Who are we?
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 24,000 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.
Role Title: Senior MRDM Project Manager
Function: Group Data & Analytics
Location: London (Hybrid)
Reports to: Data Operations Transformation Lead
Role Purpose
Lead the end-to-end delivery of our strategic Master Reference Data Management (MRDM) initiatives, ensuring successful implementation of scalable, high-quality data capabilities aligned to Howden’s Group Data & Technology strategy. The role is accountable for delivery execution, governance, and stakeholder alignment across business and technology teams.
Key Responsibilities
Delivery Management
- Own and drive day-to-day delivery of MRDM initiatives across all phases (requirements, design, build, test, deployment)
- Develop and manage detailed project plans, milestones, and delivery roadmaps
- Ensure delivery meets agreed time, cost, and quality objectives
Governance & Control
- Manage project scope, budget, resources, and dependencies
- Identify, track, and mitigate risks, issues, and interdependencies (RAID)
- Provide clear, structured reporting to Programme Leadership and SteerCo
- Escalate blockers and key risks effectively
Stakeholder & Communication
- Act as the primary interface between business, data, and technology stakeholders
- Build strong relationships across Group Data, business units, and senior leadership
- Translate technical delivery into clear business outcomes and value
Delivery Coordination
- Coordinate cross-functional teams including data platform, data management, and business SMEs
- Manage third-party vendors and system integrators
- Ensure alignment across workstreams (MDM platform, integrations, data quality, downstream use cases)
Quality & Outcomes
- Ensure high standards of delivery quality, governance, and documentation
- Support UAT, go-live, and business readiness activities
- Drive continuous improvement in delivery practices
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Proven experience delivering complex data or technology programmes
- Strong project management capability across Agile and/or hybrid models
- Experience managing cross-functional teams and vendors
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
- Experience managing budgets, timelines, and delivery risk
Desirable
- Experience in Master Data Management (MDM) or data transformations
- Familiarity with modern data platforms (e.g. Databricks) and integration architectures
- Understanding of data governance, data quality, and data lifecycle principles
Key Behaviours
- Delivery-focused with strong ownership and accountability
- Highly organised with a structured approach to governance and reporting
- Collaborative and able to influence across functions
- Outcome-driven with a focus on business value
Success Measures
- Delivery of MRDM milestones to time, cost, and quality
- Effective management of risks, issues, and dependencies
- Positive stakeholder engagement and satisfaction
- Adoption and business impact of MRDM capabilities
About the Team
Part of the Group Data & Analytics Transformation function, driving delivery of enterprise data capabilities that enable improved transparency, decision-making, operational efficiency, and scalable Data Science & AI initiatives across Howden.
What do 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're 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.
*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.
Permanent
