Head of Operations Benelux & France (m/f/d)

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!

The opportunity:

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Operations Benelux & France, based in our breathtaking Rotterdam office.

This role will be responsible for shaping, aligning, and driving Markel’s operational agenda across Benelux and France. 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 Head of Operations Benelux & France 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 interested parties.

What you’ll be doing:

• Leading and running Operations across Benelux & France 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, managing and developing high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Representing Benelux & France 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 Benelux & French insurance markets, 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 handle change, implement technology-enabled solutions, and deliver operational efficiency
• Strategic problem solver with strong analytical skills, business acumen, and implementation focus
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across cultures and functions
• Fluent in English as well as Dutch and/or French, additional proficiency in German or Spanish  preferred. 
• A positive mind-set and people-oriented work ethic
• The legal right to live and work in the Netherlands and a willingness to travel across the region

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.

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

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.

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