Head of North American Actuarial Data Science

Akur8 is a fast-growing InsurTech scale-up on a mission to redefine insurance pricing and reserving through transparent, high-performance modeling technology.

Our SaaS platform uses transparent machine learning and predictive analytics to improve the speed, accuracy, and reliability of actuarial pricing and reserving.

Built by experienced actuarial, product, and R&D teams, Akur8’s proprietary algorithms enable insurers to generate insights up to 10x faster than traditional methods, while maintaining full explainability and regulatory confidence.

As our platform expands, we provide next-generation reserving capabilities, supporting an end-to-end approach to risk assessment and future claims anticipation.

Recognized globally, Akur8 has been featured in:

• CB Insights’ Insurtech 50 - Top 50 InsurTech Companies 2025

• CNBC’s World Top 150 InsurTech Companies

• InsurTech100 Global - 100 Most Innovative Insurtech Companies

• Professional Equality Index (2025 score of 97/100)
  

With 40+ nationalities across 8 global offices, we serve 320+ insurance clients on 4 continents, partnering with insurers in mature and highly regulated markets.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we evaluate all candidates fairly based on skills, experience, and professional merit.

The Head of North American Actuarial Data Science is an opportunity to lead a highly skilled team of actuaries working with pricing teams across the industry. Akur8's platform spans modeling, ratemaking, and deployment, and this role is central to defining, developing, and communicating its capabilities and value, across lines ranging from personal to specialty and carriers of all sizes.

This position interacts with every team at Akur8 to various degrees: Sales, Product, R&D, Marketing, Engineering, and Leadership. You will serve as a subject matter expert and act as a bridge between these departments and the language of insurance, actuaries, and our clients. Externally, you will engage with senior client contacts including Chief Actuaries, Heads of Product, CTOs, Ratemaking Actuaries, and Data Scientists.

To be successful, the Head of North American Actuarial Data Science needs to be...

...a teacher. You will manage a client-facing team of actuarial data scientists across North America. This team leads proof of concepts with potential clients, clearly communicating modeling concepts to both highly technical and non-technical audiences. Coaching and developing this team will require an adaptive managerial style, as the problems the team encounters are often nuanced and without straightforward precedent.

...an industry expert. You will work with external leadership teams to understand an insurer's current processes, diagnose potential product fit, and articulate the practical impact of the platform across all operations. This requires both a thorough grounding in traditional actuarial processes and the rigor to ask the right questions, since no insurer's workflow is truly standard.

...creative. Akur8's platform is well-suited to traditional actuarial tasks, but you will be expected to think beyond conventional applications, identifying ways to apply its capabilities to ad hoc actuarial questions or to restructure an insurer's current pricing processes in a more effective way.

...a problem solver. You will regularly encounter situations that fall outside familiar territory and require careful diagnosis. These situations call for a thorough understanding of the problem space and its underlying assumptions before moving toward recommendations. They will range from unusual modeling results to the finer points of ratemaking and deployment.

...a visionary. Akur8's platform continues to evolve, and your perspective, along with that of your team and clients, is essential in shaping its direction. You will be expected to identify features or capabilities that would benefit both the software and the broader industry, working closely with our product team to define the underlying problem clearly and assess potential solutions, with an eye toward explainability and regulatory confidence.

Additionally, you will contribute to white papers and present at industry conferences and webinars, helping to advance the professional dialogue around modern actuarial methods and Akur8's role within it.

We prefer candidates who can work from our New York office, but will consider strong remote candidates.

Travel is required for approximately one week per month, including team-building visits to our Paris and North American offices, industry conferences, and onsite client meetings.

The successful candidate must meet each of the following criteria to be considered for this position:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in a P&C / General insurance pricing role, as a Pricing Actuary, Actuarial Consultant, or equivalent; prior exposure to specialty lines or Health insurance is an advantage

• FCAS credentials (or equivalent fellowship in a recognized actuarial body)

• Demonstrated experience managing or leading a team of actuaries or actuarial data scientists, including coaching, performance development, and coordination across geographically distributed teams

• Prior experience in a client-facing or consulting capacity, working directly with insurer leadership teams to assess needs, demonstrate value, or drive adoption of analytical tools or methodologies

• A strong understanding of Data Science and Machine Learning techniques for predictive modeling; given the nature of this role, no coding is required, though familiarity with Python, R, or SAS is considered a strength

• Hands-on experience in actuarial data-driven predictive modeling (GLMs / GAMs) and risk analysis within a P&C / General insurance pricing environment

• The ability to understand insurance business imperatives and translate them into practical, software-driven solutions

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts clearly to audiences ranging from Ratemaking Actuaries and Data Scientists to Chief Actuaries, CTOs, and other senior leadership

• Willingness and ability to travel for approximately one week per month, including visits to North American offices, client sites, and industry events

• Native or near-native fluency in English

Please note: candidates must hold an employment status that allows them to work in a free and unrestricted manner in the United States. We remain open to candidates currently based in the United States who require a change in visa sponsorship.

As a newcomer, you'll be joining a diverse, highly skilled and motivated team, with a strong Tech DNA, colleagues that are eager to share their knowledge and passion.

But it’s not all work, you’ll also be part of a dynamic team that enjoys spending time together and having fun, including karaoke, team lunches, playing sports as well as the occasional ‘happy hour’.

In addition to this, we will provide you with:

• Competitive salary + annual bonus

• Health insurance , Dental and Vision coverage (including spouse and family coverage)

• 401K Company match

• Life insurance

• Cell Phone & Internet reimbursement

• 25 days of PTO/year

• Commuter benefit

• Gym membership via ClassPass

• IT equipment allowance

• Professional development & trainings

• Team fun: regular company gatherings and team events