Chief Operations Officer, Wholesale & Specialty

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The Chief Operations Officer (COO) for the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Division is a senior executive accountable for the operational, technological, and executional performance of the US Wholesale & Specialty division — driving underwriting productivity, technology enablement, operational excellence, and broker service to deliver targeted combined ratio and growth outcomes.

Job Responsibilities Strategic Operations Leadership Own the W&S operating model across regions, underwriting support, service, and workflow

Set the vision for the future W&S operating model, articulating a progressive, AI enabled end-state and the path to achieve itLead transformation initiatives that improve speed, quality, and expense ratio

Drive organizational clarity, decision rights, and process consistency

Technology, Digital, and Data Ownership Oversee a federated W&S technology organization aligned to business priorities

Set and own the W&S IT roadmap in partnership with enterprise architecture

Lead modernization of underwriting, workflow, portals, and automation (including AI)
Ensure data accessibility, MI/analytics support, and performance transparency

Provide transparency on allocations/chargebacks and clearly articulate the value and outcomes delivered by any remaining central operations

Execution of P&L-Critical Initiatives Improve underwriting productivity (referrals, cycle times, low-touch workflows)
Enhance ease of doing business for brokers and underwriters

Drive implementation of digital trading and small-risks automation

Improve operational SLAs and service outcomes

Governance, Cadence & Leadership Lead W&S Ops leadership meetings; co-own IT & Ops prioritization forums

Drive alignment across underwriting, claims, Ops, IT, HR, and finance

Ensure effective preparation for quarterly business reviews, regional P&L, and reserving meetings

People, Culture & Talent Build a high-performing integrated Ops/IT/Data organization

Mentor and develop operational and technology leaders

Promote a culture of empowerment, speed, and continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Insurance, Information Technology, or a related field

Work Experience/Skill Set
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in insurance operations, with a focus on wholesale and specialty insurance

Demonstrated expertise in underwriting processes and IT systems

Demonstrated AI fluency, including the ability to identify high-value use cases, govern risk, and scale AI-enabled workflows across operations and underwriting

Have a proven track record at a senior leadership level of driving and owning large scale change.

Possess an excellent understanding of all aspects of our insurance business plans and growth aspirations

Stay ahead of external trends and ensure creativity and innovation across all aspects of our operations

Be confident in leading and influencing senior leadership teams from across the organization, along with managing multiple stakeholder groups at all levels

Proven experience of driving process efficiency and an ability to define process excellence

Have an ability to coach, mentor and inspire, both within direct team structure and across the organizationUS Work Authorization US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa…