Director, Project Management

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 Director, Project Management is a strategic leader responsible for overseeing the successful delivery of individual projects and the management of a broader project portfolio to ensure alignment with organizational priorities, operational excellence, and outstanding customer outcomes. This role leads a team of project managers, champions customer needs, applies a data-driven approach to decision-making, and drives process improvements to close customer experience (CX) gaps.

The Director will partner with senior leadership, operational teams, and cross-functional stakeholders to establish best practices in project management, deliver results against business and financial goals, and ensure every initiative enhances both business performance and the customer journey.

The Director will partner with senior leadership, operational teams, and cross-functional stakeholders to establish best practices in project management, deliver results against business and financial goals, and ensure every initiative enhances both business performance and the customer journey.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Portfolio Leadership

  *   Oversee planning, execution, and delivery of key projects within the company’s CPI portfolio.

  *   Manage and prioritize the portfolio of projects to align with organizational goals and strategic initiatives.

  *   Establish project governance, ensuring transparency, accountability, and alignment with financial and operational goals.

  *   Monitor progress against baselines (schedule, budget, and business outcomes), escalating risks and implementing mitigation strategies as needed.

  *   Recalibrate the portfolio as necessary to adjust for business shifts, resource needs, or scope changes.

  *   Develop, refine, and implement best practices, processes, and tools for effective project and portfolio management.

  *   Partner with leadership to identify potential projects aligned with strategic priorities and roadmap initiatives.

  *   Promote a culture of continuous improvement by incorporating lessons learned into future initiatives.

  *   Establish and maintain effective performance metrics and feedback loops for ongoing process refinement.

  *   Partner with internal departments, technical teams, and executive leadership to facilitate project implementation and oversight.

  *   Prepare regular project portfolio updates and senior management presentations.

  *   Ensure project communication is clear, timely, and aligned with organizational expectations.

Customer Advocacy and Team Leadership

  *   Serve as a champion for the customer in all projects, ensuring that initiatives deliver measurable value and satisfaction.

  *   Identify and highlight CX gaps within existing processes, services, and products.

  *   Partner with business and technology teams to implement solutions that directly enhance customer experience.

  *   Lead, coach, and develop a team of project managers to maximize collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.

  *   Select and maintain qualified personnel, providing mentoring, coaching, and performance feedback.

  *   Establish clear annual objectives for direct reports and foster personal growth opportunities.

  *   Maintain effective communication across the team and with broader organizational leadership.

Qualifications

Required

  *   Bachelor’s degree in business, Project Management, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience).

  *   8+ years of progressive project management experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role managing both projects and people.

  *   Proven experience in portfolio management and delivering complex, cross-functional initiatives.

  *   Strong understanding of process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen).

  *   Demonstrated success in customer advocacy and translating customer feedback into operational improvements.

  *   Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

  *   Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Preferred

  *   Master’s degree or MBA.

  *   PMP, PgMP, or similar certification.

  *   Insurance or financial services industry experi