Chief Operations Officer, Wholesale & Specialty

Markel•Chicago, IL

1d•$317,000 - $387,000

About The Position

The Chief Operations Officer (COO) for the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Division is a senior executive accountable for the operational, technological, and executional performance of the US Wholesale & Specialty division — driving underwriting productivity, technology enablement, operational excellence, and broker service to deliver targeted combined ratio and growth outcomes.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive leadership experience in insurance operations, with a focus on wholesale and specialty insurance
Demonstrated expertise in underwriting processes and IT systems
Demonstrated AI fluency, including the ability to identify high-value use cases, govern risk, and scale AI-enabled workflows across operations and underwriting
Have a proven track record at a senior leadership level of driving and owning large scale change.
Possess an excellent understanding of all aspects of our insurance business plans and growth aspirations
Stay ahead of external trends and ensure creativity and innovation across all aspects of our operations
Be confident in leading and influencing senior leadership teams from across the organization, along with managing multiple stakeholder groups at all levels
Proven experience of driving process efficiency and an ability to define process excellence
Have an ability to coach, mentor and inspire, both within direct team structure and across the organization
US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.

Responsibilities

Own the W&S operating model across regions, underwriting support, service, and workflow
Set the vision for the future W&S operating model, articulating a progressive, AI enabled end-state and the path to achieve it
Lead transformation initiatives that improve speed, quality, and expense ratio
Drive organizational clarity, decision rights, and process consistency
Oversee a federated W&S technology organization aligned to business priorities
Set and own the W&S IT roadmap in partnership with enterprise architecture
Lead modernization of underwriting, workflow, portals, and automation (including AI)
Ensure data accessibility, MI/analytics support, and performance transparency
Provide transparency on allocations/chargebacks and clearly articulate the value and outcomes delivered by any remaining central operations
Improve underwriting productivity (referrals, cycle times, low-touch workflows)
Enhance ease of doing business for brokers and underwriters
Drive implementation of digital trading and small-risks automation
Improve operational SLAs and service outcomes
Lead W&S Ops leadership meetings; co-own IT & Ops prioritization forums
Drive alignment across underwriting, claims, Ops, IT, HR, and finance
Ensure effective preparation for quarterly business reviews, regional P&L, and reserving meetings
Build a high-performing integrated Ops/IT/Data organization
Mentor and develop operational and technology leaders
Promote a culture of empowerment, speed, and continuous improvement