Manager, Product Owner Financial Systems and Technology

Markel•Richmond, VA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Product Owner, Oracle P2P is responsible for Markel's Oracle Procure-to-Pay (P2P) applications, spanning Procurement, Accounts Payable, Expenses, and Cash Management. This role serves as the primary liaison between the Financial Systems & Technology team and IT, ensuring Finance priorities across the P2P suite are clearly communicated, prioritized, and delivered. In addition to owning the day-to-day configuration, performance, and controls of the P2P applications, this role partners closely with the Senior Transformation Lead, Financial Systems on the identification and deployment of AI and automation opportunities across the P2P suite, ensuring the system evolves to support changing business requirements. Reporting to the Director, Financial Systems & Technology, the Product Owner will represent Finance's interests on the strategic Oracle roadmap and drive continuous improvement across the end-to-end P2P process.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent experience
5+ years of experience in Finance, Financial Systems, or a related field preferred
Insurance industry experience preferred
Experience with a leading P2P technology suite (Oracle Fusion preferred) from a Finance user or Finance IT perspective
Familiarity with AI and automation capabilities across the P2P process, with the ability to assess applicability and provide informed direction to IT partners
Strong understanding of end-to-end P2P process flows and their upstream/downstream impact on the general ledger and financial reporting
Familiarity with automation tools and platforms such as Alteryx, Power Automate, or AI-driven process solutions a plus
Experience with Power BI, SmartView, or other financial reporting and analytics tools a plus
Familiarity with Agile project methodologies and iterative delivery approaches
Proven people management experience, with a track record of leading, developing, and holding teams accountable
Ability to communicate and process technical information in a business-friendly manner
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a track record of driving issues to closure
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently and re-prioritize quickly
Excellent facilitation, interpersonal, and presentation skills
Proven ability to partner with and influence business and IT stakeholders without formal authority
Commitment to delivering excellent client service and continuous improvement
Ability to work effectively in diverse, global teams under tight deadlines
Flexibility to adapt work responsibilities based on task prioritization
US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Oracle Fusion preferred
Familiarity with automation tools and platforms such as Alteryx, Power Automate, or AI-driven process solutions a plus
Experience with Power BI, SmartView, or other financial reporting and analytics tools a plus
Familiarity with Agile project methodologies and iterative delivery approaches

Responsibilities

Serve as the Finance product owner for Oracle P2P applications, ensuring configuration, functionality, and data integrity support the end-to-end process
Partner closely with business stakeholders, including senior leadership within Global Disbursements, to understand priorities, keep them apprised of planned and in-flight system enhancements, and create a forward-looking P2P product roadmap that aligns business needs, technical feasibility, and Finance’s strategic objectives
Act as the Finance point of contact for prioritization and issue escalation across the P2P suite
Identify and champion enhancements that improve P2P efficiency, control effectiveness, and reporting quality, working with IT to scope and deliver solutions
Monitor system performance and data quality across P2P modules, coordinating resolution of issues with IT and ensuring root-cause findings are translated into process controls and preventative measures
Maintain a working understanding of upstream and downstream impacts of P2P configuration changes on the general ledger, reporting, and related financial systems
Provide oversight to the Managed Services team responsible for routine P2P operations, ensuring day-to-day ‘run the engine’ activities run smoothly and established processes and deadlines are followed
Stay abreast of emerging Oracle-native AI and automation capabilities within the P2P suite, and proactively flag relevant opportunities to the Senior Transformation Lead, Financial Systems
Partner with the Senior Transformation Lead, Financial Systems to evaluate proposed AI and automation use cases against P2P system capabilities, configuration constraints, and data quality considerations
Own the underlying P2P system configuration and data readiness required to support AI and automation initiatives led by the Senior Transformation Lead, Financial Systems
Provide subject matter expertise on P2P processes and controls during the design, pilot, and rollout of AI and automation solutions, ensuring compatibility with existing system architecture
Ensure AI and automation solutions deployed within P2P comply with internal controls, data governance, and audit requirements once implemented
Take full ownership of gathering, documenting, and translating P2P business requirements into technical solutions in partnership with IT
Act as subject matter expert on the technical aspects of P2P solution development and integration, including requests for changes and deviations from specifications
Define and manage scoping, requirements definition, and prioritization activities for P2P initiatives of significant size and complexity
Lead the selection of appropriate business analysis and testing methods, drawing from plan-driven/predictive or more adaptive (iterative and agile) approaches as appropriate
Own the coordination of end-to-end testing efforts for P2P system changes, including test strategy, UAT coordination across stakeholder groups, and issue resolution to closure
Ensure system enhancements and configuration changes continue to align with evolving business requirements across the P2P suite
Drive continuous improvement across the end-to-end P2P process, from requisition through payment, in partnership with Procurement, Disbursements, and Treasury
Drive standardization and compliance across business units and geographies to support automation and AI adoption within P2P
Define and monitor KPIs and control metrics (e.g., PO compliance rate, invoice cycle time, exception management) to drive process improvement
Benchmark performance against best practices and industry standards, proactively identifying and championing process improvements
Foster collaboration across Procurement, Disbursements, Treasury, Finance, and IT teams, and promote a culture of accountability and service excellence
Ensure internal controls are in place, functioning appropriately, and documented across the P2P suite
Own control documentation and remediation activities for the assigned area
Maintain audit readiness across all Finance processes under ownership and proactively assess the control impact of system or process changes
Liaise with external auditors and coordinate responses to information requests
Serve as the primary liaison between the Financial Systems & Technology team and IT, ensuring Finance and business priorities across P2P are clearly communicated, actioned, and delivered
Translate complex technical information into clear, business-friendly communication for Finance and business stakeholders at all levels
Facilitate meetings with project teams and business/Finance leadership around P2P initiatives, project plans, and status updates
Build and maintain strong working relationships across Procurement, Disbursements, Treasury, Finance, and IT
Directly manage and develop a team of Business Analysts supporting Oracle P2P, providing clear direction, ongoing coaching, and accountability for the quality and timeliness of their work
Oversee Business Analyst activities including requirements documentation, UAT coordination, and process testing across P2P initiatives, ensuring outputs meet Finance and IT standards
Engage in meaningful career development conversations and create opportunities for team members to grow their skills and advance their careers
Deliver candid and constructive performance feedback; address performance issues promptly and effectively
Model the Markel Style and demonstrate leadership presence with peers, direct reports, and cross-functional partners