Operations and Finance Manager

Barcelona, Spain·Full-time·Added 6 days ago

What they offer

  • Full-time hours

    Per the ad.

What they ask for

  • Have the right to work in Spain

    Zurich Insurance Spain doesn't mention sponsorship in the ad.

  • Work in English

    English is required, per the ad.

  • Work on-site in Barcelona

    No relocation package mentioned.

The role

At Zurich, we believe in the power of leadership to inspire change and create a brighter future for our customers, our people, and society. As Operations and Finance Manager, you'll play a pivotal role at the very heart of our organization-partnering directly with our CEO to shape and execute Zurich's vision and strategy on a daily basis. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact, guiding high-level decision-making, driving innovation, and helping to foster a culture built on collaboration, optimism, and continuous growth. Your ability to connect people, coordinate complex initiatives, and turn ideas into action will help ensure Zurich remains at the forefront of the insurance industry, ready for whatever tomorrow brings.

What you'll do

As Operations & Finance Manager, you will be responsible for ensuring the smooth, efficient and financially sound running of the brand experience agency.
This role supports the agency leadership team by overseeing day-to-day operations, managing budgets and forecasts, ensuring delivery excellence across experiential and brand activation projects, improving processes and controls, and providing decision support through data and reporting.

description

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi‑line insurer serving people and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. For over 150 years, we have been helping our customers protect what they value most and navigate life's risks with confidence.

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, we focus on general insurance and life insurance, complemented by a strong global presence and a clear commitment to sustainability and innovation. Our purpose is to create a brighter future together - for our customers, our people and the communities we serve.

At Zurich Duo in Barcelona, we bring Zurich's brand to life across the globe. As the in‑house brand experience agency for the Zurich Group, we combine strategic thinking, creativity and digital expertise to create engaging experiences that connect customers, employees and partners with our brand.

Joining Zurich Duo means working in exciting brand experience projects, with in a dynamic, start-up mindset company part of a very robust Global insurance Group.

We are looking for a person who is communicative, curious, and flexible.

Financial Management

  • Own the end-to-end budgeting process (annual budgets, quarterly forecasts) for the agency.

  • Monitor actuals vs. budget (revenue, costs, FTEs), identify variances and propose corrective actions.

  • Support pricing and profitability analysis for experiential campaigns, activations, retainers and project-based work.

  • Work with finance to ensure accurate cost allocation, chargebacks and internal cross-charges across client programmes and agency activity.

  • Prepare regular financial reports and dashboards for agency leadership (e.g. revenue pipeline, utilisation, chargeability and margins).

  • Lead pricing and profitability analysis across the full agency portfolio.

  • Manage month-end and year-end processes (accruals, provisions, project reconciliations) in line with group finance policies.

  • Hold full finance accountability for the company or legal entity, including profit and loss and balance sheet oversight.

  • Provide strategic financial direction to support the agency's growth and evolution.

Operational Excellence

  • Design, implement and continuously improve core agency processes (briefing, scoping, approvals, resourcing and billing).

  • Ensure effective capacity and resource planning across internal teams, specialist partners and freelance talent.

  • Coordinate operational planning cycles including annual plans, quarterly reviews and live experience or activation calendars.

  • Set up and maintain operational KPIs across the agency (e.g. utilisation, throughput time, project cycle time, client satisfaction, studio traffic and resource management).

  • Drive the standardisation and documentation of processes, templates and playbooks.

  • Oversee all agency pillars to ensure excellent delivery quality across brand experience work.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

  • Ensure adherence to Zurich policies and guidelines (procurement, data protection, brand and compliance).

  • Support contracting and vendor management for production partners, event suppliers, fabricators and other agency vendors.

  • Implement and monitor controls around approvals, PO creation, spend limits and vendor onboarding.

  • Act as the point of contact for internal audit, risk and compliance queries related to agency operations.

AI

  • Define and drive the company-wide AI strategy and roadmap, prioritizing use cases and aligning them with business objectives.
  • Lead cross-functional teams (business, IT, data, risk, compliance) to design, implement, and scale AI solutions, ensuring they are integrated into processes and deliver measurable value.
  • Establish and oversee AI governance, including risk, compliance, and ethics standards, and foster AI awareness and adoption through communication, training, and change management.

Why Zurich

At Zurich, we like to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. We take an optimistic approach by focusing on the positives and constantly asking What can go right?

We are an equal opportunity employer who knows that each employee is unique - that's what makes our team so great!
Join us as we constantly explore new ways to protect our customers and the planet.

  • Location(s): ES - Barcelona
  • Remote working:
  • Schedule: Full Time
  • Recruiter name: Marcel Sanz Quintana
  • Closing date:

How they hire

2 steps1 interview
  1. Search and apply

  2. Application review

  3. Selection process

    If you are selected to progress forward, we will reach out to arrange next steps, which could include a phone or video interview, or possibly an assessment.

  4. Offer · With a talent acquisition consultant

  5. Preparing for your start

  6. Onboarding

    Your new career at Zurich will kick off with a job-specific onboarding process and welcome experience.

  • Zurich will never ask you to purchase your own equipment or to pay to apply.
  • If you are not selected to move forward in the process, you will receive a notification via email.

About Zurich Insurance Spain

Zurich Insurance Spain is the Spanish arm of Zurich Insurance Group, one of the world's largest and most established insurance providers. The company offers a broad range of insurance products and services, including life, pensions, property, casualty, and commercial insurance, serving both individual and corporate clients. With a significant workforce in Spain, it operates as a key market within the global Zurich network, which is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and employs over 60,000 people worldwide.

In Spain, Zurich has a strong presence with offices in major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, and it is known for its focus on digital transformation, data analytics, and automation. The company offers a dynamic work environment with numerous opportunities for international professionals, including internships and trainee programs in areas like data engineering, AI, and actuarial science. Zurich emphasizes professional development and innovation, making it an attractive employer for those looking to build a career in the insurance sector in Spain.

Industry
Insurance
Founded
1872
Employees
50,000–100,000
Headquarters
Zurich, Switzerland
In Spain
Madrid, Barcelona
Website
zurich.es

Good to know if you are moving

  • Zurich Insurance Spain has offices in Madrid and Barcelona, offering a strong base for international professionals.
  • The company provides numerous internship and trainee programs in fields like data engineering, AI, and actuarial science, ideal for early-career internationals.
  • Zurich is a global leader in insurance, providing a well-known brand and extensive career development opportunities.
  • The Spanish operations are heavily focused on digital transformation, creating roles for tech and data professionals.
  • Working at Zurich in Spain offers exposure to a multinational environment with English often used in corporate communications.
All open roles at Zurich Insurance Spain
WhatsApp