Barb Pattenden
Paris,ON
Summary
Knowledgeable Operations Manager with solid foundation in optimizing operational processes and driving efficiency improvements. Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and streamline workflows. Demonstrated proficiency in strategic planning and problem-solving, ensuring continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Operations Manager
Selectpath Insurance
01.2022 - Current
- Led hiring, onboarding and training of new hires to fulfill business requirements.
- Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics.
- Achieved higher employee retention rates by fostering a positive work environment and providing opportunities for professional growth.
- Implemented business strategies, increasing revenue, and effectively targeting new markets.
- Conducted regular performance reviews, identifying areas for improvement and developing action plans to address them.
- Implemented quality control systems to boost overall product consistency and reliability.
- Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness.
- Established positive and effective communication among unit staff and organization leadership, reducing miscommunications, and missed deadlines.
- Analyzed data trends to identify potential bottlenecks in operations workflow, implementing strategies to mitigate risks accordingly.
- Developed and maintained relationships with external vendors and suppliers.
- Analyzed and reported on key performance metrics to senior management.
- Empowered employees to take ownership of their responsibilities, leading to increased accountability and improved performance outcomes.
- Established standard operating procedures that enhanced employee performance.
- Drove year-over-year business growth while leading operations, strategic vision, and long-range planning.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement by identifying opportunities for enhancement in operations, systems, and procedures.
Director, Insurance Operations
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.2009 - 01.2022
- Lead the process change of outsourcing to a third party the inputting of 20,000 annually received new business submissions to the IT operating platform
- Worked directly with the IT Director to develop and implement a new operating platform that worked well with the needs of the business, needs of the staff, and ensured that each product added met company and market compliance
- Provided an in depth needs analysis of the business to assist with the development of the new operating platform to further automate policy issuance, premium processing and provide detailed data and analytics
- Collaborated with the leadership team to develop and build an environment of collective responsibility and accountability via weekly and monthly meetings
- Ensured adherence to key performance objectives to meet business and customer expectations by having monthly one to one meeting with direct reports
- Designed effective income and expense budget models for each of our five branch offices
- Analyzed financial information, revenues, and expenditures to ensure all operations were within budget
- Implemented data-driven decision-making processes, leveraging analytics to optimize operations.
- Developed comprehensive training programs for staff, enhancing team performance and skill sets.
- Improved overall productivity with the introduction of innovative process improvement initiatives.
- Automated manual processes using technology solutions, increasing accuracy and efficiency within operations.
- Collaborated with executive leadership on strategic planning initiatives to drive business growth.
- Managed vendor relationships, negotiating contracts for maximum value and efficiency.
- Evaluated emerging market trends to inform strategic decisions affecting the organization's future direction.
- Reduced operational risks while organizing data to forecast performance trends.
- Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.
- Implemented business strategies, increasing revenue, and effectively targeting new markets.
- Enhanced operational transparency with implementation of advanced reporting systems, providing real-time insights to stakeholders.
- Spearheaded continuous improvement projects, resulting in enhanced business performance.
- Ensured compliance with industry regulations and company policies, mitigating potential risks.
- Streamlined operational processes by identifying inefficiencies and implementing best practices.
Human Resources Manager
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Performed difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures
- Managed the full recruiting life cycle process which included creating job specification, writing competency-based questions, interviewing, extending, and negotiating offers, and onboarding
- Managed all day-to-day HR responsibilities, including: salary/bonus planning, staffing, off-boarding, performance management, reporting/analytics
- Compensation management including performing and updating salary surveys and updating and writing job descriptions
- Drive organization design, workforce planning, sourcing & staffing
- Analyzed training needs of staff to design employee development, training on both underwriting and administrative functions
- Analyzed and modify company compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements
- Served as a link between Senior Management and employees by handling questions, interpreting, and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems
Branch Supervisor / Senior Professional Liability Underwriter
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.2003 - 01.2007
- Responsible for the hiring, coaching, mentoring, performance evaluation, resolution of staff issues, terminating, training, scheduling, and developing a team of 13 direct reports which included underwriters and underwriting assistants
- Conducted in-depth review of the process from initial receipt of application through to quoting, ending with policy issuance
- This streamlined the workflow, saving time, increasing accuracy thereby saving money and improving customer service
- Collaborated with the IT Director to identify the required individual steps needed for processing a file from end to end, to establish company wide paperless procedures, ensuring the system met the business needs
- Costs were reduced and efficiencies increased
Senior Professional Liability Underwriter
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.1995 - 01.2003
- Administered a $3mm GWP book of professional liability risks including new business, renewals and endorsements within designated authority and corporate underwriting guidelines
- Full risk assessment & underwriting of miscellaneous accounts, architects, engineers, chartered accountants, agents and brokers E&O
- Negotiated on going policy change requests with the retail brokers, to ensure changes were acceptable to the insureds and fell within our designated authorities
Education
Professional Development Courses - Anti-Money Laundering, Financial Crime Prevention
Joint Health & Safety certified -
01.2022
First aid & CPR Certificate -
01.2020
Human Resources Certificate - Human Resources Professional Program
Mohawk College of Applied Arts & Technology
Hamilton, ON01.2008
Insurance Institute of Ontario
Hamilton, ON01.2003
2 Year Business Administration Program -
Mohawk College of Applied Arts & Technology
Hamilton, ON01.1988
Skills
- Microsoft Office 360
- Decision-making
- Employee relations and conflict resolution
- Planning and implementation
- Operations oversight
- Problem-solving
- Team leadership
- Operations management
- Operational efficiency
- Operations monitoring
- Project management
- Policies and procedures implementation
Certification
- Joint Health & Safety certified, 01/01/22
- First aid & CPR Certificate, 01/01/20
Affiliations
Insurance Institute of Ontario, 01/01/03, Hamilton/Niagara Chapter
Professionaldevelopmentcourses
- Anti-Money Laundering
- Financial Crime Prevention
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Operations Manager
Selectpath Insurance
01.2022 - Current
Director, Insurance Operations
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.2009 - 01.2022
Human Resources Manager
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.2007 - 01.2009
Branch Supervisor / Senior Professional Liability Underwriter
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.2003 - 01.2007
Senior Professional Liability Underwriter
South Western Insurance Group Limited
01.1995 - 01.2003
Joint Health & Safety certified -
First aid & CPR Certificate -
Human Resources Certificate - Human Resources Professional Program
Mohawk College of Applied Arts & Technology
Insurance Institute of Ontario
2 Year Business Administration Program -
Mohawk College of Applied Arts & Technology
Professional Development Courses - Anti-Money Laundering, Financial Crime Prevention
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