Commercial Account Handler - Corporate & Commercial

Howden is a collective - a group of talented and passionate people all around the 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 15,000 employees spanning over 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.

Howden - Corporate & Commercial are on the hunt for an Account Handler to support their team for the administration of new business (supporting clients purchasing cover from us online via our quote and buy system), and clients' insurance requirements including general enquiries, renewals, mid-term adjustments, obtaining quotations and invoicing of premiums. Dealing with our SME clients, you will have a passion for providing excellent service to your clients.

Please note this is a full-time, permanent opportunity. You will be based in our Padstow office and ideally be onsite for 2 days per week on average.

Overview:

• Assist in achieving Group/Division client retention targets by providing an excellent level of service.
• Liaise effectively with the Account Executive to ensure an appropriate strategy for renewal, attend client meetings as necessary and action meeting points (if applicable).
• Undertake market exercise to establish most competitive terms available.
• Obtain renewal terms and present to client.
• Issue renewal documentation in line with contract certainty.
• Ensure premiums are collected prior to the commencement of cover and in line with Howden procedures.
• Record all relevant information, correspondence, and documentation on Acturis and make effective use of the diary system.
• Process adjustments in line with procedures, including notification to insurers, issue of revised documentation, and collection of additional premiums.
• Actively cross-sell products from other Divisions.

Knowledge:

• Working knowledge of all the main classes of General Insurance and the CII's Code of Ethics and GDPR.
• Must have a minimum of 2 years' industry experience.

Skills:

• Good level of technical insurance skills, to be assessed by regular in-house testing.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to process work quickly and efficiently.
• Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines.
• Excellent client service skills.
• Good negotiation and broking skills
• Ability to gather and analyse information from the client.
• Ability to identify and respond appropriately to an individual client's level of understanding.
• Ability to persuade and influence others.

Qualifications:

• GCSEs A-C in Maths & English.
• Cert CII (desirable).
• Acturis (desirable).

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

A career that you define.

Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society's greatest challenges.

And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work - and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden, 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.

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.