Account Handler - Commercial & Schemes

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.

At Howden, Commercial & Schemes, commercial insurance isn’t just what we do – it’s who we are. We support our clients through the complex landscape of commercial risk. We understand the diverse needs of businesses from large corporates to emerging ventures, meticulously crafting bespoke solutions to empower businesses to navigate uncertainty and achieve unwavering growth. Our depth of commercial insurance expertise allows us to protect client’s assets and fuel their progress. When our clients prosper, we celebrate success with them; when challenges arise, we provide unwavering support.

We're looking for a driven, ambitious and client-focused individual to join our growing SME team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys building relationships, identifying opportunities and delivering excellent customer outcomes.

You may already have commercial insurance experience, be working in personal lines and looking to move into the commercial market, or bring a strong sales background and be keen to build a career within insurance. Most importantly, you'll be motivated to succeed, enjoy working towards targets and be passionate about helping clients find the right solutions for their business.

Join a supportive and growing team where you'll be encouraged to develop your career, expand your technical knowledge and make a real impact.

This is a full-time, permanent role based in our Northampton office, with a hybrid working pattern of three office days per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and two days working from home.

Overview

- Assist in achieving Group/Division client retention targets by providing an excellent level of service.

- Liaise effectively with the Account Executive to ensure an appropriate strategy for renewal, attend client meetings as necessary and action meeting points where applicable.

- Undertake market exercises to establish the most competitive terms available.

- Obtain renewal terms and present recommendations to clients.

- Issue renewal documentation in line with contract certainty requirements.

- Ensure premiums are collected prior to the commencement of cover and in line with Howden procedures.

- Record all relevant information, correspondence and documentation on Acturis, making effective use of the diary system.

- Process adjustments in line with procedures, including insurer notifications, revised documentation and collection of additional premiums.

- Proactively identify cross-sell opportunities across other divisions and use an advice-led approach to recommend additional covers or increased limits where specific client exposures or coverage gaps are identified.

Knowledge

- Working knowledge of the main classes of General Insurance, the CII Code of Ethics and GDPR. (Desirable)

- Experience within commercial insurance is preferred; however, we also welcome applications from individuals with personal lines experience or those from a sales, customer-facing or relationship management background who are looking to build a career in insurance.

Skills

- Good level of technical insurance knowledge, assessed through regular in-house testing.

- Accuracy and strong attention to detail.

- Ability to process work quickly and efficiently.

- Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads and meet deadlines.

- Excellent client service and relationship-building skills.

- Good negotiation and broking skills.

- Ability to gather and analyse client information effectively.

- Ability to communicate complex information clearly and adapt your approach to different audiences.

- Strong influencing and persuasion skills.

- Commercially minded, proactive and motivated to achieve results.

Qualifications

- GCSEs A-C (or equivalent) in Maths and English.

- Cert CII (desirable).

- Acturis experience (desirable).

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