Head of Operations in City of London

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. 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 23,000 employees spanning over 56 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.

The jobholder is responsible for leading an embedded operations team providing support to the M&A and TCR teams (responsible for delivering ~£100m revenue in CY2025 with ambitious growth targets going forward). They will work closely with the Managing Directors and Divisional CEO to ensure that operational activities within their areas are carried out in accordance with the relevant Company and/or Group policies. This includes dealing with the requirements of sub-teams in multiple jurisdictions.

Leading a team of c.12 skilled operations professionals, the role ensures the smooth, compliant and efficient delivery of operational activity across the full broking lifecycle. The role plays a critical part in driving operational excellence, automation, scalability and continuous improvement, supporting the long-term growth ambitions of the business. This is particularly important as Howden prepares for IPO readiness.

The jobholder provides the first line of defence for the Broking Team on all operational matters and acts as the primary interface and escalation point between the Broking Team and the imbedded Operations team as well as central support services. This includes interaction with other Operations specialists across the Group and at Insurers. The jobholder will frequently interact with the Specialty COO to ensure that strategies and operational initiatives are implemented effectively.

The jobholder is tasked with ensuring the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of all processes and procedures. This includes exploring and implementing automation (whether through Artificial Intelligence or alternative means) or using other back-office solutions to support the existing team.

What you’ll do

• Support the Heads of Team and Finance team in monitoring and reporting team revenue and progress against budget.
• Escalate any areas of concern in relation to operations issues, for review by Broking Team Heads.
• Represent the Teams on Operating Entity operational and other committees, as required.
• Work with other Operations specialists to improve operational excellence, drive efficiencies and roll out any changes to existing processes with a particular emphasis on implementing technological changes and improvements and protecting our margin.
• Manage assigned projects and contribute to other projects as required.
• Provide relevant management information to senior broking managers and COO.

Technical

• Plan for, and with approval, implement strategic changes that future-proof the Operations Team functions in line with the growth ambitions of the Heads of Team and proposed IPO readiness.
• Provide technical oversight on all operational processes to ensure outstanding and efficient service to broking teams that remains compliant with regulatory requirements in all relevant jurisdictions.
• Provide the interface between the broking team/business unit to ensure the smooth transition of work, in relation to any services provided by the imbedded Operational Team or other back office support.
• Manage their work on a matrix basis with the COOs to ensure that all work is processed efficiently and accurately and that any issues are resolved promptly.
• Work with the Heads of Team to implement the best means of delivering operational processes and procedures in the most efficient way by harnessing technology, central service resource or other appropriate solutions.
• Provide support to both internal and external audit functions.

Policy, Process and Procedures

• Support the Heads of Team in monitoring that the Team complies with all relevant Group policies & procedures, laws and regulations.
• Work with managers within their Team/Business Unit to ensure that the Team’s/Business Units records are up to date and meet the Group’s requirements.

Environment, Customer Focus & Relationships

• Build relationships and liaise with all central service functions such as Business Risk and Finance.
• Respond to the clients (both internal and external) requirements as appropriate.
• Behave with all clients (both internal and external) fairly and ethically.
• Share information that could be beneficial to the Operating Entity/Group.

People Management/Personal Development

The jobholder will work independently and have line management responsibility for members of the team that provide them and the Broking Team with support. In respect of direct line responsibilities, the following responsibilities will apply:

• Manage the performance of direct reports and any people management issues connected with the team.
• Act as a role model for positive management and leadership behaviours.
• Identify and hire talent, ensuring that recruitment plans are in place to attract new members of staff and managing recruitment processes where required.
• Manage the team to ensure they have relevant objectives, which align personal goals to the requirements of the business.
• Positively encourage professional and personal development of all team members to increase their capability, effectiveness and (where possible) personal career objectives.
• Ensure team members are competent to carry out their responsibilities.
• Motivate team to deliver high performance and achieve objectives.
• Retain and develop key team members, working with senior broking managers to develop succession plans where this is appropriate.

Who we’re looking for

• Will have previous insurance experience within operations. Experience in W&I or TCR not necessary.
• Will be able to demonstrate a strong understanding of insurance, and have knowledge of the London and international markets (as appropriate to the territory within which they operate).
• A good understanding of data, AI and emerging technologies and how they apply.
• Is able to manipulate financial data and understand budgets.
• Proven problem-solving skills, with a focus on actionable, results-driven solutions.
• Expertise in writing business cases, proposals, and presentations that effectively communicate complex ideas and strategies.
• Comfortable interacting with senior executives, including C-level leaders, and confidently navigating executive-level discussions.
• Quick to adapt and able to hit the ground running in dynamic environments.
• A self-starter with a results-oriented mindset, demonstrating a strong bias for action and accountability.
• Excellent in building and nurturing relationships across the business.
• Commercially minded, with experience handling MI and operational data.
• Confident, credible leader with the presence to influence and set standards across a division.
• Proven experience leading and developing teams.

Regulatory and Compliance

The Board of each Operating Entity requires the highest standards of corporate governance, operational excellence and financial reporting throughout the Group from all its employees. Specific responsibilities are listed below.

• Ensures compliance of self and direct reports with all applicable legal, fiscal and regulatory obligations in the form of policies and procedures.
• Ensures correct authorisation is obtained and processes followed when required by the Operating Entity and/or Group.
• Ensures performance, HR and T&C records are up to date and meet the Operating Entity and/or Group’s requirements (which will include those of direct reports if any).
• Maintains accurate records and deals with correspondence appropriately.
• Operates in an honest, professional and ethical manner.
• Strictly adheres to the Group Employee Code of Conduct.
• Completes all relevant regulatory training.
• Ensures competence of self and direct reports (if any).

All jobholders will:

• Actively undertake personal development to ensure up to date knowledge and understanding of best practice.
• Remain aware of external, industry, legal and regulatory developments etc to ensure practice and outputs are of a sufficiently high standard.
• Keep informed of all legal and regulatory developments relevant to the Operating Entity/Group.

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define. Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges. And we know that separate home and work lives don’t really exist. If you’re happy and healthy at home, you’re more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That’s why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality 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. We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.