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 23,000 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.
ROLE PURPOSE:
The Project Management Team Leader is responsible for delivering their own allocated projects and leading a team of project managers to deliver projects that meet organizational goals, stakeholder expectations, and quality standards to time, scope and within budget. The role involves supporting and overseeing project execution, managing resources, mitigating risks, promoting development and driving the team to achieve operational excellence. This position also contributes to the continuous improvement of project management processes, tools, and methodologies.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Leadership and Team Management
Contribute to the strategic direction and day-to-day leadership of the Project Delivery Team (PDT).
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of project managers, providing guidance, training, and performance feedback.
Equip team members with the necessary tools, skills, and training to deliver projects effectively.
Set and monitor clear objectives, performance metrics, and development plans to drive accountability and excellence.
Ensure adherence to the project management framework, competencies, and business goals.
Utilise metrics to improve team performance and identify areas for development.
Regularly review the PM framework with direct reports, identifying training and development opportunities.
Manage performance, including contractors, and address any people management issues while positively influencing cross-functional team members.
Act as a role model for effective leadership and management behaviours.
Identify internal capability gaps and collaborate with senior management on recruitment and talent acquisition.
Project Portfolio Oversight
Oversee your teams’ portfolio of projects, ensuring they align with business objectives and priorities.
Monitor the progress of all projects under the team’s supervision and intervene as needed to address delays or issues.
Ensure effective resource planning and allocation to balance workload and optimise delivery capacity.
Risk and Issue Management
Identify and proactively manage risks across the project portfolio.
Establish processes to handle issues, bottlenecks, or changes, ensuring minimal disruption to project timelines.
Ensure lessons learned from past projects are documented and applied to future work.
Stakeholder Engagement
Provide guidance support and escalation points where necessary for project-related queries, concerns, or conflicts.
Promote, build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment on project goals.
Ensure regular communication on project progress, key milestones, and potential challenges to stakeholders
Continuous Improvement and Innovation
Develop and implement project management frameworks, methodologies, and best practices.
Drive initiatives to improve project management methodologies, processes, and tools.
Stay updated on industry best practices, emerging technologies, and innovations in project management.
Working with the PMO, evaluate and implement systems that enhance project tracking, reporting, and delivery outcomes.
Environment, Customer Focus and Relationships:
Responds to the clients (both internal and external) requirements as appropriate
Behaves with all clients (both internal and external) fairly and ethically
Shares information that could be beneficial to the Operating Entity/Group
People Management/Personal Development:
Actively undertakes personal development to ensure up to date knowledge and understanding of best practice
Remains aware of external, industry, legal and regulatory developments etc to ensure practice and outputs are of a sufficiently high standard
Keeps informed of all legal and regulatory developments relevant to the Operating Entity/Group
Regulatory and Compliance:
The Board of each Operating Entity requires the highest standards of corporate governance, operational excellence and financial reporting throughout the Group from all its employees. Specific responsibilities are listed below. Reference to team (below) is only applicable where the job holder has direct line management responsibilities:
Ensures compliance of self and team (as appropriate if the job holder has line management responsibilities) with all applicable legal, fiscal and regulatory obligations in the form of policies and procedures
Ensures correct authorisation is obtained and processes followed when required by the Operating Entity and/or Group
Ensures performance, HR and T&C records are up to date and meet the Operating Entity and/or Group’s requirements (which will include those of direct reports if the job holder has line management responsibilities)
Maintains accurate records and deal with correspondence appropriately
Operates in an honest, professional and ethical manner
Strictly adheres to the Group Employee Code of Conduct which strongly aligns to the FCA’s code of conduct that all regulated entities must adhere to
Completes all relevant regulatory training
Ensures remain competent to carry out role (this will include team members where job holder has direct reports)
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE
Minimum 5 years of experience in project management.
Experience in a leadership role desirable.
Demonstrated success in managing multiple complex projects.
SKILLS/BEHAVIOURS
Technical Competencies:
Advanced knowledge of project management tools and methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, or hybrid approaches).
Proficiency in tools like MS Project, Monday.com, Jira, Trello, or equivalent platforms.
Strong scheduling and resource management skills.
Familiarity with risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
Leadership Competencies:
Ability to motivate, coach, and develop a high-performing team.
Skilled in conflict resolution, decision-making, and stakeholder management.
Strong ability to prioritize and manage competing demands.
Behavioural Competencies:
Strategic thinking with a focus on operational excellence.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Collaborative mindset with strong interpersonal skills.
High level of emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity.
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related fields desirable
PMP (Project Management Professional) or PMQ (Project Management Qualification), PRINCE2, or equivalent certifications are preferred.
Agile certifications (e.g. Certified Scrum Master) are a bonus.
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.
Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term)
