Associate Director - Professional Indemnity / Financial Institutions, Legal Technical and Claims

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.

The role

Focusing on Professional Indemnity and Financial Institutions clients, you’ll be a senior technical expert on financial lines coverage and claims. A core member of client teams, you will support clients and colleagues across complex claims, policy wordings, and technical queries. You’ll own claims advocacy for nominated major clients, act as an escalation point for complex PI and FI matters, and use your expertise to strengthen client propositions and support tenders.

What you'll be doing

• Lead claims advocacy for nominated clients, from advising on notification and drafting submissions through to managing information, market engagement and successful resolution.
• Act as a senior escalation point for complex PI and FI claims, providing expert technical guidance to colleagues and supporting effective responses to key client queries.
• Advise clients and brokers on policy wordings and coverage issues, supporting negotiations with insurers where required.
• Draft base and bespoke policy wordings, using market developments and client needs to inform effective solutions.
• Negotiate with insurers and build effective relationships across claims and underwriting teams to secure strong outcomes for clients.
• Monitor legal, regulatory, claims and market developments, translating relevant changes into practical, commercially focused advice.
• Support and attend new business tenders.
• Develop thought leadership, seminars, training and claims data propositions that strengthen technical capability and add value for clients.
• Contribute to departmental operational plans, management information, projects, new business pitches and client value propositions.
• Maintain high standards of governance, documentation and compliance, including peer reviews and audits where appropriate.
• Coach less experienced colleagues on complex claims and accounts, sharing technical expertise and supporting consistently high standards.
• Build trusted relationships with clients and internal stakeholders, bringing current claims and market insight into renewals, reviews and new business opportunities.

Who we're looking for

• Extensive experience in financial lines insurance claims, policy wordings development or an insurance-focused legal role.
• Proven experience as a claims or technical wordings specialist within the Lloyd’s and international insurance markets.
• In-depth knowledge of financial lines claims handling, relevant product areas and associated policy wordings, with experience handling complex matters.
• Strong knowledge of the insurance market and the legal and regulatory environment affecting insurance intermediaries and clients.
• Demonstrable experience advising clients and stakeholders on complex technical or coverage matters and negotiating effectively with insurance markets.
• Experience drafting and interpreting policy wordings, claims documentation or comparable technical insurance material.
• Evidence of delivering effectively across competing priorities and deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
• Experience sharing technical knowledge, coaching colleagues and reviewing the work of less experienced team members.

Qualifications

• A law degree, Graduate Diploma in Law, CILEx Diploma in Law and Practice, or a similar legal qualification.
• Strong written and verbal English, including the ability to communicate complex technical and legal information clearly.
• Strong numeracy, with the ability to interpret claims information and support sound commercial decision-making.

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