Business Development Executive - Commercial & Schemes

Who are we?

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. 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 24,000 employees spanning over 56 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.

Howden – Commercial & Schemes are on the hunt for a Business Development Executive to join our highly successful team and develop your experience and career within the insurance market. This is a lead-generation focused role to identify opportunities, generate pipeline, and support new business growth.

You will be responsible for engaging with potential clients using telephone and e-mail. Developing early-stage relationships that convert into high-quality opportunities for our account brokers. The Business Development Executive will demonstrate strong communication skills, resilience, and the ability to build rapport quickly while maximising new business opportunities.

Please note this is a full-time, permanent opportunity. You will be based in our Perth office and be onsite for 5 days per week.

Overview:

• Proactively generate new business opportunities through outbound telesales activity across the Schemes teams.
• Research, identify, and contact prospective clients to create a consistent and high-quality new business pipeline.
• Qualify prospects effectively before passing warm opportunities to the relevant Account Brokers
• Effectively communicating with prospects to secure commitment, including return of proposal forms
• Accurately record all prospect activity, outcomes, and next actions on Acturis, ensuring pipelines are always up to date.
• Positively engaging with marketing campaigns, projects and initiatives
• Work closely with Account Brokers and Team Leaders to align prospecting activity with specific strategies and targets.
• Maintaining an up-to-date understanding of competitors, market activity and positioning
• Monitoring competitor activity and recommending tactical actions where appropriate
• Planning and managing workload and diary to maximise productivity
• Build initial rapport with prospective clients and deliver a strong first impression of Howden.

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of Commercial Insurance is desirable but not essential.
• Acturis knowledge is preferred but not required (training will be provided).

Skills:

• Strong telephone-based sales and prospecting skills.
• Confident, professional, and engaging communication style.
• Ability to handle objections and remain resilient.
• Excellent organisational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage volume activity while maintaining quality conversations.
• Strong time management and the ability to prioritise effectively.
• Results-driven mindset with a proactive approach to meeting targets.
• Ability to build rapport quickly with a wide variety of clients.
• Competent IT skills, including CRM systems and Microsoft Office.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience in telesales, lead generation, or a sales-based role is preferred.
• Insurance experience is advantageous but not essential.
• Willingness to work towards professional insurance qualifications (Cert CII desirable).

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.