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.

Based in any of our Dublin offices, Howden Ireland are delighted to have a vacancy as an Business Development Executive for our Commercial book of business that will be an integral part of our wider Commercial team.

About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Sales and alongside the Sales Support Executive, this role will focus on identifying opportunities, building relationships, and delivering profitable new business growth.

The Business Development Executive will be responsible for generating and converting new commercial insurance business within Howden’s Commercial Division.

The successful candidate will own their pipeline from prospecting through to close, ensuring a high-quality client experience while operating in line with regulatory and compliance standards.

This is a revenue-generating role suited to a commercially driven, relationship-focused professional looking to build a long-term career within Howden.

Key Responsibilities:

Identify, prospect, and secure new commercial insurance clients across agreed sectors or target markets.
Build and manage a robust pipeline aligned with monthly and annual revenue targets.
Develop and execute structured prospecting strategies (referrals, networking, sector focus, introducers).
Lead client meetings, fact-finds, and proposal presentations.
Convert opportunities into profitable, sustainable accounts.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date pipeline reporting and forecasting.
Track activity levels, conversion ratios, and revenue performance against targets.
Work closely with the Head of Sales to review performance and refine strategy.
Ensure smooth handover to Account Management teams where appropriate.
Work in partnership with the Sales Support Executive to ensure efficient preparation of documentation, market submissions, and onboarding materials.
Ensure high-quality and compliant proposal documentation is issued to clients.
Provide clear direction and communication to support functions to maximise efficiency.
Build strong relationships with insurers and underwriters to secure competitive terms.
Stay informed on market conditions, pricing trends, and sector developments.
Position Howden’s proposition clearly and confidently in the market.
Represent Howden professionally at industry and networking events.
Ensure all sales activity adheres to Central Bank of Ireland regulations and internal compliance standards.
Maintain accurate records of client interactions and documentation.
Complete required CPD and maintain professional accreditation (APA / CIP as applicable).

About You:

Proven experience in business development, sales, or account acquisition (insurance or professional services preferred).
Strong commercial acumen and ability to identify growth opportunities.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
Self-motivated with the ability to manage a pipeline independently.
Strong organisational and time management capability.
Comfortable working to revenue targets and KPIs
Experience within commercial insurance brokerage
Knowledge of Irish insurance market and insurer appetite
CIP qualification
Existing professional network within target sectors
Resilient and adaptable in a competitive sales environment.

About Howden Ireland:

Howden Ireland is part of Howden, the global insurance intermediary group, and has over 600 employees across 28 local offices advising clients on their commercial insurance, personal insurance, health insurance, life and pensions and mortgage requirements. Our success is primarily down to the incredible people we employ.

For more information, please visit About Us | Howden Ireland (howdengroup.com)

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

Business Development Executive

Benefits

Job Description