Personal Assistant

Howden; City Of London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A global insurance company is seeking a Personal Assistant to support the Tax & Contingent Risks team with administrative tasks, including travel arrangements and compliance. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. The role involves maintaining records and assisting team members in daily activities. A career that you define with reasonable adjustments available.

Benefits

Flexible hours

Hybrid working options

Diversity and support in career development

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal skills and positive impression.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally.
• Prioritisation and organizational skills for short deadlines.
• Self-motivated and anticipates issues.

Responsibilities

• Assist with processing team’s expenses and bookings.
• Organise meetings, events, and travel arrangements.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance.
• Provide administrative support to the wider team.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Effective communication

Customer service skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

IT skills including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel

Self-motivation

Education

GCSEs (or equivalent) with good grades in English and Maths

A levels

Job description

Who are we?

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

We are looking for a Personal Assistant to provide assistance and support to the Tax & Contingent Risks team in managing their day-to-day activities through the provision of an administrative support service. This role is to be undertaken in accordance with relevant Company and/or Group policies delivering an effective, timely and technically accurate service.

What you’ll do…

Administration

• Assist with the processing of the team’s expenses
• Book desks via our desk booking website Ricoh, for those who require one
• Booking local and international travel arrangements and itineraries for singular and group trips
• Purchasing tickets for conferences and events
• Preparing IT equipment for new joiners
• Setting up IT for meetings and booking meeting rooms i.e. one-off meetings & reoccurring team meetings
• Assist in organising the team’s events and trips i.e. Away days, Christmas events etc.
• Organising meetings and booking external lunches/ dinners
• Arranging in-house catering through our Howden Reservations team for lunch meetings
• Remind team members to fill out important spreadsheets i.e. Holiday tracker for their annual leave
• Provide ad hoc support to the Head of T&CR PA
• Provide support to some European members of the team
• Provide general administrative services, i.e. diary management, to the wider team as required
• Ensure up to date records are maintained at all times on the Company’s/ Group’s systems – i.e. leavers/joiners spreadsheet

Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all applicable Group and/or Company policies and procedures
• Ensure correct authorisation is obtained and processes followed when required by the Group and/or Company policies and procedures
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Ensure that personal performance, HR and Learning records are up to date and meet the Group’s and/or Company’s requirements
• Maintain accurate records and deal with correspondence appropriately

Market Awareness

• Keep informed of all legal and regulatory developments relevant to the Company
• Share information that could be beneficial to the Company

Representing the Company

• Any other reasonable duties, as required

Who we’re looking for

• Strong interpersonal skills – enjoys meeting people and creates positive impression
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Customer service skills
• Ability to work effectively within a team
• Ability to produce accurate documentation and to file documents appropriately
• Prioritisation and organisational skills – able to demonstrate flexibility with regards to working hours when required and is able to produce a high quality of work within short deadlines
• Attention to detail – takes a pride in their work and produces work which is accurate and error free
• Self motivated and proactive – is able to anticipate issues and rectify these on behalf of their manager/team
• Internal Networking skills – understands the organisation and where to find answers/ relevant resources
• Competent IT skills, including but not limited to Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
• Able to undertake and demonstrate competence in technical training, as required by the industry regulator

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience in Reception or PA work not essential, training will be given.

Professional Qualifications

• GCSEs (or equivalent) including good grades in English and Maths essential
• A levels preferred

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*.

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.

Permanent