Willis Towers Watson

Head of Portfolio Management

Willis Towers Watson$400K — $450K *
Finance & Insurance
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 15+ years of client management and/or insurance broking experience, preferably from a leading broker.
  • Direct people-leadership experience in client-facing roles.
  • Demonstrable in-depth knowledge of the private equity sector and related industries.
  • Strong commercial judgment with the ability to communicate investment in margin and revenue terms.
  • First-class interpersonal and communication skills, capable of serving as a senior point of contact for private equity decision makers.
  • Ability to manage multiple assignments and relationships in a fast-paced environment.
  • Bachelor's degree and proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a team of Portfolio Managers while forecasting capacity against client growth.
  • Own and standardize a comprehensive portfolio management playbook for consistent client stewardship.
  • Act as a senior escalation point for significant relationships and issues, ensuring effective service delivery.
  • Oversee and ensure the execution of portfolio strategy across private equity funds and portfolio companies.
  • Monitor and manage client engagement, ensuring compliance with policy and regulatory standards.
  • Collaborate with production teams to expand relationships and drive new business development.
  • Ensure smooth transitions for target companies through the M&A process.

Benefits

  • Extensive health and welfare benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Comprehensive leave benefits with paid holidays and time off options.
  • Robust retirement benefits including a contributory pension plan and 401k.
  • Support for employee wellbeing, including counseling and work/life resources.
  • Flexible hybrid work arrangements to support a diverse workforce.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Overview
The WTW Alternative Asset Insurance Solutions (AAIS) team provides a full spectrum of commercial insurance, employee benefits, and transactional services for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Engagement typically begins with diligence support in helping the fund evaluate the costs, liabilities, and exposures of potential acquisitions, and results in the appointment of WTW as insurance broker at transaction close. After close, WTW manages the portfolio company's insurance program through the fund's hold period and beyond, with the objective of keeping WTW in place with the go-forward ownership team through each sale.
The Head of Portfolio Management leads the team of Portfolio Managers responsible for the stewardship of WTW's key private equity relationships. This is a senior leadership role accountable for the performance, consistency, and growth of the portfolio management function. The Head of Portfolio Management builds and develops the team, sets the service and engagement standard across all funds and portfolio companies, serves as the senior escalation point for the firm's most important PE relationships, and partners with Producers and practice leadership to convert WTW's one-stop-shop positioning into retained, expanding revenue.
Team Leadership and Growth
• Build and grow the team. Recruit, hire, and onboard Portfolio Managers, forecasting capacity against deal flow and the growth of the client base so the team is resourced ahead of demand rather than behind it.
• Develop talent. Coach, mentor, and develop Portfolio Managers at every level, building bench strength and a clear path from associate to senior PM. Set performance expectations, deliver regular feedback, and manage underperformance directly.
• Set the standard. Own a consistent portfolio management playbook so that engagement, stewardship, and service quality are delivered the same way across every fund and portfolio company, regardless of which PM holds the relationship.
• Retention and resilience. Build a team designed to withstand key-person concentration risk, ensuring relationships are institutionalized across the team rather than dependent on any single individual.
• Manage to metrics. Define and track the measures that matter for the function: client retention through hold periods and ownership changes, renewal timeliness, cross-sell and account rounding, stewardship completion, and satisfaction across internal and external clients.
• Represent the function. Serve as the voice of portfolio management to PE&TS and firm leadership, framing headcount, investment, and team design in margin and revenue terms.
• Lead by example. Act as a strong role model for best Client Advocate practices and set the standard others on the team follow.
Client Stewardship and Oversight
• Oversee implementation and execution of portfolio strategy across the private equity funds and their portfolio companies, ensuring PMs act as the key liaison alongside the Producer between the fund, the portfolio companies, and WTW's service and broking teams.
• Ensure service and broking teams are communicating actively with clients, setting expectations properly, and meeting renewal deadlines. Day-to-day service remains the responsibility of the client advocacy team; portfolio management oversight is for standard-setting and escalation.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for the most significant relationships, large claims, and at-risk renewals, stepping in where a relationship or a placement needs leadership involvement.
• Ensure continuous stewardship of key PE clients, including monitoring portfolio company renewals, large claims, integration of add-on deals, material changes in business, and annual stewardship reporting.
• Ensure the team keeps funds apprised of material changes and issues throughout the year and maintains proactive diaries on open matters such as claims, potential add-ons, target deals, and changes to operations.
• Take ultimate responsibility for the comprehensive delivery of WTW's service value proposition to the client and the integrity of that delivery at all times.
• Ensure client engagement, contract formation, and service delivery processes are fully compliant with Group policies across all territorial, legal, and regulatory domains.
Growth and Business Development
• Partner with the production team to expand relationships with each fund through new business across the portfolio: placing new coverages, rounding out accounts (including employee benefits), and facilitating introductions to portfolio companies where WTW is not the current service provider.
• Direct the team to keep a pulse on each fund's pipeline for pending and prospective acquisitions and divestitures, coordinating with the diligence and transaction solutions teams.
• Proactively identify upcoming sale processes and bids of portfolio companies so WTW can position itself as the go-forward service provider for the new ownership team.
• Bring WTW's analytics capabilities and specialty verticals to bear where they differentiate WTW on a given deal or relationship, coordinating with the analytics team to review accounts, determine client needs, and differentiate through data.
• Coordinate with underwriting management and carrier partners to leverage aggregate portfolio premium and risk trends for preferred placement, resources, and the development of specialized programs.
Transaction Lifecycle
• Ensure the team manages the transition of target companies from initial engagement through M&A due diligence and transaction close, with a smooth handoff at each step.
• Work with the project management team so clients receive timely reporting (proposed insurance, closing costs, and related deliverables) at each stage.
• Ensure PMs remain the key contact for the insured as closing transitions to the go-forward team, and stay engaged as the relationship progresses to confirm client needs are continuously met.

