Trading Performance Lead

We’re 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology h has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And that’s the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too!

We’re looking for a Trading Performance Lead to lead the analysis and tracking of acquisition and persistency KPIs, ensuring performance is optimised and budget targets are consistently achieved. You’ll identify key opportunities and deliver robust analysis that directly supports commercial objectives and enables informed decision making.

This is a flexible hybrid role, with occasional visits to our offices in Salford Quays (Manchester) or Haywards Heath (West Sussex) when required. For those based further afield, we also welcome applications from remote UK based workers. We offer excellent flexibility in working patterns and a company-wide culture you can be proud to be part of.

• Analytical & Problem Solving
  
  Skills:
  
  Highly numerate and analytical with the ability to distil complex data into clear insights and actionable recommendations.
• IT
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong technical capability, including SQL or Databricks, advanced Excel proficiency, and beneficial programming experience.
• Stakeholder & Influencing
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong influencing skills, with the ability to engage and build credibility with senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Organisation & Time Management: Excellent time‑management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing work streams effectively. High attention to detail and strong organisational capability.
• Entrepreneurial & Strategic Mindset: Entrepreneurial outlook with a keen eye for identifying opportunities and driving continuous improvement.
• Professional background: Experienced in personal lines insurance or other financial services organisations, with additional experience working with large UK insurance datasets.

• You’ll lead the analysis and tracking of existing MI to support understanding of acquisition and persistency KPIs, identifying performance trends, risks, and opportunities.
• You’ll support the Acquisition/Persistency Performance Manager in executing the customer acquisition and persistency strategy.
• You’ll develop commercial initiatives across functional teams to deliver new capability or improvements in acquisition/persistency performance.
• You’ll work with finance to support the acquisition/persistency Performance manager with forecasting, budget and retrospective analysis processes.
• You’ll access and analyse often large amounts of information, data and market intelligence from multiple sources to create insight to optimise trading activities and generate new tactical and strategic initiatives.
• You’ll deputise for the acquisition/persistency Performance manager with the Daily Trade stand‑ups ensuring appropriate updates are delivered and any analysis/actions completed in a timely manner.
• You’ll lead, inspire and coach the junior analysts in the team to deliver business objectives, aiding with their development.

• Experience of working within a highly regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of the insurance or financial services industry and its products.
• Strong stakeholder management experience within a fast paced, matrixed environment.
• Exposure to insurance business functions – pricing, digital, finance, operations, underwriting.
• Experience engaging with senior management in a customer‑focused business.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience of personal lines insurance or other financial services organisation.
• Proficiency in SAS/SQL, Excel, and statistical analysis methods.

• Highly numerate and analytical with the ability to distil complex data into clear insights and recommendations.
• Strong influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Self‑motivated and proactive, with a structured approach to problem‑solving.
• Strong IT skills, including Excel; programming experience is a plus.
• Excellent communication &…