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.
Purpose of the Role
The RFP Director will lead the delivery of complex, multi-product and multi-regional RFPs, driving best-in-class proposal outcomes that reflect Howden Re’s entrepreneurial culture, analytical depth, and client-first approach. This senior role will oversee pursuit and capture management for high-value opportunities, partner with business leaders to shape strategy, coach teams, and ensure submissions articulate Howden Re’s value proposition with clarity and impact.
In addition, the RFP Director will manage day-to-day operations of the RFP team, ensuring resource allocation, workload balancing, and adherence to governance standards.
Key Responsibilities
1. Pursuit & Capture Leadership
- Lead the pursuit and capture process for large, strategic RFPs across multiple product lines and geographies.
- Develop and execute win strategies, collaborating with broking, analytics, actuarial, and product teams.
- Oversee qualification, RFP/no-RFP decisions, and pursuit planning for major opportunities.
2. Proposal Strategy & Delivery
- Direct the end-to-end delivery of complex RFPs, ensuring submissions are client-centric, compliant, and differentiated.
- Serve as the primary client-facing lead for RFP debriefs, clarifications, and strategic discussions.
- Partner with business development and client teams to tailor proposals to client needs and procurement criteria.
3. Team Management & Operational Oversight
- Line-manage senior RFP managers and RFP specialists, providing guidance, feedback, and development plans.
- Allocate resources effectively across multiple concurrent projects, balancing priorities and deadlines.
- Implement and monitor operational processes, including scheduling, capacity planning, and risk management.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the team.
4. Storyboarding, Coaching & Presentation Excellence
- Lead storyboarding sessions to shape compelling proposal narratives and data-driven storytelling.
- Coach and mentor teams in both delivery skills and presentation layouts, elevating the quality of pitches and client meetings.
- Oversee the design, language, and presentation quality of all proposals to reflect Howden Re’s brand and culture.
5. Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
- Build strong relationships with senior leadership, product heads, and regional teams to align proposals with business goals.
- Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, ensuring timely and high-quality contributions from all stakeholders.
- Provide feedback and coaching to enhance team capability in pursuit management and client engagement.
6. Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
- Monitor and report on key performance metrics (win rate, response time, content quality, stakeholder feedback).
- Drive continuous improvement in proposal processes, tools, and content libraries.
- Ensure adherence to brand, compliance, and confidentiality standards.
Qualifications & Experience
- Experience: RFP proposal, or pursuit/capture management roles, ideally within (re)insurance, financial services, or consulting.
- Demonstrated success leading large, complex RFPs across multiple product lines and regions.
- Advanced skills in storyboarding, proposal writing, and coaching teams in presentations and pitches.
- Strong client-facing experience, including debriefs and strategic discussions.
- Deep understanding of (re)insurance solutions, industry trends, and client procurement processes.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; commercial acumen; project management capability.
- Familiarity with proposal management tools and best practices.
Key Attributes
- Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline.
- Collaborative and persuasive communicator, able to influence at all levels.
- Meticulous attention to detail under tight deadlines.
- Entrepreneurial mindset aligned with Howden’s culture of empowerment and innovation.
- Passion for developing others and elevating team performance.
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