Head of Property & Casualty Claims

Job description

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 To provide strategic leadership, technical oversight and operational direction across the Property and Casualty claims teams, ensuring a consistently high-quality claims service for clients, colleagues and market partners. The role is responsible for developing and implementing claims strategy, best practice and operating principles across these lines of business, ensuring alignment with wider business objectives, regulatory requirements and the overall claims value proposition. The role will support the visibility and profile of the claims function internally and externally, including through client engagement, tender support, market relationship management, thought leadership, using data to drive insights, training and collaboration with placing teams. The Strategic Claims Leader will act as the claims relationship contact for key large accounts, as well as a senior referral point for complex, high-value or sensitive claims matters, supporting colleagues in the effective management, escalation and resolution of claims. The role will also drive continuous improvement across people, process, technology and data, ensuring workloads are managed effectively, capability is developed, and claims insights are used to improve client outcomes and support business growth. The role requires a senior claims professional with strong technical expertise across Property and Casualty claims, proven leadership capability, commercial judgement, and the ability to operate confidently with clients, markets, senior stakeholders and global colleagues. What you'll do 1. Strategic Planning, Reporting and Business Performance Develop and implement the claims strategy for Property and Casualty claims, ensuring alignment with business priorities, claims operating principles and client service expectations. Contribute to operating plans, business planning and claims leadership discussions, ensuring that claims activity supports wider business goals. Provide high-quality, practical and commercially focused advice to senior stakeholders on claims strategy, service delivery, technical issues, market behaviour and emerging trends. Drive business performance through effective planning, prioritisation and support mechanisms, ensuring delivery of agreed objectives and service standards. Produce and present relevant management information, claims insights and performance updates to senior management, divisional leadership and other stakeholders as required. Lead or contribute to strategic claims projects and operational initiatives, including those involving service improvement, process standardisation, technology adoption, data quality and global claims capability. Ensure that the Property and Casualty claims teams are aligned with the relevant claims operating principles, service expectations and business priorities. 2. Technical Claims Leadership Act as a senior technical referral and escalation point for complex, high-value, contentious or strategically significant Property and Casualty claims. Provide expert oversight of claims handling strategy, ensuring that claims are investigated, evaluated, negotiated and resolved in a timely, commercial and client-focused manner. Support colleagues on larger or more complex accounts and claims, ensuring that the client’s needs are understood and effectively met. Review and advise on relevant claims documentation, coverage issues, insurer positions, market responses and negotiation strategy where appropriate. Support the presentation of complex claims to insurers and underwriters, ensuring that appropriate information, feedback and updates are provided to clients, insurers and internal stakeholders. Identify opportunities for proactive claims advocacy and ensure that claims strategies are aligned with client objectives, policy coverage and market dynamics. Ensure appropriate processes are in place for claims escalation, technical referral, file quality, peer review and consistent decision-making. Remain informed of relevant legal, regulatory, market and technical developments affecting Property and Casualty claims, ensuring that the team’s technical capability remains current and credible. 3. Client, Market and Business Development Support Promote a clear and compelling claims value proposition for Property and Casualty clients, both internally and externally. Support the sales process and client offering through involvement in tenders, prospect meetings, renewals, client reviews and placing team discussions. Work closely with account executives, brokers, placing teams and client-facing colleagues to ensure that claims considerations are integrated into client strategy, coverage discussions, renewals and wider client management. Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, insurers, loss adjusters, lawyers, experts and other market participants. Monitor market behaviour in relation to claims, including insurer responsiveness, coverage positions, negotiation trends and claims service standards, and provide feedback through relevant claims and divisional forums. Attend and present at client, insurer and market meetings as required, supporting business development and client retention objectives. Identify claims trends, legal developments, coverage themes and market issues that may be relevant to clients, placing teams and senior management. Contribute to the development of claims brochures, client-facing materials, tender content and other offering documents for Property and Casualty claims. 4. Operational Excellence, Process and Governance Drive a consistent, high-quality and efficient claims service across Property and Casualty claims. Review and improve claims processes, procedures and workflows to ensure they are effective, proportionate, compliant and aligned with agreed service levels. Ensure appropriate governance, documentation and communication standards are maintained across the teams. Monitor workloads and resource allocation, ensuring the strategic use of talent, technology and location to deliver measurable efficiencies and sustainable service delivery. Support the adoption of technology, claims systems and data-led processes that improve service, visibility, consistency and operational control. Ensure that claims records are accurate, complete and maintained in accordance with Group requirements, regulatory obligations and internal procedures. Support internal and external audit activity as required, ensuring that claims processes, controls and records are fit for purpose. Identify operational risks, process gaps and service issues, and ensure that appropriate remediation or improvement plans are implemented. 