Head of Reinsurance Operations in London

Looking for a role that will have a meaningful impact within Ceded Reinsurance? This is a unique opportunity for an experienced reinsurance leader to shape and transform Markel's ceded reinsurance operating model, driving strategic delivery, financial integrity, operational excellence, and enterprise-wide oversight across the US and Bermuda.

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 and seize opportunities, and you’ll find your fit amongst our global community of optimists and problem-solvers. We’re always pushing each other to go further because we believe that when we realize our potential, we can help others reach theirs. Join us and play your part in something special!

The opportunity: Reporting to the Senior Director, Finance Operations the Head of Reinsurance Operations is responsible for providing strategic leadership and enterprise-wide accountability for all post-placement reinsurance activities across the US and Bermuda, including reinsurance operations, recoverables, collateral management, accounting, and reporting. The role ensures that reinsurance strategy is translated into strong financial outcomes, robust governance, effective controls, and scalable operating processes.

Acting as a trusted advisor to Finance, Actuarial, Underwriting, and Executive stakeholders, the Head of Reinsurance Operations will drive cross-functional collaboration, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across the ceded reinsurance value chain. With accountability for reinsurance performance and the control environment, the role plays a critical part in ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and transparency of ceded reinsurance data and reporting.

A key priority will be leading the transformation of ceded reinsurance systems, data, and processes toward a best-in-class target operating model. This includes enhancing operational efficiency, streamlining workflows, reducing complexity and manual intervention, and establishing a robust data foundation to support informed decision-making and future growth.

The role will serve as deputy to the Senior Director, providing leadership across business-as-usual operations and strategic transformation initiatives, with clear accountability for transformation delivery, governance, and operational resilience.

What you’ll be doing:

• Act as a senior leader within Finance, shaping and executing the reinsurance operating model in line with enterprise strategy and risk appetite.
• Deputise for the Senior Director on all reinsurance matters, representing the function at ExCo, Board and external forums as required.
• Lead the design and delivery of strategic transformation initiatives, including ceded reinsurance system implementation and architectural improvements across finance.
• Own the integrity, completeness and timeliness of reinsurance financial results within the general ledger. Provide insightful, decision‑grade analysis on financial performance, including drivers of volatility, retention optimisation, reinsurer exposure, credit risk and bad debt.
• Act as a strategic partner to Finance, Actuarial and Capital teams, contributing to financial planning, capital management and performance management through high‑quality reinsurance insight and challenge. Ensure alignment of reinsurance reporting with regulatory and internal management requirements.
• Establish and continuously enhance a robust reinsurance control framework, ensuring key risks are identified, assessed and mitigated. Own and maintain reinsurance policies, standards and procedures, driving consistency and governance.
• Provide inspirational leadership to the reinsurance team, promoting a high‑performing, inclusive and accountable culture. Set clear expectations, drive performance outcomes and develop capability aligned to future business needs. Coach and mentor to develop technical specialists, building a resilient and scalable team.
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and learning across the function.
• Develop and maintain influential internal and external relationships, engaging with auditors, brokers and reinsurers as a credible senior representative of Markel.

Our must-haves:

• Demonstrate deep, practical reinsurance expertise, with a proven ability to interpret contract language and assess the applicability of coverage.
• Exhibit the capability to manage and resolve complex reinsurance claims through effective engagement and negotiation with reinsurers, applying sound technical judgement and commercial acumen. Experience managing reinsurance disputes would be beneficial, but is not essential.
• Have a track record of driving process, systems and operating model improvements at scale. Experience with system and process transformation would prove valuable. Knowledge of Eclipse, Phinsys and Oracle would be advantageous and aptitude to learn in-house software is crucial.
• Display a strategic mindset with the ability to set clear direction, define meaningful objectives and prioritise effectively, coordinating resources to maximise utilisation.
• Proven experience leading diverse teams with strong ownership of outcomes, particularly in relation to financial integrity, control and delivery is essential.
• Be delivery oriented and motivated to succeed, with a demonstrable aptitude to operate in a complex, evolving environment, with resilience and adaptability.
• Display exceptional communication and presentation skills, with credibility at executive level: exhibit strong judgement and willingness to challenge constructively to achieve optimal results.
• Possess strong analytical capability with structured, evidence‑based decision making; strong execution capability with a focus on measurable outcomes and delivery to commitments is imperative.
• Exhibit a strong understanding of Excel and be a proficient user of MS Office. Having foundational knowledge of AI and data‑driven tools, with the ability to apply these to improve processes, enhance insight and drive operational efficiency is a necessity.

Who we are: 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.

We’re all about people | We win together | We strive for better | We enjoy the everyday | We think further

What’s in it for you? A great starting salary plus annual bonus & strong benefits package… 25 days paid holiday plus Bank Holidays, with the opportunity to buy/sell extra leave. Fantastic company pension scheme, private medical and dental cover, life assurance, travel insurance cover, income protection, season ticket loan as well as other great benefits on offer. There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career and we can provide the support needed to do just that!

Are you ready to play your part? Choose ‘Apply Now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you.

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.