Financial Advisor - Life & Inheritance Tax

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.

We are seeking a highly experienced Financial Adviser to join a specialist advisory team focused on delivering bespoke life insurance solutions for inheritance tax planning, business succession, and wealth structuring.

Our proposition is centred on:

• High net worth and ultra-high net worth clients (typically clients with estate values of £10m+)
• Complex IHT mitigation strategies (including trust planning and liquidity provision)
• Close collaboration with professional introducers (lawyers, accountants, bankers, private client advisers)
• Large sum assured, technically complex protection cases

This is not a volume sales role. It is a consultative, technically-led position focused on structuring and delivering high-value, advice-driven outcomes.

Role Purpose

• Design and deliver life insurance solutions within IHT and estate planning frameworks
• Act as a trusted adviser alongside legal, accountancy, banking and other professional advisers
• Manage complex, high-value cases involving:
  • UK and cross-border estates
  • Non-UK residents / internationally mobile clients
• Provide a joined-up approach integrating protection into wider financial and tax planning strategies

Key Responsibilities

1. High Net Worth Client Advice

• Advise clients on:
  • Term life and Whole of life planning for IHT liabilities
  • Trust-based protection structures
  • Family wealth preservation strategies
• In addition to IHT focus, identify protection needs across:
  • Personal protection (life, CIC, IP)
  • Business protection (Key Person, Shareholder Protection, loan cover, Relevant Life)
• Structure solutions aligned to:
  • Estate equalisation
  • Liquidity for tax liabilities
  • Succession planning

Clients require tailored financial strategies based on their full financial position and long-term objectives.

2. Introducer-Led Relationship Model

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with:
  • Private client solicitors
  • Tax advisers and accountants
  • Banking and other finance professionals
• Operate as a technical protection specialist within a wider advisory ecosystem
• Contribute to joint client strategies and professional discussions
• Support introducers with:
  • Case structuring ideas
  • Technical input on protection solutions

3. Complex & Cross-Border Case Structuring

• Advise on cases involving:
  • International assets and multi-jurisdictional estates
  • Non-UK domiciled / non-UK resident individuals
• Structure protection arrangements considering:
  • Tax treatment and jurisdictional issues
  • Ownership structures and trusts
• Navigate complex underwriting scenarios including:
  • Large sums assured
  • Financial justification
  • Enhanced underwriting requirements

High-value protection cases require tailored solutions and close case management to meet complex client needs.

4. End-to-End Case Management

• Lead high-value cases from initial concept through to placement:
  • Pre-underwriting discussions
  • Insurer selection and market positioning
  • Evidence coordination (financial, medical, legal)
• Work closely with our in-house underwriting team to negotiate with insurers to achieve:
  • Competitive terms
  • Practical underwriting solutions

5. Technical Excellence & Compliance

• Deliver advice in line with FCA regulatory requirements
• Produce high-quality:
  • Suitability reports
  • Advice documentation
• Maintain awareness of:
  • Changes in tax legislation (particularly IHT)
  • Protection market developments
  • Regulatory expectations

Regulated financial advice requires adherence to FCA standards and appropriate professional qualifications.

Candidate Profile

Experience

• Strong experience in advised protection or financial planning
• Proven track record working with:
  • High net worth clients
  • High value life insurance sums (£5m+)
  • Introducer-led business models
• Experience working alongside:
  • Solicitors, accountants, or other professional advisers
• Exposure to:
  • Complex IHT planning cases
  • Business owner clients
  • Landed estate and farming clients

Qualifications

• Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (Level 4) – essential
• Progress towards Chartered or STEP qualifications highly desirable

Technical Capability

Strong working knowledge of:

• Protection products across the UK market
• Trust planning and policy ownership structures
• IHT planning principles and estate liquidity solutions
• Underwriting approach for high-value cases
• Cross-border considerations

Personal Attributes

• Commercial and relationship-driven mindset
• High attention to detail and organisational capabilities 
• Comfortable operating in professional adviser environments
• High level of technical curiosity and problem-solving ability
• Strong communication skills with ability to:
  • Influence professional introducers
  • Explain complex strategies clearly to clients
• Strong case ownership
• Sensitive to client medical information with an ability to explain medical underwriting decisions and philosophy 
• Able to communicate effectively and build trust while delivering tailored client solutions.

What Makes This Role Different

• Focus on quality over quantity – complex, high-value cases rather than volume sales
• Direct exposure to:
  • HNW / UHNW clients
  • Advanced estate planning strategies
• Opportunity to operate as a specialist adviser within a wider financial planning framework
• Strong pipeline via established introducer relationships and internal introductions via Howden colleagues 
• Genuine scope to influence and shape client outcomes at a strategic level

Ideal Candidate Positioning

This role is ideal for:

• A protection adviser wishing to focus on IHT-led, high-value advice
• A financial planner wanting to specialise in life insurance and estate liquidity planning
• An adviser currently working in an introducer model but seeking:
  • Better quality clients
  • More complex cases
  • Greater technical challenge

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