Deputy CFO & Head of Japan M&A

Who are we?Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. We're experts helping clients adapt and thrive in a changing 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 24,000 employees and spanning 56 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.About the roleWe are seeking an experienced finance and corporate development leader to join our Japan executive team as Deputy CFO & Head of Japan M&A.Reporting to the CFO and working closely with the CEO and senior leadership team, this is a highly visible role combining finance leadership with responsibility for Japan’s M&A agenda.You will help drive financial performance and strategic decision-making while leading acquisitions from opportunity identification through execution and integration.What you’ll be doingFinance LeadershipPartner with the CFO to drive financial performance across the Japan business.Lead budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and performance management.Provide financial insight and analysis to support executive decision-making.Strengthen financial governance, controls and risk management.Support strategic and business transformation initiatives.M&A & Corporate Development Lead Japan’s M&A strategy and build a strong pipeline of acquisition opportunities.Identify and evaluate potential targets and develop relationships across the market.Lead due diligence, valuation and transaction analysis.Support deal structuring and negotiations, working with internal stakeholders and external advisors.Lead post-merger integration and value creation.What we’re looking forWe are looking for a commercially minded finance or corporate development leader with the ability to operate confidently at executive level.You will bring:Significant experience in finance, corporate development, M&A, investment banking or transaction advisory.Strong financial planning, analysis and commercial capabilities.Experience supporting or leading M&A transactions, including due diligence, valuation, execution and/or integration.Strong strategic thinking, stakeholder management and influencing skills.Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives.Native-level Japanese and business-level English.Experience within insurance, financial services, another regulated industry or a multinational organisation would be advantageous.This is a unique opportunity to influence both the financial performance and strategic growth of our Japan business.Working closely with the CFO, CEO and senior leadership team, you will lead high-impact M&A activity, shape key business decisions and gain broad executive-level exposure, with the opportunity to build towards future CFO leadership.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 InclusionAt 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 newWe support each other, in the small everyday moments and the bigger challengesWe are determined to make a positive difference, at work and beyondWe 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.Reasonable adjustmentsWe'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.Our sustainability promiseWe’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.