Gary Miles is our Process Governance Officer in Operational Change. Read on to learn about his career journey so far.
What do you do in Admiral and how long have you been working here?
I am a Process Governance Officer (PGO) and I work in a new part of the business called Operational Change. My role mainly involves working with colleagues to ensure that good visibility and communication is being seen in process changes we are implementing within the business. It’s an exciting time for Admiral generally as there is a lot of change and innovation being implemented across the board and in order for that to be successful, it’s important that everyone is informed and engaged. This engagement process takes up a large part of this position.
In addition to this, I also am Project Lead for three business projects. The project side of things is slightly different to my PGO work in that I am able to get more involved in resolving problems and being creative in those solutions, rather than focusing on the implementation and outcome of solutions already determined.
How did you get into your role? What is your background?
My background is insurance based and I have been in the industry for 35 years, working at Admiral for just over 26 of those. I started on a Youth Training Scheme programme, working for a Lloyds Insurance syndicate based in Kent. After moving to South Wales, I joined an Insurance Broker network before coming to Admiral as a Customer Service Agent. I then worked my way through to Team Manager after a couple of years. After spending some time in that position, I joined the Underwriting team and progressed through to an Operations Manager role which I undertook for a number of years. Then, about five years ago, I spent some time in Internal Audit and Compliance, applying what I had learned through my time in Admiral to assist those departments and help the business through some difficult processes. It was through that work that I was offered the chance to re-join the Operational side of the business and provide support to the department and colleagues which make up our customer facing teams. That work brought me into the role that I’m currently in.
Are there any new developments you are currently looking forward to in your area?
It’s really hard to pick out what the most exciting change is currently, but as a whole I would say it’s how we’re integrating new technology into the business and using that to improve the product we offer our customers and the capabilities of our colleagues. There’s an awful lot going on and managing those components is tricky for all involved. The thing that makes it successful though is that the people I work with on a day-to-day basis are all very good at what they do, operate as a team and are committed to achieving our goals.
Do you have a career-defining moment?
I wouldn’t say one but there have been a couple. Initially, it would be joining Admiral in the first place, as without that, I think I probably would have drifted through a few organisations, maybe even relocated to a different part of the country entirely. The second would be joining the Underwriting department as that gave me the exposure to the business in a variety of ways and I learnt a lot in that period. Lastly, I would probably say moving back into the Operational side of the business has given me scope to use my experience to assist and impact on a larger scale, and that’s very satisfying.
What do you think makes Admiral a great place to work? How would you describe the culture here?
I joined the business when it had only existed for just over 18 months, so I’ve seen it become the massive, diverse company it is today. The message from the top down has always been that our culture is an integral part of Admiral's success, and maintaining this is a priority. That message is still loud and clear today, especially in a rapidly changing environment which is a challenge to every individual and business in the world. The people here care about the business and what they can do to make it better, and likewise, the business cares about the people and what it can do to make it better for them. That symbiotic relationship is the reason I believe why it’s a great place to work.
