A

Axis Capital

Global specialty insurance and reinsurance provider

Strategic Delivery Lead - COO

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/21/2026
$160k - $180k+ Target incentive compensation
Mid
Bachelor's
Red Bank, NJ, USA+2 moreMore locations: Short Hills, Millburn, NJ, USA | New York, NY, USA
HybridThree days in the office per week are required.
Project & Program ManagementProgram Management

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field.
  • Proven experience in strategic delivery leadership, portfolio or project management, and successfully leading and delivering large-scale projects in a matrixed environment.
  • Experience overseeing cross-functional programs involving business operations, technology delivery, data and analytics, process improvement, and transformation initiatives.
  • Ability to think strategically and align project goals with the COO organization's business objectives, including operations, technology, and data and analytics priorities.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information.
  • Strong written and verbal communication and stakeholder management abilities.
  • Ability to adapt to changing project requirements and manage ambiguity.
  • Attention to detail in developing and maintaining project plans and deliverables.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with teams and stakeholders.
  • Ability to balance structure and flexibility while focusing on results and accountability.
  • Executive presence and credibility, with experience dealing with senior business leaders.
  • Effective influencing, negotiating, and decision-making skills.
  • Organizational skills and ability to coordinate and manage multiple priorities.
  • Proficiency in using AI-enabled tools to enhance productivity, improve analysis, streamline communication, and support delivery management.
  • Proficiency in project management tools and software platforms.
Responsibilities
  • Drive and guide strategy for COO projects with business leaders, product owners, value stream leads, release train engineers, and delivery partners, ensuring alignment across operations, technology, and data and analytics objectives.
  • Ensure operations, technology, and data and analytics initiatives align with enterprise priorities, COO objectives, and measurable business outcomes.
  • Manage governance, financials, delivery status, dependencies, and reporting across COO projects, including budgets, actuals, Objectives and Key Results attainment, delivery metrics, and other key performance indicators.
  • Identify and mitigate risks that could affect initiative success.
  • Maintain clear stakeholder communication and transparency about goals and progress.
  • Support prioritization and allocation of resources for COO initiatives across operations, technology delivery, data and analytics, and initiatives not supported by Agile teams.
  • Participate in Program Increment planning to identify cross-value-stream dependencies, help set priorities, and mitigate impediments.
Desired Qualifications
  • Project Management Professional, Lean Six Sigma, Agile delivery certifications such as SAFe SPC, SAFe Lean Portfolio Management, or PMI-ACP, or other relevant certifications are advantageous.
  • Experience in the insurance industry is preferred.

About the company

A

Axis Capital

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Website

Axis Capital operates as a global specialty lines insurer and reinsurer. It provides tailored insurance and reinsurance solutions to clients across various industries, leveraging its expertise in specialty lines to deliver comprehensive coverage. The company works by offering customized risk-transfer products through a global network of 19 offices and strategic partnerships, supported by strong financial strength and high credit ratings to manage risk effectively. Its differentiators include a solid balance sheet, durable financial ratings, and a global presence that enables it to serve a diverse client base and adapt to market changes. The goal is to provide reliable, customized risk solutions for clients worldwide while maintaining financial stability and building strategic partnerships to navigate evolving market conditions.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Hamilton, Texas

Founded

2001

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • August 5, 2026 DUAL renewal-rights acquisition expands AXIS's excess liability book.
  • August and September 2026 leadership additions deepen financial lines and excess casualty execution.
  • AXIS celebrated 25 years on September 8, 2026, reinforcing broker and talent visibility.

What critics are saying

  • Q2 2026 reinsurance GWP fell 25%, exposing AXIS to casualty market softness.
  • Combined ratio worsened to 91.5% in H1 2026, pressuring earnings quality.
  • A US casualty reserve shock would force retrenchment, capital raise, or dividend cuts.

What makes Axis Capital unique

  • AXIS specializes in global specialty underwriting, not commodity commercial lines.
  • September 2026 hires strengthened casualty leadership while preserving underwriting discipline.
  • July 2026 AI and technology strategy targets underwriting, claims, and portfolio advantage.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Paid Vacation
  • Wellness Program

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

4%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

2%
The Online Investor
Oct 15th, 2026
AXIS Capital ranks No. 45 among Analyst Picks with strong share buyback activity.

