lead a team of 14 within Retail SME Underwriting, with responsibility for day-to-day performance, workload, priorities, quality and service delivery.
- Achieved an ‘Exceeds’ performance rating against 2025 objectives.
- Act as Continuous Improvement Lead, identifying opportunities to simplify processes, improve efficiency and strengthen operational outcomes.
- Most recently completed an end-to-end review of the SME Fleet product operational function, identifying and recommending process improvements to simplify ways of working, improve operational efficiency and deliver better outcomes for internal and external customers.
- Balance team capacity, workload and business priorities to ensure resources are deployed effectively and service commitments are maintained.
- Produce and interpret operational performance reporting and insight, identifying trends, risks and opportunities and supporting informed decision-making.
- Designed and implemented the Retail SME Quality SOP, strengthening governance, controls and consistency of decision-making.
- Manage the Account Executive escalations service, ensuring appropriately authorised and knowledgeable underwriting resource is available to deliver the 30-minute service commitment.
- Act as SME Underwriting liaison with Claims, working cross-functionally to identify dependencies, resolve operational issues and deliver improvements.
- Support the implementation and embedding of business change through effective communication, colleague engagement and ongoing performance monitoring.
- Drive a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and customer focus.
SME Business Manager
Zurich Insurance
01.2025 - 06.2025
- Led a team of 15, predominantly Grade 3 Underwriters, including a Grade 4 Senior Market Underwriter and two newly appointed SME Team Managers reporting directly to me.
- Worked in close collaboration with the SME Operations Performance Manager, providing operational leadership and supporting the transition towards a future structure where Team Managers would report directly to SME Business Managers.
- Provided training, coaching and ongoing support to an externally appointed SME Business Manager, supporting their onboarding, development and understanding of the SME operation.
- Led SME Quality Assurance, providing oversight of quality performance, governance, controls and consistent application of underwriting standards.
- Held responsibility for performance management, operational delivery, resource priorities and colleague development, creating accountability and supporting a high-performing culture.
- Drove SME operational process improvement, identifying opportunities to simplify ways of working, improve efficiency and strengthen service delivery.
- Translated business objectives into clear operational and team priorities, leading performance towards achievement of the 2025 GWP target.
- Coached and developed newly appointed Team Managers, building leadership capability and supporting their transition into their roles.
- Worked across the wider SME leadership team to coordinate priorities, manage operational challenges and support effective delivery of business objectives.
Retail SME Underwriting Team Manager
Zurich Insurance
Leeds
06.2024 - 12.2024
- Led an SME Underwriting team, managing performance, quality, service delivery and colleague development.
- Managed operational priorities and workload to maintain service standards within a busy underwriting environment.
- Built effective relationships across SME and the wider Retail business, acting as an escalation point for operational and customer issues.
- Supported continuous improvement, quality and customer initiatives across the operation.
- Worked collaboratively with senior leadership and other operational teams to deliver business priorities and improve customer outcomes.
Commercial Motor Claims Team Leader
NIG Insurance
Leeds
03.2023 - 06.2024
- Led and scaled the Leeds Commercial Motor Claims function from 5 to 28 FTE within 12 months, managing recruitment, onboarding, capability and operational performance.
- Managed day-to-day workload, resource allocation, team priorities and performance within a fast-paced operational environment.
- Coordinated the outsourcing of significant outstanding claims workloads, reducing operational pressure while maintaining service stability and delivery.
- Used performance information to identify service risks, workload pressures and improvement opportunities, implementing actions to strengthen outcomes.
- Led colleagues through significant organisational change, including acquisition and TUPE transfer to RSA, maintaining engagement and operational continuity.
- Acted as Vulnerable Customer Lead, driving improved processes, controls and colleague capability within a high-priority regulatory area.
- Worked with Claims Account Managers and operational stakeholders to review performance, resolve service issues and implement improvements.
- Acted as an escalation point for complex customer, broker and operational issues.
Executive Leader
Tropic Skincare
05.2015 - 03.2023
- Built and led a national network of 150+ consultants, developing leadership capability and creating a high-performing, engaged culture across a geographically dispersed team.
- Achieved cumulative team sales exceeding £2.8 million.
- Managed performance through structured reviews, coaching, goal setting and individual development plans.
- Developed leadership capability and succession, supporting individuals to progress into leadership positions.
- Used performance data and business insight to identify priorities, opportunities and actions to drive sustainable growth.
- Led communication and engagement across a predominantly virtual network, successfully implementing business initiatives and maintaining engagement through periods of significant change.
Claims Leadership & Technical Expertise
Zurich Insurance
01.1994 - 01.2018
- Career progression included Claims Team Manager, Senior Motor Claims Handler and QA Audit Lead.
- Led operational claims teams with responsibility for performance, workload, quality, service delivery and colleague development.
- Managed the full motor claims lifecycle across First Party, Third Party and Recovery claims with authority up to £50,000.
- Recognised as a Motor Claims Troubleshooter, resolving complex and high-risk operational and technical issues.
- Acted as Complaints Champion, identifying root causes and implementing improvements to reduce escalations and improve customer outcomes.
- Led QA auditing activity, using findings and performance insight to strengthen compliance, controls, service quality and technical capability.
- Supported operational and process improvements throughout an extensive claims leadership career.
Education
Skills
- Operational Leadership
- People Leadership
- Coaching
- Development
- Continuous Improvement
- Process Simplification
- Change Implementation
- Performance Management
- Business Delivery
- Resource Management
- Capacity Management
- Workload Management
- Quality Assurance
- Governance
- Controls
- Performance Reporting
- Insight
- Risk Management
- Issue Management
- Escalation Management
- Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management
Timeline
Retail SME Underwriting Team Manager
Zurich Insurance
06.2025 - Current
SME Business Manager
Zurich Insurance
01.2025 - 06.2025
Retail SME Underwriting Team Manager
Zurich Insurance
06.2024 - 12.2024
Commercial Motor Claims Team Leader
NIG Insurance
03.2023 - 06.2024
Executive Leader
Tropic Skincare
05.2015 - 03.2023
Claims Leadership & Technical Expertise
Zurich Insurance
01.1994 - 01.2018