Business Development Associate

Howden; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Howden is seeking a dynamic Business Development Executive to join our Financial Institutions team in the UK. You will focus on developing new business across financial services clients, focusing on D&O, Professional Indemnity, and Crime while identifying cross-sell opportunities within the wider Howden group.

In this role, you will nurture relationships, drive revenue, and contribute to our growth strategy with a proactive, energetic approach and strong commercial insight within a leading

Qualifications

• Clear and effective communication across teams and clients.
• Ability to negotiate and close deals in a fast-paced market.
• Motivation to grow a career in the insurance/broking sector.

Responsibilities

• Develop new business within target financial services clients.
• Generate revenue across core Financial Lines products such as D&O, PI, and Crime.
• Cross-sell wider group solutions where appropriate.
• Collaborate with a 75-person FI division and a 5-person Business Development team.

Skills

Excellent communication

Collaboration

Sales and negotiation

Attention to detail

Proactive attitude

Continuous learning

Job description

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 over 20,000 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.

The role

We're seeking a dynamic and motivated Business Development Executive to join our exceptional Financial Institutions team. As one of the leading insurance brokers in the market, Howden offers an outstanding opportunity for ambitious, driven professionals who want to make their mark. In this role, you will focus on developing new business across the financial services sectors, with a focus on a wide range of client types. You will generate revenue across core Financial Lines products—including D&O, Professional Indemnity, and Crime—while also identifying opportunities to cross‑sell solutions from across the wider Howden group.

This position is highly relationship‑driven: you will excel at transforming connections into meaningful commercial opportunities, delivering creative solutions, and leading sales engagement with new prospects. As a key contributor to our growth strategy and force‑for‑good reputation in the industry, you will bring energy, confidence, and commercial insight to help elevate our presence in the financial services market.

What you'll do

• Focus on developing new business and growth opportunities across the target industries within the financial services industry.
• Responsible for generating revenue across core Financial Lines products—primarily D&O, Professional Indemnity, and Crime—while also identifying opportunities to cross sell wider group solutions.
• Work as part of a 75 person Financial Institutions division, working as part of a Business Development team of approximately 5.
• Compensation structure includes base salary plus commission, aligned to revenue generated for the team.
• Success measures include meeting revenue targets, effective CRM usage, strong presentation skills, networking ability, and being a proactive, energetic relationship builder.

Who we're looking for

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills. Our team thrives on effective communication and the ability to work together towards common goals.
• Sales and negotiation skills that will help you compete in a fast‑paced market.
• Strong motivation to continue progressing and developing a successful career within the insurance industry.
• An eye for detail to ensure that all records and client interactions are meticulously managed and maintained.
• A positive and proactive attitude, ready to take on challenges and determine the best paths to success.
• A commitment to continuous learning and development, with the ambition to grow within the company.

What do we offer in return?

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 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*.

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.