Director, Portfolio Management Lead

Markel•Richmond, VA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

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! At Markel, we believe that what we do really matters. And that every one of us has the power to make a difference. To us, insurance is more than a piece of paper. It’s a promise to help people get back on their feet. It’s a commitment that gives people the courage to take chances. And in uncertain times, it’s the fuel that moves the world forward. Since the very start, we’ve used our ingenuity to insure risks that others can’t. Finding smart solutions to complex problems, so people can live their lives and seize opportunities. Our style is about focusing on people’s needs, not just words on a page. It’s about building relationships and connecting as humans. And ultimately, it’s about being there for people when they need us most. In our eyes, our journey is just beginning. Together, we’re building a business that supports more people, in more places. But unlike our peers, we’ll never lose our people-first focus as we grow. Because you will always be what makes Markel special. And what continues to power this business forward. Markel Group (NYSE – MKL) is 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. Driving value from data is critical to delivering Markel’s strategic ambitions. We are investing in our pricing and portfolio analytics capabilities so that we can deliver sharp insights to support front-end underwriting and claims teams. As part of this effort, we have centralized analytics across the U.S. and Bermuda into a unified Portfolio Analytics team. Our Portfolio Analytics team will be free from the corporate financial calendar, aligned to regional business priorities and supporting underwriting decision-making when most needed. The Portfolio Analytics team will be comprised of analytics professionals with a wide range of technical skillsets, including actuaries, data scientists, implementation engineers, data engineers, and data visualization developers. We envision a dynamic, underwriter-centered function that treats underwriters and regional leaders as its core customers—identifying trends early, delivering actionable insights built on reliable data, and embedding actuarial and predictive models into daily workflows. In the Portfolio Management Lead role, you will serve as a critical bridge between the Portfolio Analytics team and our customers. You will sit within both the Portfolio Analytics team and Markel’s U.S. Wholesale & Specialty business, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to Regional Presidents.

Requirements

Advanced ability to manipulate and analyze large, complex datasets; strong commercial acumen and understanding of Markel’s strategy.
Strong understanding of actuarial principles.
Original thinking and creative problem-solving skills to any given situation, driving for improved processes, systems, products, or services so that Markel can establish and maintain a competitive edge.
Experience in building alliances and cultivating deep and broad relationships across large organizations.
Demonstrated ability to partner with underwriters to enhance decision making through analytics, fostering trust, curiosity, and sustained adoption of data‑driven practices, from the spectrum of line underwriter to executive.
Exceptional communication skills, capable of galvanizing support from a wide range of stakeholders.
Track record of delivering value to Insurance organizations through pricing, portfolio management, and analytics.
Ability to influence and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
Excellent understanding of insurance data, particularly with regards to Commercial and Specialty insurance in the US and Bermuda markets.
The ability to stay ahead of external trends and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
A disciplined, energetic work ethic with a focus on high-impact priorities.
Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science, Statistics, Data Science, Economics, Mathematics, Information Systems, Risk Management or related field.
8–15+ years in analytics, pricing, underwriting, or portfolio management within US Commercial/Specialty lines; leadership or multi-region experience valued.
US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.
Pricing actuarial experience at a Commercial or Specialty Insurer is highly desirable.
Ideal candidate would also have experience working within a business unit or an underwriting function.
ACAS/FCAS, CPCU, ASA; PMP/PMI-ACP a plus.

Responsibilities

Drive the strategic implementation of active portfolio management at the Regional & Product level across Markel US Wholesale & Specialty.
Make appropriate recommendations and enhancements to ensure the relevant stakeholders are equipped to actively manage their portfolios.
Bring the underwriting viewpoint via an analytical lens to conversations with actuarial and claims partners.
Help define and actively monitor the key performance drivers with appropriate segmentation to support underwriting to drive remedial actions where necessary.
Identify, scope, and evaluate the ROI of high‑impact analytical models and solutions; partner with the team to build and prioritize an analytics project pipeline.
Drive underwriting engagement during the development, implementation, and adoption of strategic and predictive analytics in partnership with the broader Portfolio Analytics team.
Deliver tools and insights to optimize portfolio performance and enable smarter underwriting decisions.
Support improvements in the sophistication and adoption of technical pricing models and portfolio management tools with the aim of improving risk selection and reducing loss ratios.
Collaborate with actuarial to ensure underwriting actions are quantified, understood and allowed for in their reserving and pricing work.
Support quarterly business planning with performance monitoring and alignment to plan; provide insights to steer portfolio strategy.
Champion data science, automation, and data-driven decision-making; promote adoption of tools and a data-centric culture.
Lead training and enablement initiatives for underwriters and colleagues, in partnership with Training & Development.
Collaborate across regions, sharing knowledge and best practices with the International Portfolio Analytics team.