AXIS Capital ranks No. 45 among Analyst Picks with strong share buyback activity. By Joel Kornblau, Editor, The Online Investor, Thursday, October 15, 2026, 2:37 PM ET AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd among Top Analyst Picks for companies with strong stock buybacks. AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd (AXS) ranks No. 45 among stocks identified by The Online Investor as combining notable stock buyback activity with favorable analyst sentiment. In this screen, qualifying companies repurchased at least 5% of outstanding shares over the trailing 12-month period, and rankings were then based on the average of analyst recommendations from major brokerage firms. The combination of meaningful share repurchases and constructive analyst ratings can attract attention because it brings together two separate signals. A buyback can indicate that management sees value in the stock or believes excess capital can be deployed efficiently through repurchases. Analyst support, meanwhile, may reflect expectations for earnings resilience, capital strength, underwriting discipline, or improving returns on equity. When both factors are present, investors often view the setup as potentially more compelling than either signal alone. Why strong buyback activity matters. Share repurchases can affect valuation and per-share financial metrics in several ways. When a company reduces its share count, future earnings are spread across fewer shares outstanding, which can support earnings per share even if net income is unchanged. In addition, buybacks can improve measures such as book value per share or return metrics, depending on the repurchase price and the company's capital profile. That said, the quality of a buyback matters as much as the size. Repurchases tend to be more beneficial when they are funded from durable free cash flow or surplus capital, executed at disciplined valuations, and balanced against other capital needs such as debt reduction, acquisitions, or reinvestment in the business. What analyst support may be signaling. For an insurer such as AXIS Capital, positive analyst sentiment may reflect more than a simple valuation call. Analysts typically focus on factors including: * underwriting profitability and combined ratio trends, * pricing conditions in specialty insurance and reinsurance markets, * reserve adequacy and catastrophe exposure, * investment income sensitivity to interest rates, and * capital management, including buybacks and dividends. Viewed together, a favorable analyst ranking and substantial buyback activity can suggest confidence in both the company's operating outlook and its capital allocation framework. How to interpret the ranking. The ranking does not, by itself, establish that AXS is undervalued or that future returns will be superior. Instead, it highlights AXS as part of a narrower group of companies where analyst recommendations and recent share repurchase activity align. That can be a useful starting point for further work on valuation, earnings quality, and capital deployment. Key follow-up questions include: * Were repurchases made consistently or opportunistically? * Did the company fund buybacks from excess capital rather than balance-sheet strain? * Are consensus estimates improving, stable, or weakening? * How does the stock's valuation compare with peers on earnings, book value, and return metrics? Sector context and relative performance. AXS operates in the insurance industry, where capital returns are often evaluated alongside underwriting performance and exposure management. Peer moves can also help frame sentiment across the group. Chubb Ltd (CB) was up about 1% on the day referenced, while Progressive Corp. (PGR) was trading higher by about 1.1%. Below is a three-month price history chart comparing the performance of AXS, CB, and PGR. Bottom line. AXIS Capital's inclusion among top analyst picks tied to strong stock buyback activity puts the focus on a specific investment combination: supportive sell-side sentiment and a material reduction in share count. For investors evaluating AXS, the more important question is whether those buybacks reflect durable earnings power, disciplined capital allocation, and an attractive valuation relative to insurance peers. AXS was trading roughly flat in midday Thursday action. To put this move in context, compare it with the stocks featured in Current Top Analyst Picks of the S&P 500. How to read broker darling screens and valuation. Broker darling stories highlight stocks that analysts currently favor within a large-cap or dividend-oriented screen. Valuation context helps show whether a stock looks inexpensive because fundamentals are strong or because the market is pricing in risk. The signal is most useful when analyst support is reviewed with valuation, earnings expectations, dividend quality, and business fundamentals. Investors should treat the valuation angle as context rather than a standalone signal.

PRLog
Oct 1st, 2026
LHTYF, Axis Capital and The Home Depot bring hands-on gardening to Atlanta area students.

