Director, Regulatory Affairs

Job Overview

Reporting to the Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, the Director, Regulatory Affairs is responsible for overseeing a team focused on providing advice, guidance, direction and training on key regulatory requirements that Wawanesa’s business and enterprise service teams are held to.

The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape, particularly as it affects the insurance industry, and be well-versed in creating a collaborative environment where cross-functional groups use their unique knowledge and skills together in order to achieve shared goals.

Job Responsibilities

• Acts as the operational leader of Wawanesa’s compliance advisory services team.
• Represents Wawanesa with the regulator for all inquiries and legal interpretation.
• Oversees the operation of Wawanesa’s regulatory intelligence program.
• Provides guidance and support to business and enterprise service teams on development of policies to address regulatory compliance requirements.
• Provides guidance and advice to Wawanesa’s leaders in business and enterprise service teams on regulatory compliance requirements and on development and implementation of controls intended to address them.
• Oversees development and execution of regulatory compliance training and awareness programs for employees across the enterprise.
• Supports communications and interactions between Wawanesa and its regulators, including:
• Providing operational support to periodic regulator reviews and reports;
• Overseeing and coordinating responses to regulator change initiatives, including regulator consultations; and
• Developing responses to regulator inquiries and reviews.
• With the guidance of the Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, develops and implements key policies and supporting controls for the regulatory advisory services team as required.
• Provides regular, timely, fit-for-purpose reporting on developments in areas of responsibility to stakeholders in support of Wawanesa’s compliance reporting program.
• Supports the Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer by formulating and executing initiatives and activities which align with the priorities of other compliance function leaders, using a risk-based approach, to support Wawanesa’s Regulatory Compliance Management Framework.
• Collaboratively works with leaders across the legal and governance teams, as well as other business and enterprise services teams to identify, assess and mitigate regulatory compliance risk.
• Stays abreast of developments in best practices in areas of responsibility, in order to provide timely and fit-for-purpose provides advice and recommendations to colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Performs other additional duties, projects and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• LLB/JD and current membership of a provincial bar.
• A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in a compliance, or legal setting, including at least 5 years in leadership role.
• Well-honed ability to understand, interpret and apply legislation, regulations and regulatory guidance in a business setting.
• Substantial experience in an insurance industry setting preferred.
• A thorough understanding of compliance, monitoring and reporting frameworks.
• Experience in delivering regulatory compliance best practices within a large complex organization.
• A proven pragmatic approach to dealing with compliance requirements.
• Excellent ability to express complex policy, program or process concepts and requirements clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Strong program planning, development and execution skills.
• Excellent ability to collaborate with a variety of internal stakeholders, and to effectively communicate with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to synthesize information from a variety of sources, independently identify and resolve problems in a timely manner utilizing strong decision-making skills to achieve the appropriate result.
• Must be able to multi-task, take initiative and work well independently with strong process orientation.
• Excellent ability to collaborate with a variety of team members and other colleagues to achieve superior outcomes.
• Ability to maintain discretion in recognizing, protecting and adhering to absolute confidentiality of highly sensitive or confidential information.
• Bilingualism (French and English) is an asset.