Business Development Director

HIBL; City Of London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Howden, a global insurance group, seeks an experienced sales professional to open new conversations and nurture a pipeline of Professional Services clients. You will target mid-market and large clients, build a senior-level network, and deliver compelling presentations.

You will collaborate across the Howden group to offer cross-sell solutions and maintain a disciplined pipeline. Travel to London on a regular basis will be involved, with flexible working options where feasible.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in originating and winning new business.
• Experience with professional services clients is advantageous.
• Ability to engage and present to C-suite levels across large, international clients.

Responsibilities

• Identify and open new conversations with prospective Professional Services clients from scratch, and nurture a growing pipeline.
• Focus new business development on mid-market and larger Professional Services clients, cross-selling where appropriate.
• Build and leverage a network of contacts, including at C-suite level, to identify and convert opportunities.
• Deliver credible, well-prepared presentations to clients and prospects.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Howden to deliver cross-sell and portfolio solutions.
• Maintain a disciplined, structured approach to pipeline management with accurate activity tracking.

Skills

Sales experience

Prospecting

C-suite engagement

Presentation skills

Networking

Travel willingness

Job description

Who are we? 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 24,000 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.

What you’ll do

• Proactively identify and open new conversations with prospective Professional Services clients from scratch, as well as nurturing and developing an existing pipeline of relationships.
• Focus new business development on mid-market and larger Professional Services clients, working across different areas of the sector.
• Build, leverage and maintain a strong network of contacts, including at C-suite level, to identify and convert new business opportunities.
• Represent Howden with credibility and presence, delivering confident, well-prepared presentations to clients and prospects.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the wider Howden group to identify and deliver cross-sell and portfolio solutions.
• Maintain a disciplined and structured approach to pipeline management, accurately reflecting activity and opportunities.

Who we’re looking for

• A proven track record in sales, with demonstrable success in originating and winning new business.
• Experience within, or an existing network across, Professional Services is advantageous e.g. Architects, Engineering, Accountants, Law firms, etc.; however, candidates from other sectors with a strong sales background will also be considered.
• Demonstratable experience in building relationships and operating confidently at C-suite level across large and international clients.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills.
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic, with the initiative to identify and pursue opportunities independently.
• An entrepreneurial, proactive mindset and the adaptability to work across a changing landscape.
• Strong personal organisation, with the structure and discipline to manage a pipeline effectively.

Open to candidates at different levels of experience, and to those based outside London, provided they are willing to travel to London on a regular basis.

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 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*.

Permanent Howden began in 1994, as just three people and a dog. Now there are 23,000 of us, and we're a leading global insurance group, managing $37bn of premiums for our clients. Our largest shareholder group is us – the people who work in the business – supported by three long-term, minority growth-equity partners who share our vision to build a business to last, one that will never be sold. The owner's mindset is something that's embedded in our culture; our people readily take ownership of their decisions, their actions, and their outputs. They’re invested in every sense. And we all know that by working together to drive the business forward, everyone will benefit from the extraordinary results we can achieve.