Operations Director

Howden; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Howden is recruiting an experienced Operations Director to lead the Private Clients operations across the UK, in partnership with the CEO, CFO and ELT. The role focuses on building a scalable operating model, driving transformation, and delivering outstanding client, commercial and regulatory outcomes.

Flexible within the UK with regular in-person London collaboration; lead a high-performing team, manage budgets, governance and risk, and shape growth strategy while ensuring service excellence.

Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale operational functions within regulated financial services.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, multiple management layers, and dispersed teams.
• Track record of delivering operational excellence and measurable improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead and evolve the operating model to support growth, efficiency and service excellence.
• Own the transformation agenda and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Drive improvements in productivity, service quality and cost performance.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Transformation

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Tools

ERP systems

Data analytics tools

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.

Operations Director - Private Clients

Flexible within the UK, with an expectation to be in our London office approximately two to three days per week. Regular in-person collaboration with Executive stakeholders is a key part of the role.
We’re looking for an experienced Operations Director to help shape the next phase of growth for our Private Clients business.

Following the integration of our Insurance, Mortgage and Wealth propositions, this role will play a pivotal part in building the operating model, leadership capability and transformation agenda required to support significant growth and long-term success. Working closely with the CEO, CFO and Executive Leadership Team, you’ll be responsible for ensuring the business has the operational capability, scalability and resilience to support its ambitious plans, while delivering outstanding client, commercial and regulatory outcomes.

Business Scale

Today, our Private Clients business operates at scale and is entering a period of continued growth, transformation and integration:

• Circa 600 employees, with plans to grow to 900 over the next five years

• 30 locations globally

• Current revenue of £90m, with a strategic plan to grow to £150m

• Leadership responsibility for a large operational function, including direct and indirect leadership

• Ongoing acquisition, integration and business transformation activity

The Opportunity

Our Private Clients business brings together Insurance, Mortgages and Wealth propositions, creating a significant opportunity to drive greater alignment across the organisation. A key priority will be driving integration across the business, helping previously separate propositions operate more effectively as one organisation while unlocking greater collaboration, consistency and efficiency.
Alongside this, you’ll lead a significant transformation agenda focused on improving business performance, enhancing customer outcomes, strengthening operational resilience and ensuring the business is positioned for sustained success.

This is a highly visible leadership role, offering the opportunity to influence strategic direction and play a central role in shaping the future of the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and continually evolve the operating model to support growth, efficiency, scalability and service excellence.

• Own the operational transformation agenda, ensuring initiatives are aligned to business strategy and deliver measurable commercial and operational outcomes.

• Drive improvements across productivity, service, quality, customer experience and cost performance measures.

• Identify opportunities to leverage technology, data, automation and AI to enhance operational effectiveness and decision-making.

• Lead the integration of acquired businesses and realise associated operational and commercial synergies.

• Establish and maintain robust operational governance, risk and resilience frameworks.

• Build and develop a high-performing Operations leadership team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Partner closely with Executive stakeholders to influence decision-making and support the delivery of strategic objectives.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience leading large-scale operational functions within Insurance, Wealth, Mortgages or other regulated financial services environments.

• Experience operating at a comparable level of organisational complexity, with responsibility for significant budgets, multiple management layers and geographically dispersed teams.

• A track record of delivering operational excellence, transformation and measurable business improvement.

• Demonstrable experience leading organisations through growth, integration, acquisition or operating model change.

• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with accountability for performance, efficiency and cost management.

• Experience building and developing leadership teams and creating high-performance cultures.

• Highly effective stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and challenge at Executive level.

• Strong understanding of governance, risk and regulatory requirements within customer-focused environments.

• The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery and execution.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to influence the future of a business at a pivotal stage in its evolution. You’ll join a leadership team responsible for bringing together Insurance, Mortgage and Wealth propositions into one integrated Private Clients business, shaping how it operates, grows and delivers for clients.
With revenue expected to increase from £90m to £150m and headcount growing from 600 to 900 employees, you’ll play a central role in delivering the operational capability, transformation and leadership needed to support that ambition.

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*.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.

Permanent