Internal Controls Manager

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 mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 18,000 employees spanning over 100 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

Howden’s Group Risk function is responsible for embedding a culture of strong risk and control management in our entities and our people across the globe. As a member of the Group Risk Team, the role will focus on supporting the implementation of the Group’s internal control framework, strengthening the controls in place across a wide range of business processes and building awareness of risk and control internationally.

The ideal candidate will have experience of developing and embedding controls in a highly dynamic environment, excellent organisational, communication and relationship skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the ongoing management of the Group Internal Control Framework to ensure it remains relevant to the principal risks of the Group.
• Support the preparation and presentation of control outcomes to management and relevant committees/boards.
• Committee and governance reporting including preparing papers and presenting at a range of forums to senior stakeholders.
• Collaborating and communicating with business and process owners to run control workshops, identify and define controls, implement process and control improvements and coordinate control activities across the three lines of defence.
• Supporting the completion of management control assessments with our businesses around the world, identifying central themes and patterns.
• Managing the roll out and implementation of second line controls testing across the Group.
• Implement and monitor remediation activities resulting from internal control assessments, ensuring the effective implementation of corrective action both at a Group and entity level.
• Raising awareness about the significance of risk and controls across the Group.
• Network across the three lines of defence to identify emerging risk and control needs.
• Identify external market changes that impact the risk and control environment, remaining aware of external, industry, legal and regulatory developments.
• Facilitate the implementation and onboarding of a new risk and controls software, Camms.
• Opportunities to be involved in other Group Risk projects and initiatives outside of the internal controls team, including identifying improvements to ways of working and exploring new and innovative solutions.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Essential

• Experience in risk, controls or audit, delivering similar services including controls identification, testing and remediation.
• Strong verbal, presentation and written communication skills.
• Excellent relationship and interpersonal skills to support working with a range of stakeholders and cultures.
• Project management, organisation and time management skills.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with competing priorities.

Desirable

• Previous consulting experience in a financial services firm or the Big 4 sharing best practice approaches and insights.
• Insurance and/ or insurance broking market experience / exposure
• Knowledge of regulatory and financial market control frameworks e.g. COSO, US SOX
• Relevant qualifications including risk management or accounting e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIA etc.
• Language skills

Key information & Location

• Full time position.
• London based. Hybrid working arrangements are available, with travel to central London anticipated 2-3 days per week.
• Occasional international travel expected (expenses paid)

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

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.