You're interested in working in a dynamic, challenging environment, for a company that recognizes and rewards your creativity, initiative and contributions. You'd like to work with talented and ethical people committed to making a difference.
Excellent! You're in the right place to explore a career with Zurich.
Strong history, dynamic future
Since 1872, Zurich has continued to grow to where it is today - an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices employing 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries.
One team. One Zurich.
Profitable growth continues to be a focus in Zurich. To meet the changing needs and expectations of customers, we're constantly adapting our culture and transforming our operations so we can be there for our customers when they need us.
Whether you are upcoming talent, an experienced leader or a top professional, Zurich can help you build your capabilities, realize your professional potential and satisfy your desire to make a difference.
At Zurich, you'll be shown how to embed our common approach to business - The Zurich Way - as a way of life in our operations throughout the world.
You'll have access to a set of tools to help develop your skills, share your knowledge and adapt best practices.
Through both your individual and team contributions, you can help deliver outstanding performance for all of Zurich's stakeholders, providing you with many opportunities for recognition and reward.
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Global reach, personal touch
Zurich has a deep appreciation of diverse markets. Most people care about similar things in life - safety, family life, good health and education etc. - but no two situations are alike. The ability to adapt our service to the needs of individual people is a quality that sets Zurich apart.
Opportunities for all
Diversity
You can expect to experience an inclusive culture, and to work with professionals from many different backgrounds applying a variety of experiences in their daily work. Leaders are expected to value difference and give everyone a chance to do their best work. Zurich's global performance system is designed to support in this because we know that leveraging the many talents of a diverse workforce helps make profitable growth a reality.
Respectful work environment
Zurich Basics - Our Group Core Values and Basic Principles - help employees make the right decisions about the opportunities for profitable growth, and understand the many factors that earn trust and build long-term value. Living by the Basics challenges all employees to give their best for customers, shareholders and each other.
Equal Opportunities
The worldwide principles of Equal Opportunities apply to all employees as well as job applicants, people employed through agencies and external vendors. It covers all aspects of employment including recruitment, training, career development, performance management, promotion, pay and benefits.
International mobility principles
International mobility plays an important role in achieving Zurich's business and people-related objectives. The International Mobility Program is helping employees work on both short and long term assignments in different countries and different cultures.
Zurich is careful to transfer the right people for the right reasons, and the international mobility policy and principles provide a strategic framework for the management of internationally mobile employees. This framework ensures a fair and consistent process for career management and compensation for employees and their families as they move from one country to another.
Competitive compensation
If you are offered a position at Zurich, you will also be offered competitive, total compensation opportunities in line with our expectation that you will create value in the eyes of our customers and shareholders.
Our clearly defined global performance management process aligns with and supports our global business strategy and plans (set out in the Business Review) and links individual pay with business and personal performance.
In those countries where it's allowed, you can expect to benefit from special insurance discounts and many other incentives which may vary from location to location. Just as important are the intangible benefits, such as a people-oriented environment that's flexible, and corporate responsibility programs that you can participate in.
Join us, and you can expect a salary that matches your talents and position and rewards you for your contributions.
More details of Zurich's competitive compensation package are available to you locally on the relevant country websites.
Turn knowledge into insight
Zurich has a reputation among customers for turning knowledge into insight. This is part of The Zurich Way, and employees are encouraged to turn their own knowledge into insight as part of their daily work.
Grow and develop
Expand your experience
If you join Zurich, we will help you turn your knowledge into insight and develop you to reach your professional potential. You will have access to programs and courses that match both your needs and Zurich's.
You can expect a focused development program including both formal and informal elements. This includes moving people into roles that expand their experience and prepare them to take on more senior roles.
You can also expect to be part of a performance-driven culture, one that aligns your goals to the organization's, and rewards everyone based on their accomplishments.
The bottom line is Zurich recognises that engaging and motivating everyone to be a powerful force in driving the organization forward is critical to success.
Develop your career
Having the right people in the right place at the right time is critical for Zurich to continue to deliver world-class performance and market-leading service in its chosen markets. Every employee in business has unique talents to offer and individual development plans help make the most of these.
E-learning, classroom training and on-the-job experience opportunities for all are complemented by mentoring from senior colleagues to develop business, leadership, technical and interpersonal skills. A new Global Learning Management System is being introduced throughout Zurich in stages in 2008.
Grow as a leader
As a top professional or senior leader at Zurich, you'll have access to additional development and compensation opportunities.
A strong focus on leadership within Zurich' including a new Executive Leadership Development program - means that senior managers also benefit from ongoing coaching and support based on their individual needs.
