Senior Change Lead - IT Strategy and Transformation

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.

What is the role?

Howden is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Change Lead. Our business is currently in the process of delivering a portfolio of projects designed to facilitate transformational change using technology as a core lever. As the business adopts this portfolio of IT change, it needs support to ensure it realises the benefits and embeds new ways of working the changes will bring.

The ideal candidate will be working within our Change Team, responsible for driving and managing change initiatives across our portfolio of projects, ensuring successful adoption and implementation of new processes, systems, and behaviours across the organisation. This role requires a proactive individual who is capable of working in a fast paced environment and has a proven track record in change management. Experience of working in the London Market or Insurance Industry would be beneficial.

Please note this role is initially a 12-month Fixed Term Contract (FTC). You will be based out of our Central London office and follow a hybrid work pattern of being onsite 2-3 days per week on average. There may be some travel requirements with the role to support project implementations.

What will you be doing?

Working in IT Strategy and Transformation as part of the Change Team this role will be supporting the delivery of a variety of projects and required to carry out the following change management scope:

• Work closely as part of the Change Management Team to realise the team vision and objectives and support the team management to integrate continuous improvement strategies into the team.
• Develop and implement change management strategies and plans that maximise employee adoption and minimise resistance, working in collaboration with Project Teams, Change Management Team and key stakeholders.
• Facilitate the business thinking about the impacts required by the technology changes and ensure people changes are understood and appreciated and the right level of support is provided to those impacted.
• Engage with key stakeholders to understand their needs and concerns, and ensure their involvement and support throughout the change process, creating and delivering effective communication plans.
• Design and deliver training programs in conjunction with the training team to equip employees with the skills and knowledge needed to adapt to change. Ensure training is delivered in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Track and report on the progress of change initiatives, identifying and addressing any issues or risks. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of change initiatives and regularly evaluate progress against established metrics.
• Supporting in the creation of a benefits realisation plan to measure benefits and outlining activities required to achieve the project benefit outcomes. Work with the benefit owners to ensure that benefits outcomes are clear and reflective of the phased delivery.

What are we looking for?

• Previous experience in a similar change management role where you would have gained extensive experience in delivering change for complex global change programmes.
• Strong change management skills, with a focus on timely delivery and excellent prioritisation skills and a passion for change management!
• Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills and an ability to work with a variety of stakeholders and senior managers within a complex, fast paced organisation.
• You must have strong communication skills and an ability to make clear headed decisions under pressure.
• Experience of working within a global organisation, financial services or London Market insurance operations would be preferable.
• A certification in change management is desirable.

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.

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.