Head of Digital Operating Model & Development Excellence

We are now looking for a strategic and execution-oriented leader to take on the role as the Head of Digital Operating Model & Development Excellence.

At If, our digital operating model is how we turn strategy into execution – underpinning our digital journey and enabling us to deliver customer value at scale. It brings together business and technology in cross-functional teams, enabling us to respond faster to changing customer needs, accelerate innovation, and to continuously develop our products, offerings, services and customer experiences.

Today, more than 1,500 professionals at If operate within this model across the Nordics and Baltics. As a result, the digital operating model is not simply a way of working - it is a key capability that shapes how we deliver business outcomes, leverage our scale, and maintain our competitive position in an increasingly digital insurance market.

About The Role

As Head of Digital Operating Model & Development Excellence at If, you will be driving the evolution of one of the largest digital operating models in the Nordics & Baltics.

You will lead a newly established function that brings together key enablers including Operational Development Managers, Ifs Agile Center of Excellence and DevOps Center of Excellence. The line responsibility consists of ~25 professionals, with a broad range of competences such as leaders, strategists, engineers and agile coaches. The role is placed within Tech Strategy & People Development unit, IT, and works closely with a broad range of stakeholders across all Business Areas and IT.

Your focus will be to ensure that our digital operating model continuously evolves to meet customer needs, supports effective cross-functional collaboration, and enables strong end-to-end execution at scale.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing team, the Digital Operating Model & Development Excellence function
• Lead the strategic development of If’s digital operating model, ensuring it continues to evolve in line with business priorities, customer needs, and technology opportunities. Define, prioritize and drive change, ranging from incremental improvements to significant initiatives
• Lead and support steering and governance processes to ensure strategic priorities are executed effectively and progress is tracked
• Engage and collaborate with key stakeholders across Business Areas, IT, and enabling functions
• Developing the agile ways of working and engineering excellence across tribes and squads

Who you are

You are a strong and inspiring leader with the ability to combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution. You thrive in complex environments and are motivated by driving change and creating real impact at a high pace. Your leadership is characterized by clarity, trust, and a strong ability to create alignment across the organization.

To succeed in this role, you bring:

• A do-er mentality, together with proven experience in leading and driving change in complex environments, particularly within digital and agile transformations
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders across all levels - from executive top management to tribes & squads
• Strong business acumen, with the ability to connect operating model development to business outcomes
• Effective leadership experience, including building and developing high-performing teams
• Tech-savviness, understanding software/technology development and its role in enabling business outcomes and organizational development
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence and drive change without requiring formal authority
• A high level of drive and integrity, combined with a structured and analytical way of working

In addition, we believe you have:

• A relevant academic degree (e.g. Engineering, Business, Computer Science or equivalent)
• Experience from roles within strategy-, business development or engineering, with a strong track record in shaping and implementing strategies
• Several years of line leadership experience, preferably from leading leaders
• Bonus: Experience from industries such as: SaaS and/or Financial Services
• Bonus: Experience working within digital operating models, software engineering and/or enterprise agile ways of working

Our promise to you

• A key role in shaping and evolving how we deliver digital development at scale
• The opportunity to lead a newly established function with significant impact across the organization
• Close collaboration and visibility across key stakeholders across Business Areas and IT
• A dynamic and international environment, together with a culture that supports development, collaboration, and continuous learning
• A competitive compensation and benefits package

Additional facts and the recruitment process

Application deadline: September 1st. We will begin screening applications and scheduling interviews in late August. Please note that there may be a longer response time than usual during the summer holiday period.
To apply for the position: Please attach your CV. Instead of a personal letter we kindly ask you to answer the questionnaires.
Work location: One of our main offices in the Nordic’s. Please note that this position involves occasional travel across If locations

Start: As soon as possible or by agreement.