Head of Business Management

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. The Opportunity Business Services has built a strong operational foundation supporting Howden's broking and insurance transaction activity across divisions and geographies. As the Group continues to scale, the function now has the opportunity to evolve into a mature, disciplined and visibly high-performing Group capability.We are seeking a Head of Business Management to partner with Business Services leadership and pillar leads to strengthen the operating architecture that enables this next phase.This is not a coordination or PMO role. It is a senior leadership position responsible for professionalising governance, service frameworks, workforce strategy, performance infrastructure and executive standards - in partnership with the existing leadership team.The role will help maintain Business Services as scalable, commercially disciplined, respected by divisions and equipped for increased regulatory and external scrutiny. What You Will Be Responsible For Operating Discipline & Governance Architecture Develop and integrate the governance model for Business Services as a Group function Establish leadership cadence, QBR structures and executive-ready board materials Ensure packs, reporting and communications are consistently of outstanding standard and always prepared ahead of schedule Build and maintain enterprise-grade management information and performance transparency Embed financial principles, cost management principles, and allocation charging support within the field Ensure documentation, controls and reporting standards meet regulatory expectations Executive Rhythm, Standards & Infrastructure Set and uphold outstanding standards for presentations, leadership documents, and internal communications Oversee documentation hygiene, SharePoint environments and process repositories Ensure Business Services is professionally and consistently represented across Howden World and internal channels Strategically coordinate conference presence, travel and external visibility Line manage and elevate Executive Assistant capability, ensuring seamless and high-quality support across the leadership team Enterprise Service Delivery Framework Partner with pillar leads to build and embed a formal shared service delivery framework Define and operationalise: + Service catalogue + SLAs, KPIs and OKRs + Demand triage and workflow governance + Capacity and utilisation modelling Develop dashboards and performance infrastructure that drive accountability and transparency Support the function in becoming a service provider that divisions actively choose to use Workforce, Location & Capability Strategy Partner with leadership to develop multi-year workforce plans aligned to growth Build location strategy (regional, offshore and captive considerations as appropriate) Support succession planning and capability uplift Proactively identify scaling constraints and capability gaps before they impact performance Controls & Risk Maturity Strengthen first-line control environment within Business Services Improve audit readiness and documentation discipline Elevate regulatory alignment in partnership with Risk & Compliance Ensure the function is structurally prepared for increased external scrutiny Culture & Identity Support the development of a cohesive, high-performing Business Services identity Champion professional standards, engagement routines and leadership development Drive recognition, communication and team engagement initiatives Help position Business Services as a respected and valued Group capability How You Will Work In close partnership with the Global Process Owner and Business Services leadership Collaboratively with pillar leads In alignment with Group COO/Chief of Staff, Technology, Data, Finance, Risk, HR As part of a broader transformation agenda shaping the future of Business Services What Success Looks Like Clear, embedded shared service delivery model Outstanding executive materials and governance discipline Clear service economics and capacity planning Strong workforce and location strategy alignment Improved divisional trust and utilisation Elevated reputation of Business Services across the Group A function that is structured, professional and scalable What We're Looking For Senior experience in business management, shared services, operations or COO-level environments Proven experience building or maturing operational frameworks in complex, regulated organisations Strong commercial acumen and experience managing service economics Demonstrated ability to embed governance and operational frameworks at scale Outstanding stakeholder management and executive communication capability High personal standards, attention to detail and organisational discipline Experience in broking/insurance or financial services Why This Role Matters Business Services has already demonstrated its ability to support growth effectively. This role ensures that capability is strengthened, professionalised and positioned to scale confidently as a true Group function - in partnership with the existing leadership team.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