Senior RFP Manager

Howden Re; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Howden Re is seeking a Senior RFP Manager to join the Global RFP Function in North America. This role leads complex, high-value RFPs, coordinating with regional teams and global processes to deliver client-focused proposals that win and retain business.

You will balance hands-on leadership with coaching, shaping regional strategies and contributing to global playbooks while managing multiple workstreams and deadlines.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in RFP, proposal, bid, or pursuit management in reinsurance/insurance or complex environments.
• Proven track record leading high-value proposals with multiple stakeholders/regions.
• Strong project management with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written communication turning technical input into client-facing content.
• Confidence working with senior leaders and specialists.
• Experience coaching RFP professionals or colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead North American RFPs from qualification to submission and presentation.
• Develop RFP plans with Account teams and Senior Brokers; shape win themes.
• Prioritize RFPs to optimize time and resources across regions.
• Coordinate daily North American RFP workload with Global RFP Function.
• Maintain visibility of regional RFP pipeline, priorities and resource constraints.
• Coordinate input from broking, analytics, actuarial, design and other teams.
• Manage timelines, milestones, reviews and approvals for high-quality delivery.
• Write, review and tailor proposal content for client-focused messaging.
• Governance of templates, reviews and approvals; identify risks and issues.
• Provide executive-ready reporting on pipeline, progress and blockers.
• Coach and mentor RFP colleagues and broader opportunity teams.

Skills

RFP management

Proposal writing

Stakeholder mgmt

Project management

Executive communication

Mentoring

Tools

PowerPoint

Proposal tools

Job description

At Howden Re, we’re on a mission to do things differently. Our no silo approach, elite team, and clear focus on innovation and relentless execution means our clients are at the heart of all we do.

As a big 4 global reinsurance broker, we deliberately avoid the one-size-fits-all approach, committing to creating bespoke solutions that address the unique challenges of a modern and dynamic marketplace. Our team is empowered to drive progress, creating opportunities for career and personal development, unlocking new value for clients, fostering long-term partnerships, and using the collective power of Howden to change how the world sees risk and insurance.

When you join Howden Re, you become part of a vibrant and entrepreneurial workplace culture that prioritizes collaboration, ownership, and shared success. Here, your contributions will directly impact our mission to be the global partner of choice in reinsurance and strategic advisory.

Be a part of Howden Re's exciting journey. Together, we are shaping the future of reinsurance.

About the role

Howden Re is looking for a Senior RFP Manager, to join its new and growing Global RFP Function. This is an exciting new role and an opportunity to become a key RFP presence on the ground in North America, supporting regional growth and retention priorities while contributing to major global and cross-regional opportunities.

Working closely with North American business leaders and colleagues across the Global RFP Function, you will lead the delivery of complex, high-value RFPs and provide day-to-day RFP management across the region. You will help teams qualify opportunities, develop winning strategies, coordinate technical and business input, and deliver compelling, client-centric proposals.

Alongside hands-on RFP leadership, you will play an important role in coordinating regional workload and priorities, managing capacity and resources, maintaining governance and coaching colleagues involved in RFP delivery.

As a new role, there is significant opportunity to influence how RFP support develops in North America and contribute to the continued evolution of our global approach, bringing regional insight and experience into global processes, tools and best practice.

Key responsibilities

• Lead North American led RFPs from qualification through to submission and presentation
• Work with Account teams and Senior Brokers to develop RFP plans, challenge assumptions and shape differentiated win themes and client propositions
• Support RFP qualification and prioritization to ensure time and resource are focused effectively across regional opportunities
• Coordinate day-to-day North American RFP workload, capacity and resource allocation in partnership with the wider Global RFP Function
• Maintain visibility of the regional RFP pipeline, upcoming demand, priorities and potential resource constraints
• Partner with broking, analytics, actuarial, design and other specialist teams to coordinate input, establish clear ownership and maintain momentum across multiple workstreams
• Manage timelines, milestones, reviews and approvals to ensure disciplined, high-quality delivery against client deadlines
• Write, review and tailor proposal content, translating complex technical input into clear, persuasive and client-focused messaging
• Maintain RFP governance across processes, templates, reviews and approvals, proactively identifying and managing risks and issues
• Provide clear, executive-ready reporting on pipeline, progress, priorities and blockers
• Coach and mentor RFP colleagues and wider opportunity teams, strengthening proposal writing, narrative development, project management and presentation capability
• Support major global and cross-regional RFPs, coordinating effectively with colleagues across the Global RFP Function and wider business
• Lead lessons learned and use regional feedback and insight to influence improvements to global playbooks, tools, templates and content
• Promote adoption of RFP best practice, design standards, structured workflows and effective content reuse

What we are looking for

• 5+ years’ experience in RFP, proposal, bid or pursuit management, ideally within reinsurance, insurance, professional services or a similarly complex environment
• A proven track record of leading complex, high-value proposals involving multiple products, stakeholders or regions
• Strong project management skills with experience managing competing priorities, resources and demanding deadlines
• Excellent written communication skills and the ability to turn technical and specialist input into clear, compelling client-facing content
• Confidence and credibility working with senior business leaders and specialist teams
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence, challenge constructively and maintain momentum
• Experience coaching or mentoring RFP professionals or colleagues involved in proposal delivery
• A disciplined and detail-focused approach to governance, quality and execution
• Advanced PowerPoint and strong presentation skills would be advantageous
• Familiarity with proposal tools, structured workflows and content management best practice is beneficial

Personal attributes

• Strategic, proactive and commercially aware
• Collaborative and influential across senior stakeholders
• Comfortable taking ownership while working as part of a connected global team
• Calm under pressure and able to bring structure to complexity
• High standards of quality and attention to detail
• Confident challenging constructively to improve outcomes
• Passionate about developing others and raising standards
• Motivated by the opportunity to influence and make a visible impact in a growing function

Why join the team

This is an opportunity to join Howden Re’s Global RFP Function at an important stage in its development. You will be close to the region’s business leaders and account teams, leading some of our most important RFPs while also supporting wider global opportunities. You will have the opportunity to influence how we prioritize, manage and deliver RFPs across North America and bring regional experience and insight into the development of our global Howden Re approach.

For someone who enjoys combining hands-on RFP leadership with stakeholder partnership, operational management and coaching, this role offers significant scope to make an impact and help raise the standard of RFP delivery across Howden Re.