HR Employee Services Lead

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. 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 mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 20,000 employees spanning over 100 countries. Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There’s no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That’s Howden. Why work at Howden? We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will. 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 disappointed head- hunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden. What is the role? The HR Employee Services (HRES) Lead is responsible for leading the delivery of employee-centered HR services that support an exceptional employee experience while ensuring operational excellence, compliance, scalability, and continuous improvement. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for HR service delivery, workforce planning, case management, operational oversight, process optimization, and organizational capability development. The HRES Lead oversees a team responsible for delivering consistent and efficient HR services and partners closely with HR Centers of Excellence, HR Business Partners, Payroll, HRIS, Compliance, Legal, and business leaders to drive operational performance, optimize service delivery, and support business objectives. Key Responsibilities: Lead the delivery of HR Employee Services operations, ensuring timely, and employee-centered support that meets established service, quality, productivity, and performance standards. Develop, coach, and lead a high-performing team by fostering accountability, collaboration, engagement, continuous learning, and a culture of service excellence. Drive operational excellence by overseeing service delivery, workload management, operational oversight, and resource prioritization to achieve business and service objectives. Oversee workforce planning, capacity management, and resource allocation to ensure operational readiness and the ability to meet current and future business demands. Serve as the escalation point for complex employee matters, providing sound judgment and balancing employee experience, compliance requirements, operational effectiveness, and business priorities. Partner with the wider HR Operations function to implement SLAs, review documentation quality, knowledge management, and continuous enhancement of service delivery capabilities. Build strong partnerships with HR, Payroll, HRIS, Compliance, Legal, and business leaders to ensure alignment, resolve operational challenges, and enhance the employee experience. Lead process optimization, standardization, automation, and technology initiatives that improve efficiency, scalability, data integrity, and organizational effectiveness. Establish and maintain quality assurance, compliance, risk management, and operational control practices that ensure consistency, operational excellence, and adherence to company policies and regulatory requirements. Leverage operational metrics/reporting, workforce analytics, and business insights to identify trends, drive informed decision-making, and improve organizational and service performance. Lead organizational change, support mergers and acquisitions, and transformation initiatives by ensuring operational readiness, effective change management, and sustainable service delivery practices. Qualifications: Experience leading HR service delivery, knowledge management, workflow optimization, SLA management, and operational reporting. Strong knowledge of HR operations, employee services, shared services delivery models, employment practices, and compliance requirements. Demonstrated ability to lead teams, develop talent, drive organizational performance, and manage operational change. Experience with workforce planning, operational oversight, service delivery metrics, and continuous improvement methodologies. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills with the ability to translate data into operational and strategic decisions. Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills with the ability to build strong cross-functional partnerships. Ability to manage competing priorities and lead effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment. Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum of five (5) years of progressive HR operations, shared services, employee services, or customer service experience. Minimum of three (3) years of leadership experience managing teams and operational performance. Preferred Qualifications: Professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP, PHR) Experience with Workday HCM or other enterprise HRIS platforms. Experience leading HR technology implementations, digital transformation initiatives, or large-scale process improvement projects. Compensation and Benefits The expected base salary range for this role is $145,000 - $160,000; actual base salary will be determined based on factors including candidate experience and work location. This role is classified as [non-exempt/exempt] under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In addition to a competitive base salary, employees are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus. Howden also offers a variety of benefits and programs, subject to eligibility, including: • Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including healthcare savings and reimbursement accounts • 401(k) retirement plan • Flexible Paid Time Off and paid parental leave • Life and Disability insurance Our sustainability promise We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here. 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