Business Development Specialist

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. 

Join us and play your part in something special!

The primary purpose of this position is to grow and enhance agency relationships and increase premium production according to the annual growth budget. The BD roles is to ensure Markel becomes more relevant with its agency base by enhancing current relationships and finding new profitable contacts. The BD will collaborate and use all resources available (i.e. UW, PLL, RPs) to create targeted business plans while prioritizing relationships within assigned regions. This position requires strong communication and presentation skills. This role requires employees to drive on a regular basis. Employees in this position are expected to maintain a valid driver’s license and acceptable DMV Motor Vehicle Record which will be pulled on an annual basis for verification.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships within assigned agent base to enhance brand awareness, educate agents on Markel's products, appetite and systems, and to maximize flow of qualified submission activity to underwriting
• Develop and leverage strong working knowledge of all Markel divisions, products, and services, with primary emphasis on small business Work Comp, BOP, and Specialty packages
• Develop business strategies that will maximize the agents’ business and lead to increased Markel business. Strategically focus time and efforts to prioritize top relationships with best opportunity for success
• Influence agents to move business to Markel - collaborate with underwriting to solution deal terms needed to win business; make decisions on whether new strategies, additional education, pricing and/or commission changes, incentive plans, or other initiatives should be deployed to enhance growth with an agency
• Understand each agency's operation completely to find opportunities across multiple product offerings, and engage additional Markel resources where appropriate
• Find other avenues to sale (i.e. other distribution channels). Stay current on product, market, and industry knowledge in assigned region.
• Build strong relationships with underwriting and product line; support underwriter engagement with agents, and retention of profitable business; communicate market feedback and product line suggestions to keep Markel as relevant as possible in the marketplace
• May assist on special projects
• High volume of travel expected in the region

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in admitted (retail) insurance underwriting, insurance business development or sales
• Flexible to travel when appropriate 50-75% of the time, which could be a combination of local/day trips and overnight travel in the region.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and skills reflective of progression of increasing responsibility;
• Must have excellent oral and written communication skills, and skilled presentation aptitude;
• Technologically savvy; proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook;
• Strong analytical, organizational, risk assessment and time management skills;
• Must be a team player that enjoys a flexible and spontaneous business environment.

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:

In keeping with the values of the Markel Style, we strive to support our employees in living their lives to the fullest at home and at work. 

• We offer competitive benefit programs that help meet our diverse and changing environment as well as support our employees’ needs at all stages of life. 
• All full-time employees have the option to select from multiple health, dental and vision insurance plan options and optional life, disability, and AD&D insurance. 
• We also offer a 401(k) with employer match contributions, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, PTO, corporate holidays and floating holidays, parental leave.  
• Markel offers hybrid working schedules of 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.  

Are you ready to play your part?

Choose ‘Apply Now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you.

Caution: Employment scams

Markel is aware of employment-related scams where scammers will impersonate recruiters by sending fake job offers to those actively seeking employment in order to steal personal information. Frequently, the scammer will reach out to individuals who have posted their resume online. These "job offers" include convincing offer letters and frequently ask for confidential personal information. Therefore, for your safety, please note that:

• All legitimate job postings with Markel will be posted on No other URL should be trusted for job Markel Group Careers.
• All legitimate communications with Markel recruiters will come from Markel.com email addresses.

We would also ask that you please report any job employment scams related to Markel to [email protected].

Markel is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of any protected characteristic. This includes race; color; sex; religion; creed; national origin or place of birth; ancestry; age; disability; affectional or sexual orientation; gender expression or identity; genetic information, sickle cell trait, or atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait; refusal to submit to genetic tests or make genetic test results available; medical condition; citizenship status; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, familial status, or family responsibilities; military or veteran status, including unfavorable discharge from military service; personal appearance, height, or weight; matriculation or political affiliation; expunged juvenile records; arrest and court records where prohibited by applicable law; status as a victim of domestic or sexual violence; public assistance status; order of protection status; status as a smoker or nonsmoker; membership or activity in local commissions; the use or nonuse of lawful products off employer premises during non-work hours; declining to attend meetings or participate in communications about religious or political matters; or any other classification protected by applicable law. 

Should you require any accommodation through the application process, please send an e-mail to the [email protected].

US Work Authorization

• US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.