Administrative Assistant

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.

Role Definition

Perform general administrative duties and provide support to the Underwriting team.

Key Responsibilities / Accountabilities

• Policy issuance, endorsements, correction of policy details, cancellation, debt chasing for the online platform and supporting the admin team with these functions for the internal underwriting system
• Assist external users with registration (including compliance checks), use of the external facing platform and general account management.
• Support the team on a day-to-day basis with organisation and management of the online mailbox, moving emails to the right mailbox where required.
• Support Head of Online with User Acceptance Testing of changes and fixes to the internal system and external facing platform.
• Raising tickets with the support team where issues are found and ensuring timely resolution.
• Liaise with finance and underwriters to solve accounting queries in a quick and efficient manner.
• Produce reports on an ad hoc basis for the data team.
• Assist in underwriters administration i.e. filing of correspondence, slips, proposal forms, etc
• General administrative duties including e-mail, answering the phone, taking messages, etc
• Coordinating between departments and operating units in resolving day-to-day administrative and operational problems.
• Scheduling and coordinating meetings, interviews, events and other similar activities where required.
• Preparing business correspondence (often using word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation computer software).
• Completeness of client folders.
• Minimal errors in respect of data entry and policy issuance.
• Maintain spreadsheets and client folders.

Skills and abilities needed to perform role

• Ability to work proactively, quickly and efficiently with a drive to provide excellent service internally and externally.
• A high level of numeracy and literacy.
• All round awareness of those aspects of the insurance industry that have a direct bearing on key responsibilities and accountabilities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Competent IT skills, including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel (Intermediate) and PowerPoint.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills with good planning/time management skills to achieve tight deadlines/targets.
• Methodical, accurate and strong attention to detail.

Knowledge and Experience

• Basic technical knowledge of the detail of FCA regulations as they pertain to insurance intermediaries.
• Insurance background preferred but not required.

Compliance & Regulatory Responsibilities

• To remain compliant with FCA requirements at all times.
• To obtain appropriate approvals to ensure compliance with company policy, procedures and regulatory requirements/rules, with regards to data protection, money laundering etc.
• To share ideas, best practice and other information within the team.
• Ensure that own performance, HR and T&C records are up to date and meet the Company’s requirements.
• Maintain accurate records and deal with correspondence appropriately.

Professional Qualifications

• GCSE Maths and English (A*- C).
• A-levels preferred but not essential

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

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.