LHTYF, Axis Capital and The Home Depot bring hands-on gardening to Atlanta area students. 16th Annual Gardens Are For Kids(TM) Project connects students to agriculture, nutrition, STEM learning and lifelong wellness 2026 Lhtyf Gardens Are For Kids Announcement ATLANTA - Oct. 1, 2026 - PRLog - Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation, Inc. (LHTYF), in partnership with Axis Capital and The Home Depot, will present the 16th Annual Gardens Are For Kids(TM) project at Kelly Lake Elementary School in Decatur, GA. For more than 16 years, LHTYF has invested in Atlanta-area youth through hands-on educational programs that encourage healthy lifestyles, academic achievement and wellness. Through Gardens Are For Kids(TM), students learn where their food comes from while gaining practical experience planting, growing and harvesting fresh vegetables. The program provides students with an interactive introduction to agriculture while connecting gardening to nutrition, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), environmental awareness and healthy decision-making. "Gardening gives children the opportunity to learn by doing," said Dr. Lori A. Manns, President of Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation, Inc. "When a child plants a seed, watches it grow and ultimately harvests something they helped produce, the experience creates a powerful connection between agriculture, nutrition and personal responsibility. We want children to understand that healthy living is not simply a lesson in a classroom - it is a skill they can practice throughout their lives." The Gardens Are For Kids(TM) project is made possible through the support of corporate partners, community donors and volunteers. Axis Capital and The Home Depot continue to support LHTYF's commitment to providing Atlanta-area students with meaningful, hands-on educational experiences. The garden project is provided free to participating Atlanta-area schools, helping bring agricultural education and wellness programming to students who may otherwise have limited opportunities for hands-on gardening experiences. The program emphasizes that healthy food does not begin in a grocery store - it begins with an understanding of agriculture, the environment and the work involved in growing nutritious food. "Early exposure to gardening can help children develop an appreciation for fresh foods and the people and processes behind them," Dr. Manns said. "We are grateful to Axis Capital, The Home Depot, our community donors and everyone who helps us put these lessons directly into the hands of children." About Kelly Lake Elementary School Kelly Lake Elementary School is a public school in Decatur, GA, offering a Gifted & Talented program. It is one of 91 elementary schools in Dekalb County School District. Students study basic skills such as language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. In addition to core areas, students also receive instruction in physical education, art, and music. About Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation, Inc. LHTYF was established in 2010 to teach kids healthy lifestyle habits and encourage the active involvement of parents in the metro Atlanta area regarding the health and wellness of their children. The mission of Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation is to educate, activate, motivate, and empower youth in the areas of academic achievement, health, nutrition, fitness, and total wellness. LHTYF exists to educate children on healthy lifestyle habits, so they are more likely to avoid obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. http://www.livehealthyandthriveyouth.org Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation, Inc.

Insurance Business
Sep 22nd, 2026
Insurance moves: AXIS, Sedgwick, Lumos, InsurBanc, Arcadian and William Blair

