Markel
Underwriting & Governance Analyst
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Underwriting & Governance Analyst (Underwriting Enablement Team Lead)
Locations: Leeds (preferred) | Manchester | Birmingham Working Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days from home)
About the Role
At Markel, insurance is about helping people and businesses move forward with confidence. We’re refining our underwriting function and creating a dynamic opportunity for an ambitious professional to join our newly formed Underwriting Enablement Team as an Underwriting & Governance Analyst with a leading role.
This isn’t a traditional governance position—you’ll need to balance hands-on technical underwriting with governance leadership, stakeholder management, and team development. You’ll outline the future of this critical function while building processes, mentoring others, and shaping how underwriting operates at Markel UK.
The Opportunity
Directly reporting to the Underwriting Director, you’ll collaborate with senior leadership to ensure strong governance, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across the business:
- Maintain the frameworks and controls that drive effective underwriting operations.
- Lead and develop a newly established team to support Product, Pricing, and Underwriting leaders.
- Gain broad visibility across the business while shaping this function’s trajectory and helping foster visibility and growth for key skill sets.
This role demands vision, initiative, and the ability to bridge gaps between governance, underwriting teams, senior leaders, and broader business demands.
Responsibilities
Technical Underwriting & Governance
- Maintain high underwriting governance standards.
- Review and approve non-standard endorsements.
- Oversee underwriting controls, delegated authorities, and governance processes.
- Monitor compliance with underwriting guidelines and legal/regulatory changes.
- Analyze underwriting data and comprehensive governance reporting.
- Partner with Product Line Leaders and senior stakeholders on critical projects.
- Serve as the key governance contact for queries and technical underwriting issues.
Team Leadership
- Lead, coach, and develop the Underwriting Enablement Team.
- Foster performance management, accountability, and workload prioritization.
- Design Process and Operating models for a new function.
- Mentor team members by offering structured complimentary underwriting and team growth support.
- Foster development in a rapidly emerging business area.
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Business Partnership & Influence
- Build authentic relationships with Underwriting Product Leaders, Pricing, and senior leadership teams.
- Champion continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
- Drive strategic underwriting priorities that align with financial goals and regulatory needs.
- Promote knowledge sharing across underwriting teams within Markel UK.
Requirements
We’re seeking candidates whose experience bridges technical underwriting and leadership, but open to varied backgrounds:
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Multipronged Experience:
- Significant background in underwriting, technical broking, or governance-focused insurance roles.
- A chemical or holistic understanding of underwriting controls and regulatory compliance.
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Talent Skills:
- Stakeholder management, and exceptional communication.
- Profound analytical and organizational capabilities.
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Team Leadership:
- Demonstrated experience in coaching, mentoring, and team leadership.
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Education:
- An ACII qualification (or its progression) is advantageous but not a strict requirement.
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Mindsest:
- A proactive attitude and enthusiasm for leveraging technology and AI to innovate processes.
- Strong interest in pursuing career growth through idea development.
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Preferred Background:
- Exposure to Financial Lines, Liability or General Commercial insurance would be beneficial. However, strong technical underwriting capabilities and strategic leadership potential will predominate our decision-making.
Why This Role?
Here’s what truly differentiates this opportunity:
- Take a senior leadership position within a newly evolving function.
- Translate technical expertise into people management – leading the growth of a brand-new team.
- Work hand-in-glove with senior underwriting leaders and strategic decision-makers.
- Secure an understanding across core functions of Product, Pricing, Underwriting, and Governance.
- Improve and refine underwriting and governance standards organically.
- Experience broad leadership exposure in a rapidly emerging professional environment.
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Why Markel?
People First, Growth Oriented: At Markel, we combine the rigor and opportunity of a global specialised insurer with a collaborative, supportive culture. We’re confident that our diverse crew continuously evolves to face challenges together—whether you’re just starting or already an industry veteran.
Reward & Support beyond Tradition:
- Competitive salary
- Annual bonus opportunities
- Flexible working patterns and hybrid models.
- 25 days of holiday + bank holidays.
- Employee benefits including:
- Private medical & dental cover
- Company pension scheme
- Life assurance
- Income protection
- Travel insurance
- Fully funded CII qualifications
- Development opportunities backed by career growth strategies
Take ownership of your journey – from mentorship to shaping structural processes. Find purpose in the collaborative space where ambition meets humanity.
Ready to Make an Impact?
If you’re a technically minded underwriter ready to step into composite leadership, and want to help fashion the future of this pivotal function at Markel, we’d love to hear from you.
We foster diversity at Markel: bring your unique background—our teams flourish best when built from varied expertise and life experiences.
Discover firsthand what it means to “Play Your Part” here:
Apply today to partner with a business that prioritises people and dreams of tomorrow.
PlayYourPartUK
Equality & Inclusive Opportunities:
Markel celebrates diversity and inclusion. 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.
Accommodations: We happily provide all reasonable accommodations during the hiring process and beyond. If you need alternative formats for documents or ways to apply offline, please contact us at rec@markel.com or call +44 (0)161 507 5827. Your needs may also include auxiliary aids and services for effective communication.
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