HR Business Partner

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.

We are looking for a proactive and people-focused HR Business Partner to support our Specialty business. This role is perfect for someone with a solid HR Business Partnering foundation who is ready to take the next step in their career, working closely with senior HR colleagues and business leaders across Howden to drive a commercially aligned people agenda.

As a key member of the Specialty HR team, you will provide hands-on support across a range of HR activities, including employee relations, talent development, engagement, and HR operations, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnering

• Act as a trusted advisor to managers, providing guidance on HR policies, processes, and best practices.
• Support organisational change initiatives, including restructures and workforce planning.
• Assist in the implementation of HR strategies that enhance business performance and employee experience.
• A hands-on HR Business Partner. In this role, you will work on both strategic and operational HR matters developing effective relationships with key stakeholders.

Employee Relations & Engagement

• Support the business to manage complex employee relations matters, ensuring fair and consistent application of policies.
• Support employee engagement initiatives, helping to create a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Collaborate with leaders to address feedback from employee surveys and drive continuous improvement.

Talent & Development

• Support the Talent team across the talent management and succession planning processes, working closely with managers to identify and develop future leaders of the Howden Group.
• Coordinate learning and development initiatives, ensuring employees have access to the right training and career growth opportunities.
• Work alongside the Group Talent Acquisition team on external hiring and internal mobility
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across group functions.

HR Operations & Compliance

• Work with the centres of expertise to ensure HR policies and procedures remain up to date and are adopted by the assigned business unit.
• Working with the Reward COE to manage the annual performance and reward cycle for assigned business units, including salary reviews and bonuses.  
• Analyse HR data and trends, providing insights and recommendations to support decision-making.

Experience & Skills Required

• Exposure to and experience in international matrixed organisations and demonstrable track record as a HR Business Partner within similar fast paced, dynamic sectors where challenges are dealt with quickly and efficiently 
• Strong understanding of UK employment law and HR best practices.
• Ability to build strong relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proactive, solutions-focused mindset with a passion for continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• CIPD qualification (Level 5 or working towards Level 7) or equivalent experience.

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.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.