Head of Operations Southern Europe

Head of Operations Southern Europe

Looking for a role that will have a significant impact on Operations in Europe?

Come and progress your career in our Operations team at Markel

Join us and play your part in something special

What part will you play?

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.

The opportunity:

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Operations Southern Europe, based in the beautiful city of Madrid.

This role will be responsible for shaping, aligning, and delivering Markel's operational agenda across the Southern European region. The role ensures that local operational needs are met while driving alignment with Markel's European Operations strategy, delivering scalable processes, efficient systems, and excellent service to internal and external collaborators.

The Operations Manager Southern Europe will also play a pivotal role in aligning local operational execution with Markel's evolving IT landscape. This includes supporting the rollout of centralized platforms, leveraging the European Data Lake for analytics and governance, and coordinating with regional and local IT teams to ensure seamless system integration and operational readiness.

The Operations Leader is also responsible for representing Markel's European and international vision both within the region and beyond. This includes taking ownership of European and international projects as well as fostering strong connections between national Operations Leads and other stakeholders.

What you'll be doing:

• Leading and managing Operations across Southern Europe in close collaboration with local country leadership and the European Operations team
• Driving operational excellence through process optimization, system implementation, and service quality improvements
• Partnering with Underwriting, Claims, Sales, and Finance, to ensure operational infrastructure enables business growth
• Translating local market requirements into operational and technological solutions in alignment with Markel's European transformation agenda
• Building, leading and developing high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Representing Southern Europe within the European Operations community, ensuring transparency, alignment, and knowledge sharing across regions

Our must-haves:

• Completed degree in Business Informatics, Mathematics, IT, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field,
• Insurance background in a similar or related role and/or experience in management consulting for insurance companies
• Strong knowledge of the Southern European insurance market, preferably with experience in commercial lines and broker-driven distribution.
• Validated leadership experience within international or regional operations, IT, or process management functions
• Solid understanding of insurance processes (Policy Administration, Claims, Finance, Broker Services) and international IT platforms
• Ability to manage change, implement technology-enabled solutions, and deliver operational efficiency
• Strategic problem solver with strong analytical skills, keen business insight, and implementation focus
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across cultures and functions
• Fluent in Spanish and English; additional proficiency in Italian, French, or Portuguese preferred.
• Willingness to travel across the region
• A positive attitude and a collaborative work ethic
• The legal right to live and work in Spain

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
• 27 days paid holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Fantastic company pension scheme, private medical and dental cover, life assurance
• Modern office environment based at the Torre de Cristal, Madrid
• There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop your career, and we can provide the support needed to do just that

Are you ready to play your part?

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, reach their full potential and seize opportunities. You'll find your fit amongst our diverse global community of optimists and problem-solvers. We're always pushing each other to think further because we believe that when we strive for better and realise our potential, we can help others reach theirs.

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.