Insurance moves: AXIS, Sedgwick, Lumos, InsurBanc, Arcadian and William Blair. They include a new CEO and a new managing director 22 Sep 2026 Several insurance and financial services organizations announced leadership changes this week, spanning banking, casualty underwriting, claims administration, specialty MGA expansion and investment banking. AXIS Capital makes two casualty leadership appointments. AXIS Capital has hired Kyle Sternadori (pictured, left) as head of US excess casualty and expanded Mike Flaherty's role to chief underwriting officer for wholesale casualty, both effective September 22. Sternadori joins with more than 20 years of casualty underwriting and leadership experience and will lead the strategic direction, underwriting performance and market development of AXIS's excess casualty business. Flaherty, who has been with AXIS throughout his career, takes on expanded responsibility for underwriting governance, product strategy, portfolio oversight and execution across the wholesale casualty platform. Both report to Anna Tan, head of wholesale casualty. Two senior appointments in AXIS's wholesale casualty leadership in the same week, one an external hire to lead excess casualty and one an expanded internal mandate, together signal a deliberate push to scale that specific book rather than simply maintain it. Wholesale brokers placing excess casualty risk should expect more proactive engagement from AXIS on appetite and capacity, and may find this a reasonable moment to test submissions that have previously been difficult to place. Sedgwick adds a former Allstate general counsel as its global chief legal officer. Sedgwick has appointed Courtney Welton (pictured, center) as global chief legal officer, general counsel and corporate secretary. Welton joins from Allstate, where she served as senior vice president, general counsel and chief ethics, privacy and compliance officer, with prior senior legal roles at Motorola Mobility, Google and Lenovo, and she began her legal career at Skadden. At Sedgwick, she will lead legal strategy, governance, regulatory compliance and risk management, and will also oversee responsible AI governance. Sedgwick handles claims administration for a significant portion of the US P&C market, meaning a new chief legal officer shaping its AI governance and compliance posture can have downstream effects on how claims are processed, documented and contested. Brokers whose clients rely on Sedgwick as a third-party administrator should note that Welton's explicit mandate includes advancing responsible AI governance, a priority that will increasingly affect how automated claims decisions get made and reviewed. Lumos Insurance hires a London market specialist. Lumos Insurance has named Ian Meadows (pictured, right) senior vice president and managing director for global property casualty and specialty insurance. Meadows joins from Alvarez & Marsal, where he was head of global specialty and commercial insurance, with prior experience as a partner in EY's specialty practice and as co-founder and board director of Insurwave, a digital platform connecting specialty marine and aviation clients with insurers. He will be based in London and lead the growth of Lumos's property and casualty business, which currently centers on credit, warranty and property risks. Lumos's 45-year history serving banks, credit unions and specialty lenders gives it a distribution network of more than 1,500 US partners, and Meadows's appointment signals it intends to offer those partners P&C and specialty capacity alongside existing credit protection products. Brokers working with lender or financial institution clients may want to watch how Lumos's P&C platform develops, particularly around credit and specialty property risks where its existing relationships create a ready-made distribution channel. InsurBanc names a new president and CEO. InsurBanc has appointed Lou Garcia as president and chief executive officer, succeeding David Tralka, who moves into the role of board chairman. Garcia brings more than 25 years of experience in investment banking, alternative asset management and financial services, having previously held vice president roles at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette and JH Whitney & Co., alongside a role as partner and chief operating officer at Addison Clark Management and managing director at CBAM Partners. Garcia said he intends to build on InsurBanc's track record serving the independent agency community. "I look forward to building on InsurBanc's momentum and contributing to its continued success," Garcia said, adding that he plans to attend industry events in the coming months to meet customers in person. Garcia's investment banking and private equity background suggests a leader oriented toward growth financing and ownership transition deals rather than purely conservative lending, which may be relevant for agency owners considering acquisition financing or planning a sale to a next generation of principals. Arcadian enters US enterprise casualty market with a senior hire from Markel. Arcadian Risk Capital has appointed Matthew Mullen as executive vice president to lead its expansion into the US enterprise casualty market. Mullen joins from Markel, where he served as managing director of specialty insurance, with prior roles at Alterra, XL and Munich Re. Based in New York, he will develop Arcadian's presence in enterprise risk across retail distribution channels, structured as excess coverage spread across multiple risk sectors. Arcadian has secured multi-year underwriting capacity to support the launch. Arcadian is entering the US enterprise casualty market with a named, experienced underwriter and confirmed multi-year capacity, which gives retail brokers working on large, complex casualty accounts a new market to approach with submissions. Mullen's 35 years of experience and his stated focus on longstanding broker relationships suggests this is a market worth testing directly rather than waiting for a broader rollout. William Blair adds an insurance M&A banker from Galway and EPIC. William Blair has added William Nay as a managing director in its financial services investment banking team, based in Atlanta. Nay most recently served as chief acquisition officer at Galway Holdings and EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, and before that spent 16 years as an insurance sector banker at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, now Truist, executing M&A and capital-raising transactions across insurance, insurtech and fintech companies. For agency owners and principals considering a sale, recapitalization or acquisition financing, William Blair's addition of a banker with direct experience as a corporate acquirer at both Galway and EPIC, two of the more active buyers in insurance distribution, gives the firm genuine operational credibility on both sides of these transactions rather than purely advisory experience. Nay's time as a corporate M&A officer means he understands the buyer's perspective in a way that purely sell-side bankers often don't.

Advertisement Shout
Sep 22nd, 2026
AXIS names Flaherty as Wholesale Casualty CUO, Sternadori as Head of US Excess Casualty.

