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- Tasks: Lead operations and drive business transformation in a dynamic insurance environment.
- Company: Join Howden, a global insurance group with a unique employee-owned culture.
- Benefits: Flexible working, career progression, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Embrace diversity and define your own career path with us.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by enhancing operational efficiency and client experience.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in complex organisations, ideally in insurance broking.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
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.
We are seeking an Operations Director to lead the operating model, performance and business transformation agenda. This is a senior leadership role within a complex, regulated insurance broking environment, with accountability for ensuring the business operates with efficiency, control and scalability, while continuing to deliver strong client and commercial outcomes. Working closely with the CEO, CFO and Transformation leadership, the role sits at the centre of how our business executes, performs and evolves.
Please note this is a full time, permanent opportunity working from home but regular travel across the UK with overnight stays is required.
The role
- Accountable for the overall effectiveness of the operating model, ensuring it is scalable, efficient and consistently applied across all sub-divisions.
- Driving standardisation, productivity and cost optimisation while maintaining high-quality service delivery and client outcomes.
- Leads the end-to-end transformation agenda, bringing structure, prioritisation and pace to delivery.
- Chairs the governance of change, ensuring initiatives are clearly aligned to strategy, supported by robust business cases, and delivered with disciplined benefit realisation.
- Drives the adoption of technology, data and AI to enhance operational effectiveness, strengthen insight, and improve client experience.
- Embeds a more data-led operating environment, enabling performance to be actively managed and continuously improved.
- Leads the integration of acquired businesses, ensuring alignment to the operating model, delivery of synergies, and minimal disruption to ongoing operations and client service.
- Owns operational performance, establishing clear frameworks for management information, KPIs and performance governance across service, productivity, quality, cost and client outcomes.
- Accountability for the operational cost base, working in close partnership with Finance to ensure delivery against financial targets while identifying opportunities for efficiency and improvement.
- Provides oversight of operational risk, resilience and business continuity, ensuring risks are actively managed within appetite and operates within a strong and compliant control environment, including effective oversight of third-party providers.
- Leads, develops and aligns the Operations leadership team, ensuring a clear structure, strong accountability and capability across key areas including data, process excellence and continuous improvement.
Skills & Experience
- Proven senior operations leadership experience within a complex, matrixed organisation, ideally within insurance broking environment.
- Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to translate strategic objectives into operational delivery and measurable outcomes.
- Track record of delivering business transformation and operational improvement at scale, including leading cross-functional change and managing competing priorities.
- Highly developed data literacy, using insight to drive performance and decision-making.
- Credibility and presence to operate at executive level, with the ability to influence and align senior stakeholders.
- Pragmatic, delivery-focused approach, balancing pace, control and long-term value.
Success Measures
- Delivery of operational cost and efficiency targets aligned to financial objectives.
- Sustained improvement in service, productivity and client outcomes.
- Successful execution of transformation, with clear prioritisation and realised benefits alongside ongoing operational delivery.
- Strengthened operational resilience, risk management and control environment.
- A clear, effective and consistently applied operating model across the business.
- A high-performing, engaged Operations function aligned to business priorities.
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.
Operations Director employer: Howden
Contact Detail:
Howden Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the insurance industry and let them know you're on the lookout for an Operations Director role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Howden's culture and values. They’re all about collaboration and innovation, so think of examples from your past that showcase how you've driven change and worked effectively in teams.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your data literacy! Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive performance and decision-making in previous roles. This is key for the Operations Director position, so make it a focal point in your conversations.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the Howden team.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: Let your enthusiasm for the role shine through in your application. We want to see how your values align with ours at Howden, so don’t hold back on sharing why you’re excited about this opportunity!
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your relevant experience and skills that match the Operations Director role. We love seeing how your past achievements can translate into success for us!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to tell your story. Use it to explain how your background and vision align with our mission at Howden. Keep it engaging and personal – we want to get to know you!
Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of getting noticed, make sure to apply through our website. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Howden
✨Know the Company Culture
Before your interview, dive deep into Howden's culture and values. Understand their employee ownership model and how it shapes their operations. This will help you align your answers with what they value most, showing that you're not just a fit for the role but also for the company.
✨Demonstrate Your Leadership Experience
As an Operations Director, you'll need to showcase your senior leadership experience. Prepare specific examples of how you've led transformation initiatives in complex environments. Highlight your ability to drive efficiency and manage competing priorities, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Showcase Your Data Literacy
Given the emphasis on data and technology in the job description, be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive performance and decision-making in past roles. Bring examples of how you've implemented data-led strategies to improve operational effectiveness.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and strategic thinking. Think about challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you overcame them. This will demonstrate your pragmatic, delivery-focused approach that Howden is looking for.