5. Data, Insight and Thought Leadership Lead the use of claims data and insights across Property and Casualty claims to inform decision-making, client discussions, market engagement and business planning. Work with data, analytics and operational teams to improve data quality, reporting and the effective presentation of claims trends and insights. Identify emerging risks, recurring claims themes, insurer behaviours, coverage issues and market developments, translating these into practical insights for clients and colleagues. Contribute to thought leadership and marketing initiatives, including articles, seminars, panel discussions, videos, podcasts, client briefings and internal updates. Develop and deliver training sessions for internal and external audiences, supporting ongoing technical development and awareness of claims issues across the business. Promote knowledge sharing across claims teams and wider business functions to strengthen collective expertise and client service. 6. People Leadership, Talent and Culture Provide visible leadership across the Property and Casualty claims teams, promoting a positive, inclusive, collaborative and high-performing culture. Develop and retain talent through coaching, mentoring, performance management, succession planning and structured development activity. Support team members in building technical capability, commercial judgement, client management skills and market credibility. Identify capability gaps and support recruitment, onboarding and development plans to strengthen claims expertise across the relevant lines of business. Act as a role model for positive leadership behaviours, collaboration, accountability and professional standards. Encourage open communication, knowledge sharing and mutual support across teams and geographies. Work with managers and senior leaders to ensure that performance, HR, training and competence records are maintained in accordance with Group requirements. Support less experienced colleagues on complex matters and contribute to their personal and professional development. 7. Global and Cross-Functional Collaboration Adopt a global perspective across Property and Casualty claims, helping to map claims capabilities, share best practice and strengthen communities of expertise. Collaborate with regional claims teams, placing teams, technical specialists, wordings experts, legal colleagues, data teams and operational functions to ensure a joined-up approach to common issues. Support the development of consistent claims standards, escalation routes, reporting frameworks and client service expectations across geographies. Contribute to global practice objectives and cross-border claims initiatives where relevant. Share information and insight that may benefit the wider business, including market intelligence, claims trends, client feedback and operational lessons learned. 8. Regulatory, Compliance and Professional Standards Ensure compliance with all applicable legal, fiscal, regulatory and operational obligations, including Group policies, procedures and conduct requirements. Maintain accurate records and ensure appropriate authorisation, documentation and communication standards are followed. Ensure that claims activity is undertaken honestly, professionally, fairly and ethically, with appropriate regard to client outcomes and regulatory expectations. Complete all relevant regulatory and mandatory training and ensure ongoing competence to perform the role. Support a culture of operational excellence, risk awareness, good governance and continuous improvement. Keep informed of legal and regulatory developments relevant to the business, the claims function and the Property and Casualty lines of business. Who we're looking for Extensive experience in claims management within the insurance sector, with strong technical expertise in Property and Casualty claims. Proven experience handling or overseeing complex, high-value, contentious or strategically significant claims. Strong understanding of the insurance market, including insurer behaviour, claims negotiation dynamics, coverage issues and client service expectations. Experience working with clients, brokers, insurers, lawyers, loss adjusters, experts and other market participants. Experience supporting business development, tenders, renewals, client meetings and market-facing activity. Experience leading teams, developing talent and creating a positive, collaborative and high-performing team culture. Experience delivering operational improvements, process change, claims governance or claims transformation initiatives. Strong awareness of the regulatory environment and the importance of compliant, ethical and well-governed claims practices. Experience working across multiple jurisdictions, regions or business units would be advantageous. Familiarity with claims data, management information and insight-led decision-making. Strategic thinker with the ability to translate business priorities into clear claims objectives and practical delivery plans. Strong technical claims judgement and the confidence to act as a senior referral point on complex matters. Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills. Strong relationship-building capability, with the ability to engage credibly with clients, markets, senior leaders and colleagues. Commercially focused and client-oriented, with a clear understanding of how claims service supports retention, growth and differentiation. Strong negotiation, advocacy and influencing skills. Analytical mindset, with the ability to interpret claims data, identify trends and convert insight into action. Able to lead through others, build capability and motivate teams. Collaborative, inclusive and able to work effectively across functions, geographies and lines of business. Calm and resilient under pressure, with the ability to manage competing priorities and complex issues. Innovative and improvement-focused, with a positive approach to change, technology and new ways of working. High levels of numeracy, literacy and professional judgement. Committed to continuous learning, knowledge sharing and maintaining technical excellence. Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience. Relevant insurance, claims, legal, risk management or professional qualifications would be advantageous. Continued professional development in claims, insurance, leadership or relevant technical disciplines is expected. 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