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.

The Role

The role is responsible for leading the strategic direction, performance, budget and support of client relationships within the General Aviation (GA) team ultimately reporting to the General Aviation Exec on a monthly basis. This role combines senior leadership with hands-on commercial oversight, driving client retention and service excellence. The candidate will lead the team of General Aviation account managers and act as a senior escalation point as may be required.

What you'll do

• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing team of General Aviation account managers

• Define team structure, territories/producers and performance objectives aligned with business goals

• Identify training requirements, put in place succession planning to build capability within the team and ensure continued client support.

• Establish a culture of accountability, service excellence, and client-centricity

• Oversee a portfolio of key General Aviation accounts, acting as executive sponsor for strategic clients

• Focus on key relationships investing time and tailored resources to support the development of long-term partnerships with clients to drive retention

• Proactive, forward-looking planning, strategic account management involving plans that map out the client's requirements, anticipate their needs, and identify where you can add value ahead of time

• Ensure consistent, high-quality delivery of products and services tailored to GA customer needs

• Champion improvements in client experience across all touchpoints

• Resolve escalated client issues and ensure rapid, effective resolution

• Align closely with head of technical, operations and service teams to ensure seamless execution

• Deliver accurate budget forecasting, pipeline visibility, and strategic reporting to senior leadership

• Leverage Client Relationship Management tools and data analytics to optimize team performance and decision-making including: tracking each account manager's pipeline, renewal timelines, client touchpoints, and account health across the whole team enabling visibility without needing every detail relayed manually.

• Renewal/retention rates and where slippage is happening

• Workload/capacity balance across the team

• Client servicing turnaround times

Who we're looking for

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence at senior levels
• Deep understanding of General Aviation market dynamics and customer needs
• Exceptional relationship management and stakeholder engagement abilities
• Data-driven approach to optimise process and client service delivery

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.