Manager, Legal, Risk & Compliance

Howden; Hong Kong; Hybrid; HKD 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Free beverages in workplace

Competitive compensation

Birthday leave

Employee stock options

Job summary

Howden is seeking an experienced Manager, Legal, Risk & Compliance in Hong Kong. The role involves providing legal support, managing disputes, and ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks.

The ideal candidate should have 8–10 years of relevant experience in the insurance sector and be proficient in both English and Cantonese. Benefits include hybrid working and employee stock options.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of experience in legal, risk, and compliance within the insurance sector.
• Admitted to practice law in Hong Kong, with a current practicing certificate preferred.
• Ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear advice.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal and compliance adviser to senior management.
• Lead the management of complex disputes and legal matters.
• Draft and negotiate key commercial agreements.
• Oversee risk management activities for informed decision-making.

Skills

Legal knowledge

Risk management

Compliance expertise

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder management

Strong communication skills

Education

Degree in law

Job description

Howden is a leading global insurance intermediary group with employee ownership at its heart. Founded in 1994, it provides insurance, reinsurance and underwriting services and solutions to clients ranging from private individuals to the largest multinational companies.

The Group operates in 56 countries in Europe, the USA, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand, employs over 24,000 people and manages premiums totalling USD 51 billion on behalf of its clients.

JOB OVERVIEW

We are seeking an experienced Manager, Legal, Risk & Compliance to join our team. The ideal candidate will provide day‑to‑day legal, risk and compliance support to the business operations, ensuring that commercial activities are conducted with sound regulatory, ethical and internal control frameworks. The role will report into the Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer, with a functional reporting line into the Asia General Counsel and Asia Chief Risk Officer.

YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as a trusted legal and compliance adviser to senior management, providing strategic, commercially focused guidance and local subject‑matter expertise to support business objectives within a robust legal, governance and audit framework.
• Lead the management of complex disputes, complaints and legal matters, including oversight of external counsel, to ensure effective and commercially sound outcomes.
• Draft, review and negotiate key commercial agreements, ensuring appropriate risk allocation and alignment with the firm’s strategic priorities.
• Interpret and anticipate legal and regulatory developments, shaping business responses and driving proactive compliance strategies across the organisation.
• Provide leadership oversight on compliance matters, including regulatory and business licensing obligations, financial crime controls (e.g. KYC/CDD, sanctions), and internal policy governance.
• Drive the development and continuous enhancement of legal, risk and compliance frameworks, ensuring alignment with group standards and local regulatory expectations.
• Oversee risk management activities, including risk identification, assessment and control effectiveness, to support informed decision‑making.
• Act as a business partner across functions and the region, influencing stakeholders and promoting a strong culture of integrity, accountability and risk awareness.

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL BE

• Degree holder in law and admitted to practise in Hong Kong. A current practising certificate is preferred but not essential, provided legal knowledge and skills have been maintained through continuous practice in an in‑house or private practice environment.
• 8–10 years of relevant experience including insurance or reinsurance broking industry or in a role providing in‑house counsel services to the insurance or finance sectors, or regulated bodies.
• Possess a strong working knowledge of insurance or reinsurance broking operations, contractual frameworks commonly used in the broking market. Familiarity with the regulatory landscape in Hong Kong (Insurance Authority), risks or compliance is advantageous.
• Professional and confident in handling legal and ethical matters, with the ability to provide constructive, compliant solutions and escape in a timely manner even when operating under business pressure.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to balance legal rigour with pragmatic, solutions‑oriented advice. Demonstrates a proactive, self‑starting approach and is comfortable working across reporting lines in both Hong Kong and Singapore and collaborate with the team members in other jurisdictions operating as a global team.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in both English and Cantonese are essential, with the ability to distil complex legal concepts into clear, concise advice for a non‑legal audience.
• Ability to manage different priorities across multiple stakeholders.

Benefits: we offer hybrid working, free beverage in workplace, competitive compensation, birthday leave, employee stock options and more.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

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 their age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or family circumstances.