Head of Data Strategy Delivery

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.

This role is to work with the Group Chief Data Officer (CDO) to ensure all elements of the new Group Data & AI Strategy are governed, delivered and committed value has been realised. The role will be part of the Group CDO leadership team and will have a mandate to work across the Group Data function along with the CDOs and data teams of each division. This role will be responsible for the successful planning and execution of content for all CDO governance forums and community meetings.

What will you be doing?

• Working with Group Data team and business Divisions to ensure all key strategic new data initiatives have a well defined business case with clearly identified tangible business benefits that can be approved at the relevant governance forums
• Ensure strategic data initiatives are set up for successful delivery with appropriate skilled people in key roles
• Ensure all key dependencies between strategic data and AI initiatives are clearly articulated & managed and critical paths are well understood
• Ensure progress tracking mechanisms are in place and key milestones and outcomes are monitored
• Ensure all initiatives and the portfolio overall has appropriate governance and forums are well attended
• Ensure committed value from strategic initiatives is delivered and successfully communicated to key stakeholders
• Support commercial realisation of key initiative outcomes with business divisions

Who will you be working with?

• Group Chief Data Officer
• Group Data & AI Leadership team and team members
• Divisional leadership
• Divisional Data & AI teams
• Divisional Chief Data Officers
• Finance
• Technology
• Risk

What do we need from you?

• Extensive experience operating at a senior level, reporting directly to COO/CIO/CDO.
• Demonstrable experience influencing and navigating within large corporate Financial Services environments.
• Deep expertise in data and analytics, with a strong understanding of how to leverage data for commercial outcomes and drive measurable business value.
• Demonstrated ability to commercialize data-led initiatives, translating insights into actionable strategies that deliver financial and operational impact.
• Strong business case development skills and the ability to articulate ROI for data and analytics investments.
• Experience running and leading Group-level governance forums.
• Shown delivery (outcome) tracking skills with a focus on achieving tangible results.
• Financial analysis expertise, including assessing the commercial impact of data-driven initiatives.
• Solid understanding of Data & AI technologies and their application in driving business outcomes.

What technologies would you be using?

• Office 365/ Outlook / Excel / Word / Powerpoint / MS Teams

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