Note: Employment-based non-immigrant visa sponsorship and/or assistance is not offered for this specific job opportunity.

Qualifications

The Requirements
• 15+ years of client management and/or insurance broking experience, preferably from an industry-leading broker, including direct people-leadership experience in a client-facing mandate.
• Proven track record building, developing, and retaining a high-performing team, with the ability to set structure, standards, and consistency across a group.
• Demonstrable, current, in-depth knowledge of the private equity sector and the industries these clients invest in, including the products, services, and processes used to support transactions, transition, and ongoing service needs.
• Strong commercial judgment and the ability to frame team investment in margin and revenue terms for a leadership audience.
• First-class interpersonal skills, with the credibility to serve as a senior point of contact for private equity decision makers, and excellent verbal, written, numerical, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Able to manage multiple assignments and relationships simultaneously in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Bachelor's degree.
• Proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

This position will remain posted for a minimum of three business days from the date posted or until a sufficient/appropriate candidate slate has been identified.

Compensation

The base salary compensation range being offered for this role is $400,000- $450,000 USD per year. This role is also eligible for an annual short-term incentive bonus.

Company Benefits

WTW provides a competitive benefit package which includes the following (eligibility requirements apply):
  • Health and Welfare Benefits: Medical (including prescription coverage), Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Commuter Account, Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Group Accident, Group Critical Illness, Life Insurance, AD&D, Group Legal, Identify Theft Protection, Wellbeing Program and Work/Life Resources (including Employee Assistance Program)
  • Leave Benefits: Paid Holidays, Annual Paid Time Off (includes paid state/local paid leave where required), Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Other Leaves (e.g., Bereavement, FMLA, ADA, Jury Duty, Military Leave, and Parental and Adoption Leave), Paid Time Off (Washington State only)
  • Retirement Benefits: Contributory Pension Plan and Savings Plan (401k).

At WTW, we trust you to know your work and the people, tools and environment you need to be successful. The majority of our colleagues work in a "hybrid" style, with a mix of remote, in-person and in- office interactions dependent on the needs of the team, role and clients. Our flexibility is rooted in trust and "hybrid" is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Base salary range and benefits information for this position are being included in accordance with requirements of various state/local pay transparency legislation. Please note that salaries may vary for different individuals in the same role based on several factors, including but not limited to location of the role, individual competencies, education/professional certifications qualifications/experience, performance in the role and potential for revenue generation (Producer roles only)

We understand flexibility is key to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and so we encourage requests for all types of flexible working as well as location-based arrangements. Please speak to your recruiter to discuss more.

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary range and benefits information for this position are being included in accordance with requirements of various state/local pay transparency legislation. Please note that base salaries may vary for different individuals in the same role based on several factors, including but not limited to location of the role, individual competencies, education/professional certifications, qualifications/experience, performance in the role and potential for revenue generation (Producer roles only).

Company Benefits

WTW provides a competitive benefit package which includes the following (eligibility requirements apply):

Health and Welfare Benefits: Medical (including prescription coverage), Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Commuter Account, Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Group Accident, Group Critical Illness, Life Insurance, AD&D, Group Legal, Identify Theft Protection, Wellbeing Program and Work/Life Resources (including Employee Assistance Program)

Leave Benefits: Paid Holidays, Annual Paid Time Off (includes paid state/local paid leave where required), Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Other Leaves (e.g., Bereavement, FMLA, ADA, Jury Duty, Military Leave, and Parental and Adoption Leave), Paid Time Off (Washington State or remote only)

Retirement Benefits: Contributory Pension Plan and Savings Plan (401k).

This position will remain posted for a minimum of three business days from the date posted or until sufficient/appropriate candidate slate has been identified.

About Willis Towers Watson

Willis Towers Watson is a global insurance and risk management company that provides a range of services to clients in more than 140 countries. The company was formed in 2016 through the merger of Willis Group Holdings and Towers Watson & Co. Willis Towers Watson offers a range of insurance products, including property and casualty insurance, life insurance, and health insurance. The company also provides risk management and consulting services, including actuarial services, investment consulting, and human capital consulting. Willis Towers Watson is known for its expertise in risk management and its ability to help clients navigate complex insurance and regulatory environments.
Learn more about Willis Towers Watson
Size
46,000 employees
Market Cap
$26.2 billion
Industry
Net Income
$996 million
Founded
1828
5 Year Trend
+2.7%
Revenue
$9.3 billion
NASDAQ

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