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 23,000 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 is seeking a Receptionist to join our Reception team. You are expected to be the first point of contact for all guests and maintaining a high service standard.
Please note this is a full-time, fully onsite, permanent role based in our central London head office.
Role Responsibilities:
Meet and greet clients and visitors in a professional manner and ensuring they are well looked after whilst in our offices
Rotating daily between 5 reception desks throughout the building, getting to know each floor and their specific duties
Working as part of dynamic reception team, helping to maintain a high level of service to all clients
Booking on the day meeting rooms via the Condeco meeting room booking system as and when needed
Liaising with the Hospitality team on any changes to catering bookings on the day
Managing the booking of couriers for domestic and international deliveries
Ensuring seamless communication is in place between the Hospitality and Reservations teams regarding any hospitality requirements or room bookings for all meetings and internal events.
Ensure that all visitors sign in and are issued with a visitors pass, keeping records up to date of all visitors in the building and any temporary passes assigned and returned or deactivated if not returned, liaising with the Front of House Coordinator
Maintaining an open line of communication with the CRES (facilities) team and reporting any issues as soon as known
Complete a weekly temporary and event pass audit when working on the ground floor
Taking new starter photos for access passes and forwarding them on to the Front of House Coordinator to create them
Understanding that some tasks may be asked of you outside of your daily tasks and proceeding without issue
Maintain a high level of understanding of the company’s policies and procedures and applying them to everyday work
Ensure all reception areas are consistently maintained to a high standard, liaising with the cleaners when necessary
Assisting the hospitality team in ensuring that all client meeting rooms on the 14th floor are reset after every meeting
Covering of the switchboard, answering calls for all Howden departments and ensuring they filtered to the correct teams
Maintain a polished appearance, ensuring your uniform is well kept
Role Requirements:
Previous experience of working in a similar reception role, where you have gained excellent interpersonal skills to deliver high quality face-to-face contact with clients and visitors
A strong level of administrative experience
Excellent customer service skills
Maintain a professional manner when answering the telephones
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Excellent communication skills, in both verbal and written English
Good time management, with ability to prioritise and multitask
Basic level of knowledge for all Microsoft Office suites
Experience of working in the service industry desired
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.
Permanent