Head of Data Science and Actuarial (Maternity Cover)

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 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 recruiting for a fixed-term contract for Head of Data Science and Actuarial for Howden’s UK & Ireland retail business. You will be leading a cross-functional team of data scientists, analysts and pricing experts to deliver predictive modelling and data insight to all of our retail broking pillars across wide variety of product lines. The role sits alongside our Heads of Data Architecture and BI Delivery in jointly running UK&I’s Data Team. You will be based remotely; however, we do like to meet up from time to time to collaborate and share ideas.

Overview:

• Lead and mentor a medium-sized team (c.12 people)
• Collaborate with stakeholders from across 5 retail pillars (Consumer & Local Commercial, Corporate & Commercial, Health and Benefits, Mortgages & Financial Planning, and Ireland) and our Tech companies.
• Work directly with external partners, in particular our capacity providers as well as colleagues in wider Howden businesses.
• Alongside our Heads of Data Architecture and BI Delivery, run the UK&I retail Data Team day-to-day and shape the overall data strategy.
• Develop and maintain our suite of predictive models, including both pricing models and behavioural models.
• Lead our growing data analysis function which delivers timely, accurate and insightful analysis to support profitable growth and improved client experience.
• Help shape pricing and product strategy, with a particular focus on our personal lines products.

Experience & Qualifications

• Good knowledge of the insurance industry, particularly the UK broking space
• Experience leading pricing and/or data science teams
• Expertise in predictive modelling, machine learning and analytical techniques. Experience with generative AI would be beneficial but not mandatory.
• Actuarial qualification desirable – or qualified by experience.

Skills

• Strong leadership and strategic planning skills
• Clear communicator – ability to extract clear recommendations from data and communicate impact on business strategy.
• Stakeholder management – able to support a wide variety of stakeholders from different backgrounds
• Innovative and focused – a passion for extracting real business value from data.

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.

Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term)