Receptionist

Howden; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible Paid Time Off

Parental leave

Life and Disability insurance

Job summary

Howden in New York is seeking a detail-oriented Receptionist to be the first point of contact for clients, visitors and staff. You will manage front-office operations, greet guests, answer calls, and support administrative tasks in a fast-paced insurance brokerage environment.

You’ll grow with the organization, learn the business, and have opportunities to move into administrative or client-service roles as the company expands.

Qualifications

• Experience in a receptionist/front-office role, ideally in a corporate setting.
• Strong written and verbal communication with professional interaction.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools for daily administration.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for clients, visitors, carriers, and vendors.
• Greet and direct visitors, manage sign-in procedures and notify staff of arrivals.
• Answer, screen, and route incoming calls to appropriate departments.
• Maintain reception area and meeting spaces, ensure a professional appearance.
• Handle mail, packages, and courier deliveries; assist with meeting room scheduling.
• Support administrative tasks including filing, scanning, and data entry.

Skills

Front office experience

Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Multi-tasking

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

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 mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 20,000 employees spanning over 100 countries.

Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There's no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That's Howden.

Why work at Howden?

We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients.

Always have, always will.

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 disappointed head- hunters 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 New York office. The Receptionist serves as the first point of contact for the office, playing a key role in creating a welcoming, professional experience for clients, visitors, and internal teams. We are seeking an individual with prior experience in a receptionist or front‑office role, ideally within an insurance brokerage or similar professional services environment. Beyond daily front‑office responsibilities, this role offers an excellent opportunity for growth and exposure to the insurance industry, serving as a potential steppingstone to other administrative, operations, or client service positions within the organization.

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 support 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.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected base salary range for this role is $70,000 - $85,000; actual base salary 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. Howden also offers a variety of benefits and programs, subject to eligibility, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including healthcare savings and reimbursement accounts
• Flexible Paid Time Off and paid parental leave
• Life and Disability insurance

Our sustainability promise

We're on a life‑long journey to become an ever‑more sustainable group. It's 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.