Director, Compliance, Risk and Controls - Personal Lines

Job Overview

The Director, Compliance, Risk and Controls – Personal Lines is the business unit compliance officer (BUCO) for Wawanesa’s Personal Lines business, and the senior leader responsible for establishing and overseeing a robust first-line compliance regime within Wawanesa’s Canadian property and casualty personal lines operations and is responsible for overseeing a team focused on supporting the Personal Lines business compliance requirements. This role ensures that business practices align with regulatory requirements, internal policies, and risk management frameworks.

Reporting to the VP, Chief Compliance Officer, and acting as a trusted advisor to the SVP Personal Lines and other operational leaders, the Director drives strategic compliance initiatives, embeds a culture of accountability, and ensures operational resilience through proactive risk mitigation and control oversight.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of first-line compliance strategies, frameworks, and controls tailored to Personal Lines operations.
• Member of the senior leadership team, representing Wawanesa on all regulatory and risk control decisions for Personal Lines.
• Consults Personal Lines team on all regulatory and risk matters, providing recommendations for ELT approval.
• Design and implement risk-based compliance programs, including monitoring, testing, and reporting mechanisms.
• Conduct compliance risk assessments and develop mitigation plans for identified risks.
• Oversee first-line testing of controls, analyze results, and ensure timely remediation of deficiencies.
• Monitor regulatory changes and assess their impact on business operations; lead implementation of required changes.
• Collaborate with oversight functions and the legal team to ensure alignment on regulatory interpretations and compliance expectations.
• Champion compliance culture across Personal Lines, promoting ethical conduct and regulatory awareness.
• Manage compliance-related communications, attestations, training, and audit support.
• Lead regulatory remediation and transformation initiatives, ensuring sustainable compliance outcomes.
• Act as liaison between personal lines operational teams and the oversight functions.
• Provide strategic input into enterprise-wide compliance and risk programs from a business unit perspective.
• Maintain detailed documentation of compliance activities and prepare reports for senior leadership and regulators.

Qualifications

• University degree in Law, Business Administration, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in compliance, risk management, or governance within the financial services industry.
• Professional certifications such as CRM, CCEP or equivalent are preferred.
• Deep understanding of Canadian property and casualty insurance regulations, including OSFI guidelines, provincial insurance acts, and privacy legislation, to ensure business practices align with evolving regulatory expectations.
• Proven experience designing and operationalizing first-line compliance frameworks, including risk identification, control development, monitoring protocols, and issue escalation processes within a large-scale insurance or financial services environment.
• Proven ability to lead compliance programs and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in risk assessment, control design, and remediation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; capable of delivering training and facilitating cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience with GRC tools, compliance automation, and regulatory change management systems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and drive operational excellence.