Apply your talents effectively
One of Zurich's top priorities is to attract, develop, and retain talented employees. Once you've joined Zurich, you will have the opportunity to take on challenging assignments that stretch your thinking and your capabilities. With the help of your manager, you will develop an individual development plan to help take you to the next level of performance.
Go the extra mile
From serving customers to working for the good of local and global communities, Zurich people have created a culture of going the extra mile.
When you join Zurich, you'll join a community of people who play a responsible and caring role within our communities. Throughout the organization and across the world, many people devote time, money and energy to supporting others.
Corporate Responsibility
By understanding the interdependencies between our business and some of the world's pressing social and environmental challenges, you could be part of the process of adapting Zurich's products and services and the way we do business to contribute to practical solutions which make a positive impact.
We aim to continually strengthen our corporate responsibility, to create value for both our company and society, by proactively addressing material social, environmental and governance issues.
People who care
Ask employees around the world what makes Zurich different and the typical response is 'the people'. Our customers everywhere have experienced the care with which our people respond to their plight in catastrophic situations like Hurricane Katrina, the recent U.K. floods and the recent fires in California.
These are some examples of Zurich and its people 'being there' for customers and the community.
Personal impact
Meet just a few of the people in Zurich who care to make a difference.
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Manager of Recruitment Centre, Life Business, Hong Kong
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Vice President of e-Business Farmers, Los Angeles, United States
Team impact
Together we can make an even greater positive impact to society. Numerous activities and programs at both the Group and business unit level reflect our commitment to corporate giving and community involvement.
More to insurance than meets the eye
Working in the insurance industry offers plenty of scope for an exciting job. These are just a few examples of what we work on with our customers.
There for customers through fire and floods
When customers need Zurich the most, the circumstances are often not very happy. But that is why we are in business. Two recent demonstrations of our commitment to giving support when it is most needed were during the severe floods in the U.K. and the wildfires in California in 2007. Zurich CEO Jim Schiro was on the spot with the U.K. team to reassure flood victims that Zurich was there to help. In the U.S.A. the Zurich Cat vehicle was quickly on the scene at evacuation centres to provide help to all victims, not only Zurich customers, when fires ravaged parts of the Los Angeles area.
Zurich insures the world's largest solar power station
In June 2006, construction on the first of three solar thermal power stations began on the high plain of Guadix in the province of Granada, Spain. With a collective area of more than 510,000 square metres, this makes Andasol 1 the largest solar power plant in the world according to Solar Millennium AG. Zurich Credit, together with Deutsche Bank AG, assumed responsibility for various guarantees for the initiator and builder, Solar Millennium AG.
Solar thermal power stations generate electricity from the heat energy in solar radiation that is absorbed. In a parabolic trough power station, parabolic mirrors radiate rays on to a pipe in the caustic line of the collector. The absorption of these rays heats a heat transfer liquid in the pipe, which generates steam in the block unit of the power station by means of a heat exchanger. As in conventional power stations, the steam is used in a turbine to generate electricity. The integration of thermal storage means that the electricity can be made available in a planned manner. This makes it possible for solar power stations to generate electricity even after the sun has set.
Swiss fighter jets drive the highway, insured by Zurich
On the night of March 26 2007, two Swiss Air Force "Black & White" Mirage fighter jets were transported from Buochs Airport to the "Mirage-Center" in Stans on the A2 highway. The two jets were pulled along by two tractor units. The transport operation went perfectly in spite of the icy temperatures. "Black & White" were in position at the Mirage-Center in Stans by around 3:30 a.m.
Mirage jets were the spearheads of the Swiss Armed Forces for more than 40 years. The French fighter jets were acquired at the beginning of the 1960s and were eventually replaced by the next generation of interceptors (F/A-18) at the end of the 1990s. The two "Black & White" Mirages are especially famous and made their farewell tour at various air shows in 2003. The R-2110 is painted black on its upper fuselage and white on its lower fuselage. In the case of the R-2116, the colors are reversed.
Taking a lead in developing microinsurance
Eliminating poverty is the defining challenge of society. Insurance already provides fundamental security to many, and Zurich is working to extend this security to many more through its Global Microinsurance initiative. Microinsurance aims to help low-income families who are particularly vulnerable to the economic consequences of risk, either from natural catastrophes, illness or accidents.
Tackling climate change with market solutions
Zurich entities around the world have been actively addressing customer needs and expectations in the area of climate-related risk. Our global climate initiative brings a consistent and focused approach to the risk class globally, and facilitate economic and policy-oriented research that can then be integrated into the Group’s product development activities. It also enables us to address climate change through the management of our carbon footprint.
