What do you do in Pricing and how did you get here?
I work on the Retail side of our Motor Pricing team where I’ve been for a year and a half now. I mainly look at the New Business side of things, working on areas such as competitiveness and price elasticity, whilst managing a team of three Analysts. I started working in
Admiral Pricing 6 and a half years ago. After finishing my Maths degree at Cardiff University, I spent a year working as a bartender before travelling for a couple of months, when I decided it was time to put my degree to use and applied for a Pricing Analyst role at Admiral. I worked in Pricing for 3 and a half years before moving onto the Data and Analytics project, which involved building a new Cloud-based data platform. After a year and a half on the project, an opportunity came up to help form a new Retail Pricing team, and that’s where I’ve been ever since. I remember my A-level maths teacher talking about how he used to work in insurance, and I remember thinking that I couldn’t think of anything that sounds more boring – now I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else! There’s a great culture here at Admiral and I really enjoy the work I do.
Admiral is known for its pricing, why do you think that is?
Our rating structure has become increasingly complex over the last 28 years and we’re constantly improving and advancing our pricing. We have a team of analysts who analyse all our data and propose changes regularly, keeping our prices as accurate as possible. It’s currently a very interesting time for Pricing, with implementation of the FCA remedies on the horizon.
What stands out to you as a milestone in your career so far?
I think getting a promotion is a great milestone in any career and I was very proud to become a manager in Retail Pricing, where I feel I can really contribute and drive forward many of our priorities. In terms of one particular piece of work though, I wasn’t much more than a year into my role as a Pricing Analyst when I was tasked with rewriting and combining some code for two of the regular reports we use in Pricing. It taught me a huge amount about our data and helped me build up knowledge which has been central to my career so far.
Does Pricing offer flexible working?
Yes, we do. We work on flexi time, so we can start when we like before 10am, which is great if you’d like to finish early on certain days or if you’re not much of an early bird. Generally, Admiral is great at accommodating people’s needs and external responsibilities – we can build up time and work longer hours on some days then shorter hours on others. Prior to the pandemic very few people worked from home, but since the first lockdown last year we all have been. As we gradually return to the office it’s likely that many people will split their time between the office and working from home.
What is the most exciting change that is coming in Pricing?
The FCA’s general insurance remedies must be implemented by January 1st, and it’s something that a lot of us in Pricing are working hard at to ensure we implement the changes correctly. The remedies largely consider new business and renewal pricing and will bring changes to insurance pricing across the market.
Are there opportunities to develop?
There are lots of opportunities to develop within Pricing. All new starters go through a rigorous training programme, which gives them an in-depth view of our pricing structure and teaches them to code. When analysts have built up experience in one area of Pricing, we often encourage them to move around the different Pricing and Analytics functions to develop them into well-rounded analysts. Analysts can undertake Institute of Leadership and Management qualifications (ILM), and the Admiral Academy provides management training when analysts reach senior level and begin to manage others. Over the past year I’ve personally undertaken the Admiral Leadership Programme, a postgraduate certificate developed by Cardiff Metropolitan University, which has been fully funded by Admiral. The course has taught me a lot about leadership styles and putting strategy into action.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to join your area?
We generally look for people with numerical backgrounds, with a degree in Maths or a similarly numerate subject. When I’m interviewing, I like to see well-rounded candidates whose experiences are not just academic, whether that be in hospitality, travelling, being part of societies in university, things that add to your character and general life experience.
View our current vacancies in Pricing and Analytics.
