Compliance M&A Vacancy in England

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.

SUMMARY: This role supports compliance due diligence and integration activity for new acquisitions across Howden UK & Ireland. You’ll play a key part in helping ensure newly acquired businesses meet regulatory expectations and align with Group compliance standards. It’s an excellent opportunity for someone with a solid grounding in insurance compliance who is looking to broaden their experience in a dynamic M&A environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supporting due diligence reviews of target businesses prior to acquisition by Howden, focusing on the target’s compliance culture and robustness of compliance policies, procedures, and frameworks against regulatory expectation and Howden Group standards.
• Liaising directly with stakeholders, other workstreams and external advisors to discuss and investigate questions arising from due diligence.
• Compiling reports on the target businesses, seeking input from compliance team management and colleagues and external advisors, ensuring that any clarification questions or required pre / post-completion remedial actions are flagged with an appropriate level of clarity and prominence.
• Assisting with compliance integration actions, helping to ensure that all businesses meet common standards.
• Reviewing contracts between acquired entities and insurers / third parties, including ToBAs, delegated authority agreements, introducer agreements, etc.

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

Essential:

• Previous experience in an FCA regulated insurance firm.
• A strong understanding of key regulatory standards and developments, with experience of their practical application.
• Practical knowledge of the compliance policies / procedures / frameworks expected of a regulated insurance intermediary.
• Ability to review and assess documentation, agreements, contracts, and other collateral provided during due diligence, identifying and addressing any risks and key issues therein.

Advantageous but not essential:

• Awareness of wider financial services regulatory considerations (i.e., mortgages).
• Awareness of regulatory considerations of the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI).
• Involvement in compliance focused M&A / integration activity.
• Experience with quality assurance of insurance broking files.

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.