AXIS names Flaherty as Wholesale Casualty CUO, Sternadori as Head of US Excess Casualty. Bermuda-based insurer and reinsurer, AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, has appointed Mike Flaherty as Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO), Wholesale Casualty, and Kyle Sternadori as Head of US Excess Casualty, effective 22 September, 2026. Sternadori is based in Short Hills, NJ, while Flaherty is based in Alpharetta, GA. The pair will report to Anna Tan, Head of Wholesale Casualty at AXIS. In his new role, Flaherty's duties have been expanded to include responsibility for underwriting governance, product strategy, portfolio oversight, and execution across the Wholesale Casualty platform. He will continue to work closely with leaders across AXIS to advance underwriting excellence, strengthen portfolio performance, and support sustainable growth. Mike McKenna, Head of North America, said, "Mike exemplifies the expertise, accountability, and commitment to excellence that define AXIS. Over the course of his career at AXIS, he has helped shape and strengthen our casualty business while building trusted relationships across the market. His expanded role reflects both his significant contributions to date and the importance of strong underwriting leadership as we continue to evolve our capabilities, invest in our talent, and deliver differentiated solutions for our partners." Meanwhile, Sternadori, in his new role, will lead the strategic direction, underwriting performance, and market development of the firm's Excess Casualty business. He joins AXIS with over two decades of casualty underwriting and leadership experience. Tan said, "Kyle's appointment reflects its commitment to investing in exceptional underwriting talent and strengthening its leadership position in the casualty market. He brings deep technical expertise, a strong track record of leading profitable businesses, and a thoughtful approach to developing teams and broker relationships. "As we continue to grow our Excess Casualty platform, Kyle's experience and leadership will help us pursue new, attractive market opportunities while maintaining the underwriting discipline central to our strategy." McKenna added, "The appointments of Kyle and Mike reflect AXIS' focus on advancing underwriting excellence and a strategic investment in the long-term growth of its Wholesale Casualty business in a dynamic risk environment. "These appointments further support our Company's ambition to be the leading specialty underwriter, powered by top talent, deep subject matter expertise, and a commitment to helping customers navigate risk with confidence." The post AXIS names Flaherty as Wholesale Casualty CUO, Sternadori as Head of US Excess Casualty appeared first on ReinsuranceNe.ws. Spread the love

Axis Capital
Sep 22nd, 2026
AXIS appoints Kyle Sternadori as Head of US Excess Casualty and Mike Flaherty as Wholesale Casualty Chief Underwriting Officer.

AXIS appoints Kyle Sternadori as Head of US Excess Casualty and Mike Flaherty as Wholesale Casualty Chief Underwriting Officer. September 22, 2026 PEMBROKE, Bermuda, September 22, 2026 - AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital" or "AXIS") (NYSE: AXS) today announced the hiring of Kyle Sternadori as Head of US Excess Casualty and the appointment of Mike Flaherty as Chief Underwriting Officer, Wholesale Casualty as of September 22, 2026. Mr. Sternadori and Mr. Flaherty are based in Short Hills, NJ, and Alpharetta, GA, respectively, with both reporting to Anna Tan, Head of Wholesale Casualty. "The appointments of Kyle and Mike reflect AXIS' focus on advancing underwriting excellence and a strategic investment in the long-term growth of its Wholesale Casualty business in a dynamic risk environment," said Mike McKenna, Head of North America at AXIS. "These appointments further support our Company's ambition to be the leading specialty underwriter, powered by top talent, deep subject matter expertise, and a commitment to helping customers navigate risk with confidence." As Head of US Excess Casualty, Mr. Sternadori will lead the strategic direction, underwriting performance, and market development of the Company's Excess Casualty business. He joins AXIS with more than 20 years of casualty underwriting and leadership experience. "Kyle's appointment reflects our commitment to investing in exceptional underwriting talent and strengthening our leadership position in the casualty market," said Ms. Tan. "He brings deep technical expertise, a strong track record of leading profitable businesses, and a thoughtful approach to developing teams and broker relationships. As we continue to grow our Excess Casualty platform, Kyle's experience and leadership will help us pursue new, attractive market opportunities while maintaining the underwriting discipline central to our strategy." As Chief Underwriting Officer, Wholesale Casualty, Mr. Flaherty's role has been expanded to include responsibility for underwriting governance, product strategy, portfolio oversight, and execution across the Wholesale Casualty platform. He will continue to work closely with leaders across AXIS to advance underwriting excellence, strengthen portfolio performance, and support sustainable growth. "Mike exemplifies the expertise, accountability, and commitment to excellence that define AXIS," said Mr. McKenna. "Over the course of his career at AXIS, he has helped shape and strengthen our casualty business while building trusted relationships across the market. His expanded role reflects both his significant contributions to date and the importance of strong underwriting leadership as we continue to evolve our capabilities, invest in our talent, and deliver differentiated solutions for our partners." About AXIS Capital AXIS Capital, through its operating subsidiaries, is a global specialty underwriter and provider of insurance and reinsurance solutions. The Company has shareholders' equity of $6.5 billion as of June 30, 2026, and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, and Canada. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a financial strength rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit its website at www.axiscapital.com. Investor Contact Cliff Gallant AXIS Capital Holdings Limited [email protected] +1 415 262 6843 Media Contact Mairi MacDonald AXIS Capital Holdings Limited [email protected] +44 207 877 3809