Senior Portfolio Manager

The Senior Portfolio Manager will assist in providing valuable insights, solutions, services and operational improvements across specialty insurance markets through the use of data & insights. Activities will include portfolio data analysis and analytics projects, pricing model calibrations, creating tooling and visualisation solutions and automation of data flows.

Key stakeholders will be International Underwriting, underwriting Managing Directors (MDs) and the Actuarial function. You will get to collaborate with the rest of IPA who use cutting edge data management, business intelligence and technical pricing in market leading programmes and technology.

Who we are:

The International Portfolio Analytics team is a multi-functional empowered, creative and autonomous team within Markel International. It is embedded within the underwriting business and is represented within the leadership team. Its focus is on the areas that are critical to achieve profitability and performance targets for a specialty lines insurer: Portfolio Management, Data, Analytics and Insights and Pricing Model development.

Part of Markel Group (NYSE – MKL) a Fortune 500 company with over 60 offices in 20+ countries, is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance, specialist advisory, and investment operations around the world.

What you’ll be doing:

• Provide support for the implementation of active portfolio management across Markel International.
• The Managing Directors (MDs) and underwriters remain accountable for portfolio management and ultimately profitability within their teams. This role will be responsible for making appropriate recommendations and improvements to ensure the MDs are equipped to actively portfolio manage their divisions.
• Actively Monitor the key drivers of performance, at a class level across the International portfolio, to support MDs in improving performance and driving remedial actions where necessary. This will include both the open market and delegated business.
• Lead in the technical direction and insight into the calibration and refinement of pricing models, ensuring alignment with underwriting strategy and portfolio performance.
• Supporting the coordination of the quarterly business planning process, with active monitoring of performance against plan throughout the year. Set up standardised Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and ensure they are aligned with the business planning process.
• Develop strategic analytics, tools and insights to optimise portfolios and enable smarter underwriting decisions. Be an advocate for the use of data to support decision making.
• Make recommendations and assist with Underwriter training on portfolio management techniques, at all levels, and work with the Training and Development team to ensure a programme of work is followed.
• Collaborate by sharing knowledge and experience within the team, as well as working with other Support Units which include but are not limited to: actuarial, claims, underwriting operations, ITS, delegated and underwriting support services to resolve issues and support the achievement of IPA and wholesale business priorities.
• Represent the IPA team, as appropriate, providing accurate and timely management information to International leadership and meetings as required.

Key Skills:

• Have outstanding communications skills along with strong data visualisation skills for disseminating management information to various levels across Markel.
• Have demonstrable experience in influencing and engaging with stakeholders using effective communication and ensuring consensus.
• Be able to clearly articulate complex strategies, techniques and ideas to senior leadership and underwriters across multiple product lines.
• Possess a strong technical actuarial skillset, with the ability to independently problem solve and put forward underwriting strategy recommendations.
• Have an advanced understanding of specialty insurance products, classes of business and operations of the specialty insurance market.
• Have a proven track record to successfully lead and deliver to agreed timelines projects and initiatives that require involvement from business leaders across the company.
• Possess a solid and detailed understanding of the Microsoft office suite, particularly Excel, with the ability to manipulate and analyse large, complex datasets.
• Proficiency in SQL for querying and managing databases is required, and experience with Python for data analysis and automation is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with data visualisation tools and an awareness of advanced analytics or data science techniques would be advantageous.

A great starting salary plus annual bonus & strong benefits package:

• Up to 16% company pension scheme.
• Private medical and dental cover, Menopause plan, emergency care benefit (children/Pets/dependants).
• Income protection, Life assurance, electric car scheme, travel insurance.
• 25 days paid holiday plus Bank Holidays, with the opportunity to buy/sell extra leave.
• As well as other great benefits on offer there are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career!

If you’re looking for a place where you can make a meaningful difference, you’ve found it. The work we do at Markel gives people the confidence to move forward, reach their full potential and seize opportunities. You’ll find your fit amongst our diverse global community of optimists and problem-solvers. We’re always pushing each other to think further because we believe that when we strive for better and realise our potential, we can help others reach theirs.

Join us and play your part in something special! Choose ‘Apply Now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you.

At Markel we are all about the people, celebrating the value of a diverse workforce that brings experience and expertise from a wide variety of backgrounds and life circumstances. Whatever your background, if you feel you meet the requirements of this role then we want to hear from you. We are also happy to consider candidates who are looking for flexible working patterns.

We will ensure that individuals are provided with any reasonable accommodations to be able to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions if successful. Please contact us via email at rec@markel.com or call us at 0161 507 5827 to request any accommodations or adjustments that may be needed, including alternative formats of documents or information on how to apply offline.