At a Glance
- Tasks: Build relationships and create business opportunities with broker partners.
- Company: Join Markel, a supportive company that invests in your growth.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, quarterly bonuses, private medical cover, and 25 days holiday.
- Other info: Flexible hybrid working and excellent career progression opportunities.
- Why this job: Kickstart your career in business development with real impact and mentorship.
- Qualifications: Experience in insurance or strong relationship-building skills preferred.
The predicted salary is between 41850 - 51150 £ per year.
National / Hybrid | Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham or London Areas Preferred
Salary + Quarterly Bonus + Excellent Benefits
Looking to move from Underwriting or Broking into Business Development? This could be the career opportunity you've been waiting for!
At Markel, we're looking for an ambitious insurance professional to join our Networks team as a Business Development Manager. This role is designed for someone who enjoys building relationships, spotting opportunities and influencing outcomes, but hasn't yet had the chance to step into a dedicated distribution or business development career.
Whether you're a broker looking to move insurer-side, or an underwriter with strong broker relationships and trading skills, this is a genuine opportunity to learn, develop and build a long-term career in distribution. In fact, the previous incumbent was promoted into a Regional Business Development Manager role after just 12 months.
The Opportunity:
- You'll join our specialist Networks team, supporting strategic partnerships across Bravo Networks and Hedron Network, helping to grow Markel's presence and strengthen relationships with broker partners nationwide.
- Unlike a traditional BDM role, this position combines:
- Relationship building
- Broker profiling and discovery
- Account development
- Opportunity generation
- Telephone and virtual engagement
- Face-to-face broker meetings
You'll be responsible for engaging with a portfolio of network brokers, understanding their businesses, identifying growth opportunities and helping them access the right Markel solutions. This is very much a consultative role. Success comes from building trust, understanding broker needs and creating opportunities over time.
What You'll Be Doing:
- Develop relationships with broker partners across Bravo and Hedron Networks
- Profile broker businesses to understand their markets, placement strategies and growth plans
- Create and develop new business opportunities
- Build and manage a strong sales pipeline
- Promote Markel's commercial insurance products and appetite
- Work closely with underwriting teams to convert opportunities into business wins
- Arrange and attend broker meetings, both virtually and face-to-face
- Maintain high-quality CRM and pipeline management
- Contribute to the continued growth of Markel's network distribution strategy
You'll be given the autonomy to build relationships your way, whilst receiving support, coaching and mentoring from an experienced team of distribution professionals.
Who We're Looking For:
We're much more interested in attitude, relationship-building ability and potential than years of BDM experience. You might currently be:
- A Broker
- Account Executive
- Commercial Broker
- Development Executive
- Relationship Manager
- Client-facing insurance professional and looking to move insurer-side into a business development career.
- An Underwriter
- Trading Underwriter
- New Business Underwriter
- Development Underwriter who enjoys broker engagement and wants to move out of a purely technical role into something more commercial and relationship-focused.
We'd love to hear from you if you are:
- Naturally curious and commercially minded
- Confident building new relationships
- Resilient and persistent
- Organised and proactive
- Comfortable engaging with people over the phone, online and in person
- Motivated by growth and opportunity creation
Commercial insurance experience is preferred, but we’ll also consider candidates from Personal Lines, High Net Worth or specialist classes who can demonstrate strong broker engagement and trading skills.
Why Join Markel?
At Markel, you'll be joining a business that genuinely invests in its people. You'll work alongside experienced Account Directors and Business Development Managers who are passionate about coaching and developing future talent.
What Makes This Opportunity Different?
- Genuine route into a Distribution career
- Previous incumbent promoted within 12 months
- Exposure to senior broker relationships
- Opportunity to learn from experienced BDMs and Account Directors
- Mix of relationship management, sales and development activity
- National strategic partnerships with Bravo and Hedron
- Flexible hybrid working
- Collaborative and supportive culture
Reward & Benefits:
- Salary + Quarterly bonus scheme & great benefits package
- Private medical cover
- Dental cover
- Life assurance
- Income protection
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Holiday buy and sell scheme
- Flexible hybrid working
- Ongoing learning and career development opportunities
Ready for Your Next Step?
If you're a broker or underwriter who enjoys building relationships and wants to develop a successful career in business development, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and start your journey with Markel.
Markel celebrates 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 are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with all 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 that may be needed. This includes any alternative formats of any documents or information on how to apply offline.
Business Development Manager - Networks in Birmingham employer: Markel
Markel is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment in London where innovation and collaboration thrive. Employees benefit from a competitive salary, annual bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes a fantastic pension scheme and health coverage. With a strong commitment to diversity and employee growth, Markel fosters a culture that encourages professional development and values contributions from all backgrounds.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager - Networks in Birmingham
✨Get to Grips with Data Visualisation Tools
If you're aiming for a full-time role in business intelligence, brush up on your skills with popular data visualisation tools like Tableau or Power BI. Showcasing projects where you've transformed raw data into clear visual insights can give you a real edge.
✨Join Local Business Intelligence Meetups
Look for local business intelligence meetups or analytics conferences in your area. These events are not just great for learning but also for networking with industry professionals who could lead you to opportunities at companies like Markel!
✨Engage with Online BI Communities
Join online forums or communities focused on business intelligence—think LinkedIn groups, Reddit threads, or even dedicated Slack channels. Engage actively by sharing your insights and asking questions; this can help you build visibility and connect with potential employers.
✨Leverage Your University’s Career Support
If you're a recent graduate, definitely tap into your university's career services. Many have connections with companies in need of full-time BI specialists, and they can guide you on how to pitch yourself effectively—don't miss out on that!
We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager - Networks in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Markel, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at Markel
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
✨Practice your technical know-how
Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.
✨Know their business model
Get familiar with Markel’s business model and recent data-driven decisions. Be prepared to discuss how your skills can specifically support their objectives or challenges. Understanding their landscape shows that you’re not just a data buff, but you’re also genuinely interested in how BI can impact their bottom line.
