Employee Benefits Consultant - SBS

Howden is a collective – a group of talented and passionate people all around the world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 18,000 employees spanning over 100 countries. People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

We are looking for an Employee Benefits Consultant to:

• Effectively manage an existing portfolio of clients in relation to Private Medical Insurance policies and/or Group Risk policies to develop business potential by exploiting market opportunities and using the full range of services offered by the business to successfully achieve a range of business targets including revenue growth, retention and quality.
• Adopt a proactive approach in managing, engaging and converting sales enquiries from an allocation of new business leads and prospects to successfully achieve a range of business targets including revenue and quality.
• Create own new business opportunities by developing client/introducer relationships (internal and external).

The job holder will work within the Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing Small Business Solutions (SBS) team and is responsible for advising clients within the small to medium enterprise (SME) sector on their employee benefits programs.

Responsibilities:

• Be the first point of contact for clients. Understand the sector and benefits offered. Be prepared to respond quickly and accurately to client queries.
• Build a robust system for ensuring appropriate management of consultancy (and administration where required) tasks including proactive follow up with clients and insurers, keeping appropriate colleagues appraised at all times.
• Build and lead the relationship with a portfolio of SBS clients whilst providing advice on specific insurance products.
• Provide all technical advice to clients on the policies you are responsible for, seeking assistance from colleagues where appropriate.
• Proactively build on existing external relationships with clients, prospects and insurers.
• Hold a broad knowledge of insurers' propositions and differences to provide the most appropriate advice for clients, focusing on the Preferred Provider Arrangements (PPA) in place.
• Ensure all systems are kept up to date.
• Be involved in both existing business and new business activities.

Technical:

• Applicants will need to be proficient in advising clients in Private Medical Insurance, along with a knowledge of broader Employee Benefits, specifically Group Risk & Protection benefits and also to include Wellbeing and Pensions.

Policy, Process and Procedures:

• Follow process and best practice that is relevant to your role and compliant with business policy.
• Constructively suggest process improvements to deliver workable solutions.
• Challenge wider processes to enable and drive improvements to service whilst ensuring compliance.

Environment, Customer Focus and Relationships:

• The exceptional customer experience that you provide will drive improved retention and enables the opportunity for cross and upselling of our business portfolio of solutions.
• Work closely with the Operations Team to ensure that the clients' group policies are proactively managed and needs met in accordance with relevant policies.
• Build strong internal, client and provider relationships based on respect that develops and builds loyalty, retention and increased client benefit spend.

Market Knowledge & Technology:

• Stay up to date and proactively seek to broaden your market knowledge and understanding of key trends.
• Understand the need for accurate client data in the systems including contacts, existing portfolios, markets and partners.
• Embrace Technology in order to deliver outstanding client solutions.

Compliance and Personal Development:

• Aware of the need and sources of compliance and understand and apply compliance.
• Ensure that HR and Training & Competency records are up to date and meet the Operating Entity and/or Group's requirements.
• Adapt best practice to the situation in hand within the framework of compliance.
• Strict adherence to the Group Employee Code of Conduct which strongly aligns to the FCA's code of conduct that all regulated entities must adhere to under the SM&CR.
• Complete all relevant regulatory training and ensure you remain competent to carry out your role.

What we offer in return:

• A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:
• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new.
• We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges.
• We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond.

Reasonable adjustments:

• We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours or hybrid working.
• If you’re excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.