Job Description

Job Description

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 mind-set, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 20,000 employees spanning over 100 countries.

Our people are our biggest asset as well as our largest shareholder group and are everything that makes us unique; our inclusive culture, the quality service we offer our clients, and our continued growth, all come from our people-first approach. There’s no such thing as individual success. We all need to play our part, contributing our skills and experience to make a true difference. That’s Howden.

Why work at Howden?

We have always been employee-owned and driven by entrepreneurial spirit. Right from the beginning, we've focused on employing talented individuals and empowering them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers at the same time. Simply put, we hire talented specialists and give them what they need to make a difference for clients. Always have, always will.

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 disappointed head-hunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work/life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

What is the role?

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Surplus Lines Leader to oversee the end-to-end management of surplus lines compliance and operations across all applicable jurisdictions. This individual will serve as the subject matter expert on surplus lines regulations, ensuring our organization remains compliant, efficient, and aligned with state and federal regulatory requirements. The ideal candidate will lead a team of analysts, collaborate cross-functionally with underwriting, legal, operations, and finance teams, and act as the primary point of contact for surplus lines regulatory bodies and industry associations.

What will you be doing?

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead and develop the Surplus Lines team, providing strategic direction, training, and performance management.
• Establish and enforce company-wide surplus lines policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Act as the company's primary authority on surplus lines regulatory compliance across all U.S. states and territories.
• Partner with executive leadership to drive compliance strategy and mitigate regulatory risk.

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure timely and accurate filings of all surplus lines documentation (affidavits, tax filings, reports, etc.) in accordance with individual state requirements.
• Oversee the calculation and payment of surplus lines taxes and fees.
• Monitor changes in state and federal surplus lines laws and proactively implement necessary procedural updates.

Operational Oversight

• Maintain and enhance surplus lines processes through continuous improvement and automation where appropriate.
• Ensure accurate tracking of surplus lines policy data, including new business, renewals, endorsements, and cancellations.
• Oversee the use and management of systems such as SLIP, OPTins, ELANY, and other state-specific platforms.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work cross-functionally with underwriting, compliance, accounting, IT, and legal teams to ensure coordinated surplus lines management.
• Serve as a liaison with state surplus lines associations and regulatory bodies.
• Support internal and external audits by providing necessary documentation and guidance.

What are we looking for?

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Insurance, Finance, Risk Management, or related field. Advanced degree or professional designations (e.g., CPCU, AINS, ARM) are a plus.
• Minimum of 7+ years in surplus lines compliance or insurance regulatory operations, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management role.
• Deep knowledge of multi-state surplus lines laws and regulatory processes.
• Proven leadership and team management skills
• In-depth understanding of U.S. surplus lines regulations and tax compliance
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and insurance regulatory systems (e.g., SLIP, OPTins, ELANY)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a brokerage, MGA, or wholesale insurance environment.
• Previous participation in industry working groups, compliance roundtables, or regulatory advisory committees.

What do we offer in return? A career that you define.

Our business succeeds by allowing our people to make a mark in the areas they care about most: personal development, volunteering, and fundraising for charity, or creating new insurance products that address society’s greatest challenges.

And we know that separate home and work lives don't really exist. If you're happy and healthy at home, you're more likely to be happy and fulfilled at work – and vice versa. That's why we do our best to support our people in every aspect of their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Howden we value diversity - there is no one Howden ‘personality 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 consider our people our chief competitive advantage and as such we treat colleagues, candidates, clients, and business partners with equality, fairness, and respect – regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or family circumstances.

Our sustainability promise

We’re on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.

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