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. 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.

Executive Assistant & Office Manager

Location: St. Louis, MO
Department: Marine
Work Arrangement: Full-Time, Onsite (5 Days Per Week)

About the Role

Howden is seeking a highly organized, professional, and service-oriented Executive Assistant & Office Manager to support our growing Marine team in St. Louis. This role serves as the operational hub of the office, providing administrative support to local leadership and team members while ensuring a welcoming, organized, and efficient workplace for employees, clients, and visitors.

This position requires a proactive individual who enjoys balancing executive support responsibilities with office management and reception duties. The successful candidate will be the first point of contact for visitors and will play a key role in maintaining a positive office environment and supporting day-to-day business operations.

What You’ll Do

Executive & Administrative Support

• Provide administrative support to Marine leadership and team members.
• Manage calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate conference calls and client appointments.
• Arrange travel, accommodations, and related logistics.
• Prepare presentations, reports, correspondence, and meeting materials.
• Organize team meetings, client events, and office functions.
• Process expense reports and assist with invoice administration.
• Maintain confidential business information with professionalism and discretion.

Office Management & Reception

• Serve as the primary in-office presence and first point of contact for visitors.
• Welcome guests, clients, candidates, and vendors, ensuring a professional experience.
• Answer and direct incoming telephone calls and inquiries.
• Receive, sort, distribute, and coordinate outgoing mail and deliveries.
• Manage office supplies, kitchen inventory, and general office organization.
• Coordinate office maintenance requests and vendor relationships.
• Assist with onboarding logistics for new hires, including workspace setup and office orientation.
• Ensure conference rooms and common areas are maintained and presentation-ready.

Team & Culture Support

• Support employee engagement activities, celebrations, and office events.
• Coordinate catering, meeting logistics, and hospitality arrangements.
• Help foster a collaborative, welcoming, and professional office environment.
• Provide general administrative support across the Marine team as needed.

Skills & Experience

• 3+ years of experience in an Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Receptionist, or similar role.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Professional and service-oriented demeanor with strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to interact confidently with clients, executives, and external visitors.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Experience coordinating travel, meetings, and office operations preferred.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

What Makes You Successful

• You are highly organized and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• You enjoy being the person others rely on to keep things running smoothly.
• You take initiative and solve problems before they become issues.
• You are welcoming, polished, and comfortable serving as the face of the office.
• You enjoy balancing administrative responsibilities with hands-on office coordination.

Work Arrangement

This position is an in-office role based in St. Louis, Missouri, five days per week. Regular in-person presence is required to support the office, team members, and visitors.

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.