Who are we?
Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. We’re experts helping clients adapt and thrive in a changing world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of over 24,000 employees spanning more than 100 countries.
Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There’s no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That’s Howden.
Why work at Howden?
We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we’ve focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.
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 disappointed head-hunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.
The role
The Market Security Lead is a senior leadership role within the Security & Counterparty (SCP) function, responsible for leading and overseeing all Market Security activities across the business. You will ensure a robust, consistent and market‑leading framework for assessing insurer and counterparty security, supporting placement decisions, regulatory obligations and client outcomes.
You will lead a specialist team delivering insurer financial analysis, ratings advisory, Litmus assessments, security governance and market security reporting, acting as the principal subject matter expert and providing strategic advice to brokers, business leaders and executive stakeholders.
What you’ll be doing
You will lead and manage the Market Security team and act as the senior escalation point for all market security matters across the business. You will be responsible for developing and maintaining the Market Security strategy, framework and operating model, while building strong relationships with Placement Teams, Broking Operations, Compliance, Risk, Finance and executive stakeholders.
You will provide expert guidance on insurer financial strength and creditworthiness, oversee ratings advisory services, and ensure robust governance, monitoring and reporting across all market security activities.
- Lead and manage the Market Security team, including oversight of outsourced and offshore resources, and act as the senior escalation point for market security matters
- Develop and maintain the Market Security strategy, framework and operating model, and build strong relationships with key stakeholders across the business
- Lead ratings advisory services and provide guidance on insurer financial strength, including oversight of AM Best, S&P, Moody’s and Fitch ratings and outlook changes
- Own and enhance the Litmus framework and oversee financial strength reviews, insurer assessments, and the review of financial statements, solvency information and market intelligence
- Ensure robust governance across Market Security Committee activity, Security Waiver Letters, and insurer reviews, maintaining audit trails and presenting recommendations to governance forums
- Manage downgrade monitoring, maintain approved insurer and market security lists, support placement decisions, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while producing management information and reporting
Who we’re looking for
- Extensive experience in Market Security, insurer financial analysis, counterparty risk or insurance/reinsurance placement
- Strong understanding of insurer financial strength assessment and ratings agency methodologies
- Experience interpreting AM Best, S&P, Moody’s and Fitch ratings and credit opinions
- Demonstrable experience presenting recommendations to senior stakeholders and governance committees
- Experience leading teams and managing specialist technical functions
- Strong knowledge of insurance and reinsurance markets
- Experience developing policies, governance frameworks and operational controls
Qualifications
- ACII, CFA, FRM or equivalent professional qualification is desirable
- A degree in Finance, Economics, Risk Management, Insurance or a related discipline is desirable
- Strong written and verbal English, with the ability to communicate information clearly
- Good numeracy skills, with confidence working with complex financial and market data
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
Diversity and Inclusion
At Howden we value diversity – there is no one Howden ‘personality 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
We consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.
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.
Our sustainability promise
We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It’s a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.
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