Manager's challenge: How would you set up your team?
What's the best way to set up an international team supporting markets across Europe? Can you meet your clients' needs? Do you have the necessary languages? Have you developed the required expertise in several different areas? How would you fill the gaps, so that team is ready for future challenges?
You are a manager of one of two teams of Reinsurance Business Coordinators located in Bratislava. Your team's main responsibility is to support internal clients based in major markets across the wider European region. Some of the markets have specific language
and technical requirements. Can you set up your team in such a way that these requirements are met and short-term needs are balanced with long term sustainability?
CHALLENGE
As manager of Team South you have to come up with a new allocation of your team members to markets after a recent reorganization. Your team will be providing support to the markets of Iberia, France, Italy, Israel and MEDI. Each market has specific language and expertise requirements that you try to meet (but it's not always fully possible). At the same time, each of your team members has some language and expertise competencies, as well as preferences for working on a given market. Can you balance the two and come up with a solution that works for everyone? If there are any shortcomings, how would you address them to assure long-term sustainability? Remember that in your day-to- day job you are working very closely with Team North, so you can look for help there as well. After you sign up for this challenge, you will receive a short presentation with additional information about the two teams (South and North) and about their team members (we will send you the file via email daily). In your solution focus on the following:
- Summarize the critical skills needed to properly meet Team South's needs
- Propose new Team South people allocation – who should support which market
- Identify any shortcomings in the new Team South allocation on each individual market and determine if critical needs exist that are not being met
- What steps are to be taken to address long term sustainability of Team South? Tell us what you would do if you were the line manager. Feel free to be creative and make up any information you need to solve the challenge.
- Explain briefly to each team member why you allocated him/her to that particular market.
Challenge evaluation criteria:
- Quality of analysis – how well you understand and use the data and also include your own thoughts. How well you balance short-term and long-term needs.
- Clarity of argumentation – ability to clearly explain your decisions.
- Formal aspects of your solution – how structured and well-written are your thoughts.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Your solution can be your ticket to an interview for other positions in Swiss Re! If you are interested in a part-time or full-time job at Swiss Re, please include this sentence on the top of your solution: "I am interested in working for Swiss Re."
About Swiss Re: Swiss Re was established in 1863 and in 2007 Swiss Re Bratislava became a part of it. Since then we have managed to grow rapidly and our office in Bratislava currently occupies around 1400 employees. In 2016 we received the Slovakia
Best Employer award from Aon.
Did you know that Swiss Re was the lead insurer of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks or that we provide coverage for some of the most well-known entertainment and sporting events in the world such as Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup?
Swiss Re also supports sustainability and renewable energy innovations. Did you know we insured Solar Impulse, the first solar airplane, which flew around the world?
Find out more about us on swissre.com
