Who are we?

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 mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 18,000 employees spanning over 100 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

Howden Group is an international insurance intermediary group composed of a number of specialist Operating Entities. 

The jobholder is wholly assigned to an Operating Entity (within which there may be a number of distinct Trading Companies). The jobholder will report directly into the Chief Risk Officer - Europe.

The jobholder will support the Chief Risk Officer – Europe, who is responsible for overseeing that the European offices of the Operating Entity implement regulatory systems and controls that meet applicable regulatory and legislative requirements based on the territories within which they operate. This will include undertaking the following for each of the Operating Entity’s European offices:

Development and maintenance of the Annual Compliance Plan.

Management of a team of dedicated specialists coordinating their activities ensuring they provide technical support to the Operating Entity.

Oversight of the successful implementation and execution of the Annual Compliance Plan.

Ensuring that responsibilities and agreed objectives are completed in accordance with the relevant Company and/or Group policies, and consistent with their assigned responsibilities.

The jobholder will work with other Compliance Function Managers/Officers to implement appropriate regulatory controls, ensuring where possible, consistency of approach across all of the Operating Entity’s Trading Companies.

Location: Luxembourg/France

Assigned Operating Entity: Howden Specialty Luxembourg Sarl

What you’ll do

Provide input to the Chief Risk Officer - Europe in preparing the European Compliance element of the Annual Compliance Plan.

Ownership of the Conduct Risk Framework for Europe, including development of the Conduct Risk Committee and the POG, ownership of conduct-related policies, compliance reporting, and oversight of the delivery of good customer outcomes.

Responsible for horizon scanning and assessment of the impact of emerging regulatory requirements across multiple European jurisdictions, including (but not limited to) Luxembourg, France, and Germany.

Lead regulatory change projects, ensuring timely adaptation and compliance.

Support the team in providing compliance advice to the Operating Entity.

Provide timely and considered guidance on a range of insurance topics across Europe.

Act as a key contributor to Board and Risk Committees.

Support the CRO in responding strategically to emerging compliance and customer-impacting initiatives.

Work closely with the Compliance Monitoring Team to identify emerging trends and potential risks for the European offices, their clients, and other market counterparties.

Respond to concerns, issues, or breaches identified within the European offices by first- or second-line defence functions.

Act as a regulatory technical referral point for the business.

Provide regular updates on applicable legislative matters, arising issues, and management actions from compliance reviews.

Organise regular meetings with operational functions in each European office to coordinate activities and share compliance updates.

Attend regular business-unit governance meetings to provide compliance updates.

Identify and oversee training needs for the European offices, including induction for new employees.

Ensure the accurate and timely completion of any applicable regulatory returns relating to the Operating Entity’s European offices.

Maintain an active relationship with relevant regulators, ensuring appropriate representation and responsiveness where necessary.

Policy, Process and Procedures:

Support the Chief Risk Officer – Europe in delivering and maintaining second-line defence policies and procedures for the Operating Entity’s European offices.

Regularly review the Operating Entity’s policies and procedures (e.g., OPMs) to ensure continued fitness for purpose.

Interpret new regulatory developments and implement corresponding actions within the policies and procedures framework.

Environment, Customer Focus and Relationships:

Build strong relationships across the business to promote a positive image of the Compliance Team and efficiently support work activities.

Seek opportunities to enhance Compliance Team effectiveness through collaboration with colleagues and other departments (e.g., OCRs, Internal Audit, Legal), sharing knowledge and insights.

Maintain open lines of communication within and outside the Compliance Team.

Maintain awareness of organisational structures and activities, including cross-border operations and intercompany relationships.

Stay up to date with regulatory developments and support the business in assessing impacts and enhancing controls.

Represent the Company at relevant industry forums, regulatory meetings, and training events to ensure knowledge of evolving regulatory expectations and market trends.

Ensure a strong focus on customer outcomes and conduct risk management across all European offices.

Personal Development:

Proactively undertake personal development to stay updated on compliance best practices and regulatory changes.

Ensure awareness of external, industry, legal, and regulatory developments affecting the Operating Entity and the wider Group.

Keep informed of all legal and regulatory developments relevant to the European compliance function.

Regulatory and Compliance:

The Board of each Operating Entity expects the highest standards of corporate governance, operational excellence, and financial reporting from all employees. Specific responsibilities include:

Ensuring compliance with all applicable legal, fiscal, and regulatory obligations in the form of policies and procedures.

Ensuring correct authorisation is obtained and processes followed in accordance with the Operating Entity and/or Group requirements.

Ensuring performance, HR, and T&C records are maintained accurately and meet the Group’s requirements (including for any direct reports).

Maintaining accurate records and handling correspondence appropriately.

Operating in an honest, professional, and ethical manner.

Strictly adhering to the Group Employee Code of Conduct.

Completing all relevant regulatory training.

Ensuring ongoing competency in compliance roles, including oversight of team members where applicable.

Who we’re looking for

Proven experience in identifying and interpreting insurance regulatory requirements and developing/overseeing compliance systems and controls.

Strong knowledge of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) and other applicable EU insurance directives, particularly in relation to insurance broking.

Experience with regulatory requirements across multiple EU states, including Luxembourg and France.

Understanding of conduct risk controls and customer outcome requirements.

Previous experience in a financial services firm, ideally within the insurance sector.

Strong understanding of insurance principles, products, and services.

Ability to interact with regulatory bodies and represent the firm externally where necessary.

Self-starter with a strong ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Team-oriented with strong interpersonal and influencing skills.

Logical and structured thinker.

Effective listener and communicator.

Strong planning, organisational, and time-management skills.

Ability to simplify complex regulatory concepts for various stakeholders.

University degree in Law, Finance, Risk Management, or a related field

Professional certification in compliance, risk, or insurance.

Minimum 5 years of experience in compliance, legal, or risk functions within insurance or financial services.

Fluent in French and English required. Knowledge of any other European languages would be beneficial.

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.

Permanent