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Markel · 5 months ago

Director, Claims Vendor Relations

Chicago IL

Full-time

Hybrid

Director/Executive

$135K/yr - $188K/yr

15+ years exp

Markel is a fortune 500 company that provides insurance, reinsurance, and investment operations worldwide. The Director, Claims Vendor Relations will lead the strategic management of legal and non-legal vendor partners, ensuring alignment with key stakeholders and overseeing the full lifecycle of vendor relationships. This role requires a focus on procurement discipline, litigation management, and building long-term partnerships to enhance service quality and accountability.

Insurance

No H1B

Responsibilities

Lead department-wide vendor procurement, strategy, and governance for legal and non-legal partners, including Third Party Administrators (TPA’s) supporting Markel Claims

Oversee a diverse portfolio of litigation-related vendor engagements, ensuring proper alignment with internal legal strategy, claims priorities, and customer-focused outcomes

Operationalize vendor panel and rate processes in a manner consistent with industry standards and develop an exception process for non-panel vendors

Ensure all vendors reflect the values embedded in the Markel Style—honesty, fairness, pursuit of excellence, and service to our customers and community

Provide strategy, guidance and best practices to build a strategically managed vendor framework that covers the entire vendor relationship life cycle

Develop and execute procurement strategies that prioritize quality, accountability, and efficiency in sourcing litigation and operational vendor services

Partner with internal stakeholders (procurement, finance, legal, compliance, and IT) to negotiate favorable contract terms, manage rate structures, and enhance service-level agreements

Lead enhancements to the bill review process to drive transparency and cost control

Lead strategic initiatives to maximize and leverage the overall effectiveness of vendor spend

Focus on developing partnerships and foster a spirit of collaboration with vendors, internal customers (lines of business), and other key stakeholders

Act as the executive point of contact for Markel's key vendor relationships, with a focus on performance, accountability, and shared success

Manage vendor panels, both legal and non-legal

Utilize vendor scorecards, metrics, and regular performance reviews to drive measurable improvement in vendor service delivery

Ensure vendors operate as true extensions of Markel Claims and share our commitment to excellence and policyholder satisfaction

Lead, coach, and inspire a best-in-class Claims Vendor Relations team that champions internal customer service, vendor engagement, and continuous improvement

Serve as a trusted advisor to Claims leadership, offering strategic recommendations on vendor use, litigation efficiency, and cost optimization

Foster strong collaboration with internal teams including Claims Compliance, Underwriting, Actuarial, and Legal to ensure coordinated execution of vendor and litigation strategies

Develop metrics and KPIs to measure teams’ success across standard procedures, stated goals, and objectives

Develop and deliver meaningful reporting on vendor performance, litigation trends, and operational impact to Markel senior leadership

Collaborate with the Chief Claims Officer and other senior leaders to align vendor and litigation initiatives with long-term departmental and enterprise-wide goals

Support special projects and participate in leadership forums to further Markel’s mission and growth

Qualification

Vendor procurementLitigation managementContract negotiationInsurance claims knowledgeData & analyticsAnalytical thinkingCross-functional collaborationCommunicationEmotional intelligenceRelationship building