Who are we?
Howden is a collective – a group of talented and passionate people all around the world. 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 18,000 employees spanning over 100 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.
What is the role?
A key objective of the Financial Risk and Controls Team is to oversee the implementation of a group-wide controls framework and drive improvements in finance processes. This role primarily focuses on financial controls but also on supporting improvements in non-financial and operational controls.
This will be achieved by working with each division and business to (i) evaluate their existing control environment (ii) identify gaps / improvements that may require remediation and (iii) ensuring the businesses regularly attest the controls that are in operation and reviewing the quality of these attestations.
The successful candidate should have experience of developing control environments in a complex group structure. Strong written and verbal communication and an ability to clearly articulate requirements to senior stakeholders is essential to this role.
Please note that this role is initially structured as a 12-month FTC. Following a hybrid work pattern, you are expected to be onsite 2-3 days per week on average in our Central London office.
What will you be doing?
Communicate, develop and report on the controls assurance process and reconciliation processes across the Group
Drive improvements in the quality, consistency and robustness of the existing reconciliations process
Share and communicate best practice discipline across the Group
Promote and communicate the expectations of the financial control framework to key stakeholders
Assist in the design and development of moving our current lender attestation process to a new system
Support the local and divisional teams with financial control subject matter expertise to enhance existing controls or encourage implementation of new controls
Support local teams remediate control gaps and help design controls where appropriate.
Provide regular updates to Senior Stakeholders (including escalate issues)
Ad-hoc requests as required
Some international travel may be required
What are we looking for?
Qualified accountant with 1+ years of post-qualification experience (PQE)
Experience in a similar role within a Financial Risk and Controls team, or External Audit, or Internal Audit team.
Strong understanding of formal control environments (e.g., Sarbanes-Oxley/SOX)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders.
Experience working within a fast-paced, fast-growing business.
Insurance industry experience is advantageous but not essential.
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.
Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term)
