Operations Associate

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.

The role

As a Senior Operations Associate, you’ll provide senior‐level operational support to the Howden M&A team, owning complex operational activity across the lifecycle of M&A insurance transactions. The role exists to ensure high‐quality operational delivery, strong control and effective coordination from initiation through to premium settlement, while supporting brokers, clients and markets with confidence and judgement.

What you’ll do

• Own day‐to‐day operational support for M&A transactions from initiation through to settlement of premium.
• Take responsibility for the accurate and timely preparation, review and management of complex transaction documentation.
• Act as a key operational point of contact for clients, underwriters, brokers and internal teams.
• Maintain and oversee repository files, ensuring documentation is complete, accurate and appropriately stored.
• Ensure records on company systems are accurate, up to date and maintained to a high standard.
• Support compliance with internal procedures, identifying and resolving issues proactively.
• Monitor post‐completion deliverables and follow up to ensure obligations are met.
• Support and guide junior team members on operational processes and documentation standards.
• Assist with client due diligence activities, applying judgement to identify and escalate issues where required.
• Complete and review data entry, data computation and operational updates on company systems and spreadsheets.
• Support invoicing, payment tracking and monitoring of inward and outward payments, resolving discrepancies as they arise.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with brokers and markets to support effective transaction delivery.

Who we’re looking for

• Proven experience in a senior operational or transactional support role within insurance, financial services or a professional services environment.
• Demonstrable experience managing complex documentation and operational processes with minimal supervision.
• Experience acting as a trusted operational contact for internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong experience handling confidential information and applying sound judgement in sensitive situations.
• Evidence of managing competing priorities across multiple transactions and deadlines.
• Experience supporting or overseeing junior colleagues and maintaining team standards.
• Strong IT capability, with advanced experience using Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook in an operational context.
• A degree or equivalent professional experience is desirable.
• Experience or exposure to insurance, M&A or transactional environments is desirable.
• Strong written and verbal English, with the ability to communicate information clearly.
• Good numeracy skills, with confidence working with figures or data relevant to the role.

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.