Head of Captive Services

Howden • Guernsey, WY

1d

About The Position

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. The role Lead the Guernsey Captive Services business with full autonomy to set and execute the strategy, ensuring alignment with Group objectives and Divisional CEO vision. Oversee a diverse portfolio of structures across the alternative risk market - including ILS arrangements, commercial life and general (re)insurance entities. Lead the stewardship for key clients while setting and embedding the stewardship standards for the portfolio, ensuring exceptional service, retention, and long-term value, while providing strong people leadership to build an engaged, high-performing team. Drive operational excellence, maintain robust governance, and explore opportunities for growth. Own the P&L, ensuring financial performance meets strategic goals, and maintaining the business’s position as a market leader in Captive Services. As the offering continues to grow, the remit of this role may evolve to reflect expanding client needs, service lines, or geographical coverage.

Requirements

• Proven experience leading sizeable teams, with a track record of building engagement and delivering results.
• Significant experience in senior‑level client stewardship, including managing key accounts, driving retention, and delivering long‑term client value.
• Demonstrated ability to set and execute strategic direction with full autonomy.
• Experience managing complex operations and driving efficiency.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven experience in P&L ownership and financial accountability at a senior leadership level.
• Extensive experience in budget management and resource planning.

Nice To Haves

• Experience within captive insurance, alternative risk transfer, or regulated insurance entities (preferred but not essential).
• Understanding of captive management, governance, regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements (preferred; deep technical expertise not required).

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Expansion Define and implement the local business strategy aligned with Group priorities.
• Translate strategy into actionable plans for the team through clear, consistent communication.
• Drive operational efficiency and process optimisation within the team.
• Provide regular updates to the Guernsey Board and Divisional CEO on progress and strategic initiatives.
• Own the P&L for the Guernsey Captive Services business, ensuring financial performance aligns with strategic objectives.
• Shape the long-term positioning of the captive services offering within the alternative risk market.
• Oversee analysis of client and portfolio profitability to guide commercial decisions, pricing strategies and team focus.
• Work with the International Captives Leader to ensure pricing for new business aligns with both global strategic priorities and local commercial objectives.
• Champion the consistent application of the brand strategy across client deliverables and reporting to support a cohesive client experience.
• Develop succession plans for senior leadership to ensure director transitions are seamless and maintain confidence for clients.
• Provide strategic input to the International Captives Leader on the development of the support model for captive services internationally, ensuring Guernsey’s operational and client‑service requirements are reflected.
• Lead senior‑level relationships across the captive ecosystem - including regulators, industry bodies, professional partners, and the wider Howden Group - to enhance reputation, support growth and enable strategic collaboration.
• Provide senior oversight of systems, processes and time‑recording discipline, ensuring they remain aligned to evolving operational, financial and client-service needs.
• Communicate with clarity, authority and influence across senior internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment on strategic priorities and client outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships within Multinational Clients Practice and across the Howden Group.
• Oversee commercial performance across the captive portfolio, ensuring revenue growth, account profitability and annual earnings progression across all client accounts.
• Ensure commercial discipline across charging mechanisms, including captive feasibility work and other non-core services, ensuring pricing is applied consistently and aligned with financial objectives.
• Client & Stakeholder Engagement Provide proactive stewardship of key captive accounts, ensuring long-term client value, early identification of emerging needs and a disciplined focus on account profitability.
• Provide strategic leadership for client relationships, ensuring alignment with their evolving needs and business objectives.
• Maintain strong, trust-based partnerships with key clients to drive retention and long-term value.
• Represent the business externally as a thought leader, building Howden’s profile in the captive market.
• Build and maintain strong relationships within Multinational Clients Practice and across the Howden Group.
• Engage proactively with regulators, shareholders, and industry bodies to protect and enhance the company’s reputation.
• Act as a senior advisor to captive owners, boards, and risk managers on captive utilisation, optimisation, and emerging risk trends.
• Serve as a Director on key client boards, where appointed, providing strategic insight and governance oversight.
• Identify and shape opportunities for account growth - including additional product lines, expanded services and feasibility studies - working in close partnership with the Growth Team.
• Participate in some prospecting and new‑business discussions alongside the Growth Team, leveraging strong industry relationships to represent the Guernsey Captive Services offering with senior‑level credibility.
• Leverage strong industry relationships to generate interest in Howden’s captive capabilities, helping to create qualified prospect opportunities in partnership with the Growth Team.
• Travel as required to represent the Guernsey Captive Services business with key clients, prospects and stakeholders.
• Operational Excellence & Compliance Ensure all operations meet legal and regulatory standards, maintaining robust governance frameworks.
• Identify areas of inefficiency and implement improvements to enhance profitability.
• Encourage the team to leverage central resources and support functions to maximise efficiencies.
• Oversee key captive management activities, including underwriting governance, regulatory reporting, capital adequacy, and audit readiness.
• Be the primary point of contact for the GFSC on matters relating to the insurance manager.
• Maintain strategic awareness of the Guernsey and Bermudan regulatory environment, ensuring that local operations, governance structures and client strategies remain aligned with regulatory expectations.
• Leverage insights from historical performance, client outcomes and operational challenges to inform strategic decision‑making and drive continuous improvement.
• Provide senior oversight of captive services delivered into Bermuda, ensuring alignment with local regulatory expectations and effective coordination with on‑island stakeholders and industry partners.
• People Leadership & Culture Shape and role‑model Howden’s culture locally, creating a high‑performing, values‑led environment that supports growth, collaboration, and operational excellence.
• Establish and communicate clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations within the team.
• Provide structured, constructive feedback to encourage positive behaviours and high performance.
• Champion career progression and capability building across the team.
• Lead succession planning for key roles, ensuring capability depth and continuity for clients and regulatory obligations.
• Lead with emotional intelligence and authenticity to inspire and engage the team.
• Promote a culture of teamwork and shared learning, minimising siloed working.
• Demonstrate agility and openness to change, actively driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop technical capability within the team to ensure sustained deep expertise in captive management and regulatory requirements.
• Propose reward decisions for the full team that align with the Group’s reward approach and strategic objectives.
• Board Responsibilities Collaborate with the Guernsey Board on governance, resource planning, and budget management.
• Collectively progress the business through change in line with strategic priorities.
• Provide informed oversight and perspective on captive performance, risk trends, and regulatory developments.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed