Strategy Associate

Company Information:

What we look for
Our exceptional and motivated employees are our greatest strength. Our employees provide the highest level of

customer service and help maintain our position as a leader in the global marketplace.

Markel Style
The Markel Style is what makes us stand out from our competitors. It's our core value which should underpin how we do business, while influencing our behavior and performance. We are looking for people who have potential and share our passion to live the Markel Style, which is described in more detail below.

If you think you have these core attributes we want to hear from you.

Job Summary:

The US Strategy team, as part of the Global Strategy function, is seeking an associate to support the development and implementation of corporate strategic initiatives, with a focus on Markel’s corporate and shared service departments. The associate must be self-driven, intellectually curious, and demonstrate strong research and organizational skills. Prior insurance experience is not required, but the candidate should be prepared to embrace a learning curve on day one.

The Global Strategy team plays a critical role in charting Markel's long-term profitable growth and supporting Markel’s Global Insurance operation in day-to-day delivery of key initiatives and priorities. We are tasked with facilitating and supporting decision making to ensure the company invests in the assets and capabilities needed to stay ahead of the competition and maintain market leadership, with fresh and disruptive thinking. In short, we serve as the internal consulting firm to the senior leadership team.

Joining Markel’s Global Strategy team will enable you to experience the breadth and depth of Markel's global capabilities and build a deep understanding of both the business and the industry. The experience provides incredible possibilities for a dynamic career at Markel.

Responsibilities

• Understand the dynamics of client business and how it operates
• Develop actionable insights from a wide variety of data sources; analysis of client data, primary and secondary research, media data. Stay ahead of the latest trends to guide strategic decision-making for leadership
• Craft compelling, fact-based executive materials; present findings and propose solutions on key priorities
• Own project components and offer input into the direction of project deliverables in partnership with project and business leaders
• Ensure seamless project delivery through strong project management skills.
• Attend meetings with senior leadership, demonstrating poise and executive presence
• Respond to ad hoc requests from the Executive Leadership Team with high-quality deliverables

Skills

• Demonstrable analytical and numerical skills, with ability to distil complex findings into an actionable plan to support decision making
• Strong problem solving skills with ability to structure complex challenges into logical and manageable components
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including preparation of executive materials
• Strong time management skills with the ability to deliver on multiple, varied projects simultaneously
• Strong interpersonal and relationships building skills, enabling stakeholder management and business partnership

Qualifications and Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Prior strategy or consulting experience preferred
• Strategic mindset with sound business judgment and an ability to see “the big picture”
• Ability to operate with tight deadlines and sometimes limited information
• Demonstrated ability to be a team player and to collaborate across functions/groups
• Global outlook with sensitivity and awareness of social and cultural differences
• Compatibility with the Markel Style and a love of our products and our brand

“Why work for us?”

Diversity and inclusion
Markel is truly a global and diverse company. We believe that diversity makes us better business partners and that embracing people’s differences can bring amazing results and fuel innovation. We have a portfolio of businesses and product lines that operate around the world.

Community involvement
Markel has a rich heritage of supporting communities across the world where our customers and employees live and work. Giving back is part of our history and our future. Our employees share in this philosophy through volunteering, mentoring and fundraising.

Commitment to open doors

Markel is committed to creating the best work environment. Our open-door policy is essential in recognizing business issues as they rise and to address the changing needs of our diverse and global workforce. Challenging management is a component of the Markel Style—some of our best ideas start from a conversation between a manager and an employee.

Entrepreneurial spirit

As the Markel Style states, we pursue excellence, strive for a better way, and share the success of others. Markel associates proactively seek new business opportunities, bringing further success to Markel.