Director, Insurance and Advisor Compliance

The Canada Life Assurance Company • Toronto, ON

2d • CA$109,700 - CA$159,700 • Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for a Director, Insurance and Advisor Compliance to join the Insurance Solutions Business Risk and Controls team. The Director, Insurance and Advisor Compliance is responsible for leading a team of compliance professionals supporting Insurance Solutions. This role requires a strong people leader with a proven ability to develop high-performing teams, lead change, and foster collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups to drive accountability and execution in a highly regulated environment. Reporting to the AVP, Business Risk & Controls, the Director is accountable for ensuring the effective management of regulatory compliance risk across insurance products, advisor and distribution channels, and business operations. The role provides strategic leadership and subject matter expertise on regulatory requirements, drives the implementation of compliance programs and controls, and partners with business leaders to foster a strong culture of compliance, support sound business decisions, and protect the organization from regulatory and reputational risk. Given the size and scope of our organization, we have the flexibility for this position to be located in one of the following head office locations: Toronto, London, or Winnipeg.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience within compliance, risk, governance, audit, regulatory oversight, financial services, or a related discipline. Experience within the insurance industry is considered a strong asset.
• University degree in a related field.
• High degree of familiarity with insurance products, distribution practices, policyholder disclosure requirements, and compliance frameworks within federally and provincially regulated insurance organizations.
• Fundamental knowledge of the Canadian insurance regulatory environment, including the Insurance Companies Act (ICA), guidance issued by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) (including Guideline E-13 – Regulatory Compliance Management), requirements established by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA), and applicable guidelines and industry standards published by the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA).
• Proven leadership and effective decision-making skills in a highly regulated environment.
• Exceptional prioritization skills with the ability to balance competing demands while maintaining a risk-based mindset.
• Strong people leadership skills, with experience coaching, developing, and performance managing team members to achieve individual and organizational objectives.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong internal and external relationships.
• Ability to understand and successfully navigate a matrixed organization.
• Results driven with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Strong proficiency with the MS Office suite.

Nice To Haves

• Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead and influence through change, driving accountability, prioritization, and execution across teams while fostering strong partnerships within a matrixed organization.
• Lead and maintain effective insurance and advisor compliance programs, ensuring alignment with company standards, regulatory requirements, and market conduct expectations.
• Assess regulatory developments, identify business impacts and compliance gaps, and support business stakeholders in implementing solutions, controls, and business practices to meet regulatory requirements.
• Lead advisor oversight programs, including advisor suitability reviews, Advisor Practice Reviews, Managing General Agency (MGA) and National Account assessments, due diligence reviews, and remediation efforts to promote strong advisor conduct and adherence to regulatory and company standards.
• Collaborate with Insurance Operations, Distribution, and Product teams to design, implement, and document key controls; identify and remediate control gaps, monitor remediation progress, and provide status reporting to senior leadership and compliance partners.
• Stay current with regulatory developments and upcoming changes to ensure internal policies and procedures remain up to date.
• Support advisor compliance, breaches, queries, complaints, and control activities, providing strategic direction and guidance to the team.
• Communicate with regulatory bodies as needed and assist with internal and external reviews.
• Identify opportunities to enhance program effectiveness and lead compliance awareness initiatives for advisors, distribution partners, and business teams.
• Support governance committees, including the Insurance Risk and Compliance Committee (RCC) and the Advisor Market Conduct Oversight Committee (AMCO), through reporting, issue escalation, monitoring advisor conduct matters, and overseeing remediation activities.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team, including leadership-level and individual contributor roles. Foster a high-performance culture through effective coaching, mentoring, talent development, performance management, and succession planning.

Benefits

• Career Development: Opportunities for career advancement, access to industry-leading learning programs and up to $2,000 annually towards education reimbursement.
• Health & Wellness: Flexible health and dental benefits, plus a $5,000 mental health benefit to support your well-being.
• Time Off: In addition to regular vacation and personal days, we support community involvement with a volunteer day.
• Financial Security: Company-matching pension plan, share ownership program and additional investment options.
• Rewards and Recognition: Employee recognition programs, service milestone celebrations, employee discounts and more!
• Emphasis on Community: We provide a workplace where employees feel connected and supported through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, social clubs and events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director