KGM Finance Director

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.

Job description

KGM Underwriting Services – Finance Director

KGM Underwriting Services Limited is the UK’s leading specialist Motor Insurance MGA. Operating across a broad spectrum of products, from classic car insurance to commercial fleet cover, KGM has achieved strong growth in recent years through its focus on fast, friendly and flexible service combined with deep underwriting expertise. We are proud to have won the MGA of the Year Gold Award in 2024, reflecting the strength of our customer and broker propositions. KGM is part of DUAL UK, within the Howden Group.

KGM is seeking a bright, engaging and hands-on Finance Director to lead our Finance team and partner the senior management team to formulate and deliver an exciting growth strategy.

This is a key role within the business reporting directly to the MD and Group stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant (ACA / CIMA / ACCA) with a proven track record in leading and developing a finance team, driving strategic and tactical financial planning and analysis, and optimising P&L outcomes.

There will be extensive interaction with the wider Group and therefore the role requires someone who demonstrates strong EQ, IQ and communication skills as well as a proven ability to succeed in a matrix organisational structure.

This is an excellent opportunity to join an exciting business with exposure to a broad range of responsibilities and future prospects.

Responsibilities:

• Partnering the CEO and senior stakeholders on strategic decisions
• Direct the development of key KPIs, identify opportunities and provide commercial leadership and challenge to the SMT
• Ownership of the development and preparation of short-term and long-range forecasts
• Direct and participate in growth activities to support overall business objectives and plans
• Execution of business strategies for company products and services in line with financial targets
• Oversight of the financial control environment, working alongside the Group functions
• Lead and develop the finance function to meet the needs of the business locally, and group-wide
• Provide input to the group functions to support their delivery of statutory reporting, cashflow management, forecasting, internal controls and tax matters
• Lead in any M&A activities

Candidate Requirements:

• Insurance industry experience desirable but not essential
• Positive, warm, energetic, engaging and a self-starter
• Excellent Academics
• ACA/CIMA Qualified
• Career history demonstrating strong PQE and progression
• Strong technical financial knowledge
• Demonstrable experience of strategic financial planning and analysis in a fast growth environment
• Strong managerial and team leadership skills
• Highly proficient in use of IT applications / software commonly used by finance departments
• Excellent interpersonal and communication / presentation skills with the ability to influence
• A strong knowledge of financial controls and reconciliation principles
• Evidence of ability and appetite to succeed in in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving growth business
• Experience in mergers, acquisitions and disposals is helpful

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.