Product Owner - Customer Operations

Reports to- Senior Operations Leadership

Location- Open to Ireland, UAE, Phillippines, Egypt

About us

Allianz Partners Health is undergoing a fundamental shift in how it designs and delivers digital solutions for Customer Operations. Historically, development has been slow, with missed targets, quality challenges, and a requirements baseline rooted in 2021 — before the AI revolution reshaped what’s possible. The market has moved on, and so must we.

In partnership between Operations Management, Operations leadership, and AI Services (DA3), a new product-based delivery model has been agreed. This model uses our existing platform as a test bed to introduce an AI-by-default approach — embedding artificial intelligence into the core design of every solution from the outset. This aligns with the broader Clara CTO function and represents a step change in how Allianz Partners Health builds and delivers technology.

At the heart of this model are end-to-end journey squads — business-led teams that own a specific customer journey (e.g., member claims, provider claims, customer operations, insurance product) from discovery through to delivery. Supporting these are platform squads that build reusable components, with their work determined by the needs of the product squads.

The Product Owner – Customer Operations leads the Customer Operations journey squad. This is the final squad to be established and one of the most complex, requiring someone who truly understands the business of customer contact centres, can navigate a multi-vendor technical landscape, and can drive delivery at pace.

The Squad You Will Lead

You will lead a dedicated product squad operating in an agile methodology. The squad comprises:

• Product Owner (You) — Business lead, accountable for direction, prioritisation, and outcomes
• Senior SME — Subject matter expert providing deep operational knowledge
• Product Owner Support (BA) — Business Analyst supporting story development and requirements
• Scrum Master — Facilitating agile ceremonies and removing blockers
• Tech Lead — Leading technical design and architecture decisions
• 4 Engineers/Developers — Next-generation technologists who develop and test using AI-first principles

This is a matrix leadership role — you will lead the squad’s direction, priorities, and delivery without direct people management responsibility. However, this is a senior position that demands authority, credibility, and the ability to drive a cross-functional team toward measurable outcomes.

The delivery landscape is complex. Developers are sourced through Accenture, the Tech Lead is managed by a separate provider, and the CTO function is closely involved. You will need to manage across these boundaries seamlessly, understanding business processes deeply while speaking the language of technology at every level.

What You Will Do

Product Ownership & Delivery

• Own and drive the design, development, and continuous improvement of AI-embedded digital solutions for Customer Operations across Allianz Partners Health globally
• Lead the squad as the business voice — setting direction, defining priorities, and ensuring delivery at speed using agile methodology
• Translate complex business requirements into detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, business rules, and a prioritised backlog
• Partner with internal stakeholders and external vendors to execute discovery, testing, and rollout activities across multiple regions
• Ensure digital solutions meet operational objectives, integrate effectively with existing platforms, and scale internationally
• Maintain a clear product roadmap driven by performance metrics, operational feedback, compliance requirements, and user insights
• Champion AI-driven transformation by demonstrating clear business value and measurable adoption outcomes
• Build a strong internal and external network to ensure early awareness of new and emerging technologies with practical business application

Process Transformation

• Partner closely with Operations Planning, Business Enablement, and business leadership to understand objectives, validate opportunities, and align priorities
• Lead workshops and design sessions to define solution scope, business rules, and decision logic
• Drive operational readiness including user training, documentation, and change management
• Support governance activities to ensure automation rules and decisions remain compliant, auditable, and well controlled

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the primary liaison between Operations functional teams, Operations Support, IT, and vendor delivery teams — managing a large and diverse stakeholder landscape
• Communicate progress, risks, and outcomes to senior stakeholders through structured updates, dashboards, and clear narrative
• Take complex technical and operational information and translate it into compelling briefings for senior leadership
• Collaborate with Data Analytics, Operations Support, and Regional teams to ensure solutions deliver appropriate reporting and meet compliance requirements
• Navigate the multi-vendor environment confidently, coordinating across Accenture, the CTO function, and other technology partners

AI Governance, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure all solutions comply with group standards, global regulatory requirements, and emerging AI obligations
• Identify potential compliance gaps in how AI tools and rules are applied, driving remediation where needed
• AI Readiness  Work effectively in an environment shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, data, analytics and cloud-based tools, using insights responsibly with our standards of data governance, security and ethical use. 
• Work closely with Compliance, Legal, and Risk teams to ensure proper documentation, transparency, and monitoring

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as cycle-time reduction, manual touchpoint elimination, and accuracy improvement
• Monitor platform performance and user adoption to drive continuous iteration and enhancement
• Contribute to the development of best practices and reusable frameworks for future initiatives across Operations

What You Need to Succeed

Essential Experience & Skills

• Deep, lived experience in international customer contact centres — you know the operation inside out, having managed or led within this environment at a senior level
• A strong understanding of the technology suite shaping the future of customer service, including AI, automation, and digital platforms
• Minimum of 6 years’ experience in contact centre management, operational improvement, business transformation, or digital transformation
• Proven ability to lead in a product-based delivery model, driving cross-functional squads toward outcomes without direct line management
• Strong understanding of AI technologies, machine learning, and data analytics and how they apply to real-world customer operations
• Experience navigating large-scale technology or platform change — core system migrations, platform implementations, or major digital programmes — with close IT collaboration
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to brief at senior level, manage competing priorities, and build trust across diverse groups including operations, IT, and external vendors
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to see the end-to-end picture — understanding how customer journeys connect across the business
• Ability to hit the ground running — this role requires someone who can quickly absorb context, build relationships, and start delivering
• Degree or relevant professional qualifications in Process Engineering, IT, Business Operations, or other technical disciplines
• High attention to detail and ability to deliver to deadlines in a fast-paced agile environment

Desirable

• Understanding of financial services industry standards, regulations, and operational practices, although other relevant experience will be actively considered

The Right Mindset

• You have a vision for what great customer operations looks like and the drive to make it happen
• You bring a rare blend of technology mindset and business acumen — equally comfortable in a technical design session and a senior leadership briefing
• You are results-driven and pragmatic, focused on achieving measurable outcomes rather than perfection on paper
• You can balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery — willing to roll up your sleeves when needed
• You are a confident communicator and facilitator, able to build trust and alignment across diverse stakeholder groups in a global environment
• You are collaborative and resilient, thriving in a dynamic, fast-moving environment where the delivery model itself is new and evolving

How We Hire 

Allianz Partners does not accept unsolicited CV’s or approaches from agencies. We only work with partners on our approved supplier lists, under contract. Any unsolicited submission will not be considered. 

105884 | Product Management | Professional | Non-Executive | Allianz Partners | Full-Time | Permanent

Allianz Group is one of the most trusted insurance and asset management companies in the world. Caring for our employees, their ambitions, dreams and challenges, is what makes us a unique employer. Together we can build an environment where everyone feels empowered and has the confidence to explore, to grow and to shape a better future for our customers and the world around us. 

At Allianz, we stand for unity: we believe that a united world is a more prosperous world, and we are dedicated to consistently advocating for equal opportunities for all. And the foundation for this is our inclusive workplace, where people and performance both matter, and nurtures a culture grounded in integrity, fairness, inclusion and trust. 

We therefore welcome applications regardless of ethnicity or cultural background, age, gender, nationality, religion, social class, disability or sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected under applicable local laws and regulations. 

Join us. Let's care for tomorrow.