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.

Role: VP, Business Development — Canada (RWI) 

Location: Toronto, ON

About Howden Private Capital Howden

Private Capital (formerly Atlantic Global Risk) is the transactional risk arm of Howden, one of the world’s leading independent insurance brokers. We advise private equity sponsors, corporates, and law firms on Representations & Warranties Insurance (RWI), Tax Liability Insurance, Contingent and Structured Risk, and Credit Insurance. Our team executes on the most complex M&A and capital markets transactions across North America and globally.

We are launching a dedicated Canadian business development effort and are hiring a BD leader to anchor our presence in the Canadian market. This is a foundational hire with significant scope to shape strategy, build relationships, and grow a market. The Role The VP, Business Development — Canada will support Howden Private Capital’s commercial development across the Canadian transactional insurance market, with a primary focus on RWI and broader exposure to Tax, Contingent, and Credit products. This is a market-facing role responsible for opening doors, building the Howden Private Capital brand in Canada, and serving as a BD partner to senior brokers across the platform.

You will help build the Canadian sponsor, corporate, and law firm relationship map, drive structured outreach and pipeline activity, and partner closely with U.S.-based deal teams to convert relationships into placed business. You will also coordinate with the broader Howden Canada platform across P&C, Specialty (D&O/E&O/Cyber), and other lines to deliver a fully integrated client experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Support all Howden Private Capital BD activity across Canada, with primary focus on Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, and Vancouver, and contribute to strategy across the broader Canadian sponsor and corporate landscape.

• Build and maintain senior relationships with Canadian private equity sponsors, pension plans, family offices, corporate development teams, and the M&A bar.

• Set high-value meetings for senior Howden Private Capital brokers and serve as an on the-ground BD presence in Canada, with clear weekly and monthly activity targets.

• Develop, maintain, and report on a disciplined and organized national outreach strategy for the Canadian market, including a tiered account plan and named-target list.

• Organize and host roadshows across Canadian financial centers and into the U.S. as needed, including pre-meeting preparation, coordination with internal deal teams, and post-meeting follow-up to drive sustained pipeline development.

• Partner with the senior RWI broking team on pitches, meeting prep forms (MPFs), and tailored client materials for priority accounts.

• Coordinate with Howden’s Canadian P&C and Specialty teams to identify cross-sell opportunities and deliver an integrated client experience across transactional, P&C, and management liability lines.

• Represent Howden Private Capital at Canadian industry conferences, dealmaker events, and law firm gatherings.

• Track activity, pipeline, and conversion metrics in Power BI and Novidea, and report into the Head of BD, Coverage on a regular cadence.

• Serve as a thought partner to leadership on Canadian market dynamics, competitive positioning, and product strategy.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of experience in business development, sales, brokerage, investment banking, M&A legal practice, or a closely related transactional role, with exposure to or interest in the Canadian market.

• A network across Canadian private equity sponsors, pension funds, corporate M&A teams, or the Canadian M&A legal community — or a clear plan and demonstrated ability to build one.

• Demonstrated track record of building and converting commercial relationships.

• Working knowledge of M&A transaction dynamics; willingness to learn RWI and the broader transactional insurance product suite is more important than prior product experience.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfort representing the firm in senior client settings.

• Self-starter mentality with the discipline to operate independently in a foundational market role.

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (JD, MBA, CPA) a plus.

• Willingness to travel domestically and to the U.S. as needed (estimated 30–40%).

What Sets You Apart

• Exposure to RWI, Tax, or Contingent Risk transactions in the Canadian or cross-border market.

• Familiarity with the Canadian PE landscape (e.g., Onex, Brookfield, CPP, OTPP, CDPQ, Novacap, Birch Hill, Altas, Imperial Capital) and the leading Canadian and global M&A law firms operating in Canada.

• Comfort building a market from the ground up and helping establish a platform in a new geography.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: C$170,000 – C$205,000, commensurate with experience.

• Annual Discretionary Bonus tied to individual and team performance.

• Comprehensive Benefits: extended health and dental, RRSP matching, generous PTO, and Howden’s global mobility programs. Reporting & Structure This role reports into the Head of BD, Coverage at Howden Private Capital and works in close partnership with senior RWI brokers, the broader Howden Canada leadership team, and Howden’s Specialty and P&C producers operating in the Canadian market.

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