Personal Assistant

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.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a PA to support our Group HR team on a 12 Month basis.

This is a unique opportunity to join our fast-growing and transformational business at a pivotal moment in its’ evolution. 

This role will provide administrative support to members of the HR Leadership Team based here in London.  You will thrive in this role if you are extremely organised, you are able to exercise discretion and form relationships quickly and have excellent verbal and written communication skills. Additionally, you will be confident and able to take the initiative and let your experience shine when prioritising and learn to understand the bigger picture and how the moving parts fit together.  Excellent time management skills and the ability to adapt priorities in order to enable those you support to meet deadlines and constantly changing demands, is essential   

What will you be doing? 

• Full diary management, liaising with other Howden PA’s, senior stakeholders and external partners 

• Planning, organising and supporting internal and external meetings and providing necessary documentation where appropriate 

• Assessing priorities, checking the correct HR representation to meetings and redirecting as appropriate 

• Booking of UK and International travel to include Visa’s, flight, train, hotel and car bookings 

• Organisation of lunches/dinners/events as required 

• Being mindful of budgeting and team policies 

• Providing adhoc project administrative support including but not limited to, formatting documents, printing reports and presentations 

• Manage invoicing process and approvals 

• Collating of receipts and processing of expenses on a monthly basis  

• Handling hugely private & confidential sensitive information in a discreet and diplomatic manner, ensuring security of access to such information is maintained at all times 

What are we looking for?

• The successful applicant will have a proven track record of delivery in a PA/Team Assistant type role 

• Strong interpersonal skills – enjoys interacting with people and creates a positive, professional and discrete impression 

• An ability to prioritise is key as is the ability to manage a broad range of tasks 

• The ability to demonstrate attention to detail and pride in their delivery  

• Ability to work effectively within a team with strong internal networking skills 

• The ability to work independently but also as part of a team, escalating issues where needed and sharing ideas/findings 

• Need fully operational knowledge of Microsoft Office (Outlook, PowerPoint, Word), must also have basic Excel knowledge. 

• Excellent time management/organisational skills  

• Excellent written and verbal communication 

• Flexibility required – hybrid role with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office, particular days may vary 

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)