Office Receptionist

Howden Group; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Flexible PTO

Parental leave

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Job summary

Howden is seeking a detail-oriented Receptionist for our Newport Beach, CA office. You will be the welcoming first point of contact, directing visitors, managing calls, and supporting daily front office operations.

Ideal candidates will have reception/front-office experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced corporate setting. Hybrid work options and a discretionary bonus are possible, with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a receptionist/front-office role in a corporate setting.
• Strong written and verbal communication for professional interactions.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Willingness to learn and grow within the organization.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for clients, visitors, carriers, and vendors with a welcoming front office presence.
• Greet, sign in visitors, notify staff of arrivals, and maintain a professional reception area.
• Answer, screen, and route incoming calls to appropriate departments.
• Assist with mail, packages, and courier deliveries.
• Coordinate meeting room scheduling and prepare spaces as needed.
• Support with onboarding logistics for new hires and visitors.
• Handle confidential information with discretion and privacy.

Skills

Receptionist experience

Communication skills

Microsoft Office

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Organizational skills

Adaptability

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

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. Its 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 is the role? We are seeking a detail-oriented Receptionist for our Newport Beach, CA office.

ROLE SUMMARY

• Serve as the first point of contact for clients, visitors, carriers, and vendors, providing a welcoming and professional front office experience
• Greet and direct visitors, notify internal staff of arrivals, and ensure proper sign-in procedures are followed
• Answer, screen, and route incoming phone calls to the appropriate departments or team members
• Respond to general inquiries and direct clients to the appropriate internal resources or teams
• Maintain the reception area, conference rooms, and front office to ensure a clean, organized, and professional appearance
• Manage incoming and outgoing mail, packages, and courier deliveries
• Coordinate meeting room scheduling and assist with preparing meeting spaces as needed
• Support administrative tasks including document handling, filing, scanning, and data entry
• Assist with onboarding logistics for new hires and visitors, as requested
• Handle confidential client and policy-related information with discretion and professionalism
• Monitor office supplies and place replenishment requests when necessary
• Follow company policies and procedures, including compliance and privacy requirements

What will you be doing?

• Serve as the first point of contact for clients, visitors, carriers, and vendors, providing a welcoming and professional front office experience
• Greet and direct visitors, notify internal staff of arrivals, and ensure proper sign-in procedures are followed
• Answer, screen, and route incoming phone calls to the appropriate departments or team members
• Respond to general inquiries and direct clients to the appropriate internal resources or teams
• Maintain the reception area, conference rooms, and front office to ensure a clean, organized, and professional appearance
• Manage incoming and outgoing mail, packages, and courier deliveries
• Coordinate meeting room scheduling and assist with preparing meeting spaces as needed
• Support administrative tasks including document handling, filing, scanning, and data entry
• Assist with onboarding logistics for new hires and visitors, as requested
• Handle confidential client and policy-related information with discretion and professionalism
• Monitor office supplies and place replenishment requests when necessary
• Follow company policies and procedures, including compliance and privacy requirements

What are we looking for?

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in a receptionist, front office or similar role, preferably in a corporate environment.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to interact professionally across teams and with vendors.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and handle ad-hoc requests in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) and other productivity tools.
• Organizational and problem-solving skills to ensure efficient workflow and timely completion of tasks.
• Flexibility and adaptability to support evolving business needs.
• Interest in learning the business and growing into future career opportunities within the organization.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in an insurance brokerage environment preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected rate for this role is $25.00-$32.00 hourly, actual rate will be determined based on factors including candidate experience and work location. This role is classified as non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In addition to a competitive base salary, employees are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including healthcare savings and reimbursement accounts
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Flexible Paid Time Off and paid parental leave
• Life and Disability insurance

Our sustainability promise

We're on a lifelong journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. Its 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.

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 thats 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.