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 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.

Key requirements: At least 5 years of Project management experience in the insurance market and strong stakeholder management skills.

The job holder works within the Group IT (EAA) team which is part of Howden Group Holdings.

Project Managers are responsible for the planning, control and successful delivery of wider Enterprise application projects. The successful candidate will work closely with the Head of project delivery and ensure that projects are delivered on time, within budget and meet the quality standards outlined at initiation.

They will act as the interface between the Operating Entity and the business units with the Operating Entity, ensuring that appropriate expertise is allocated to projects and issues are raised and progressed with the appropriate stakeholder.

They will ensure that all solutions are delivered in accordance with Company/Group policies, to achieve targets, develop the business and deliver an excellent and comprehensive service.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Planning/Reporting:

• Ensures appropriate MI is made available to management teams within the Operating Entity so that progress against key performance indicators can be measured (e.g. Operations Dashboard)

• Provides requests for ad hoc relevant management information, as required

• Supports the delivery of the annual Operations plan, as required

Technical:

Plan and execute the implementation of key business and Group /Enterprise applications projects as directed, within specific timescales and budgets by means of:

• Planning and control should adopt standard project management practices and utilising appropriate recording systems (e.g. Teamwork)

• Key Stakeholder management

• Post implementation review of the operational impact of the changes

• Own and be responsible for the day-to-day management of all stages of allocated projects, including appropriate reporting, updates to senior management and escalation/mitigation of risks

• Acts as a focal point for future development of business efficiency related initiatives

• Leads ad hoc reviews/internally based project work

Policy, Process and Procedures:

• Ensures up to date records are kept on shared sites

• Works with managers to propose and drive enhancements to processes to ensure these are relevant for current business structures and needs

• Work closely with vendors/third parties/internal teams

Environment, Customer Focus and Relationships:

• Develops strong relationships with suppliers

• Negotiates with suppliers to provide bet balance of quality, service and price

• Maintain any ongoing service  and supply contracts appropriately and cost effectively

• Represents their Operating entity internally, with regards to project related matters

• Behaves with all clients (both internal and external) fairly and ethically

• Shares information that could be beneficial to the Operating Entity/Group

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Knowledge/Experience

• Likely to have previous experience of 5 years working as a Project Manager in an insurance environment (Must have)

• Lloyd’s experience is not a must have however will be great if the candidate has Lloyds market experience.

• Previous experience of agile project management methodologies

• Reasonable awareness of the regulatory environment and requirements along with how these impact on Operating Entity’s activities

Skills/Behaviours

• Proactive and Independent PM skills (Must have)

• Must be able to work with Hands off – management style.

• Strong IT skills – able to utilise Excel, Word and may have previous experience of other project management software systems e.g. Microsoft PM tools, Monday.com etc.

• Strong organisational skills – task focused and able to deliver projects to the agreed deadlines

• Strong project management skills

• Ability to diagnose problems quickly and have foresight into potential issues

• Excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills

• Strong communication skills – must be able to convey ideas/concepts both in a written and oral format

• Able to build effective relationships with key stakeholders/senior managers and is able to internally network to resolve issues and find solutions

• Strong IT skills

• A team player, able to contribute significantly at management meetings

• High degree of resilience and tenacity

• Strong attention to detail 

• Insurance related qualifications would be desirable

Qualifications

• Insurance related qualifications would be desirable

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define.

Yes, we offer all the usual rewards and benefits - including great healthcare provision, a wide variety of wellbeing offers, competitive salary, generous pensions and more - but we know you expect all that.

What you might not expect is a job where everyone has a voice, where volunteering in the community is part of the day job, and where everyone is encouraged to play a part towards our sustainability goals. We want people who want to make a difference - not just in the workplace, but in the industry and in the wider community.

Our culture: People First

Our core values dictate how we live and work. We are a group with independence and people at its heart and we are a home for talent with a unique culture: the biggest small company in the world.

The focus on being a People First business has always been at the very heart of the Group; our vision was to create an independent business with a unique culture and one that would survive and thrive as a business controlled by the people working for it. And finding the most talented and entrepreneurial people to join the Group has been and will continue to be key.

Diversity & Inclusion

At Howden 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 their age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or family circumstances.

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.