SVP Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer

Pacific Life • Newport Beach, CA

21h • Onsite

About The Position

Pacific Life is seeking a Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer to join their team in Newport Beach, CA. This leader will be responsible for architecting, leading, and continuously strengthening the company's enterprise-wide compliance and ethics function. The role ensures the highest standards of integrity, regulatory adherence, and ethical conduct across a complex global financial services organization. Reporting directly to the Chief Legal Officer, with a dotted-line relationship to the Chief Risk Officer, this position serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO, Management Committee, and Board. The SVP, Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer will be a valued senior leader within both the Legal & Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management functions, building and leading a modern, forward-looking compliance organization that balances strong governance and domain expertise with practical execution, while championing Pacific Life’s Values, Purpose, and long-term business success.

Requirements

• Minimum 20+ years of relevant professional experience, with 10–15+ years in financial services, insurance, or closely related industries
• Deep life insurance and annuity compliance expertise
• Investment, fund, and separate account compliance experience
• Demonstrated experience leading or overseeing a formal ethics program, including code of conduct and whistleblower/helpline frameworks
• Proven success operating in a matrixed, enterprise environment
• Significant exposure to consumer-facing businesses, which represent the majority of enterprise compliance risk
• Prior experience operating as a senior, enterprise-level compliance leader with credibility at the executive and Board levels
• Strong record of building, coaching, and developing leadership teams
• Ability to influence without authority, partner effectively across stakeholder groups, and balance independence with collaboration
• Candidates without a legal background must bring substantial operational and compliance leadership experience, particularly within life and annuity businesses
• A principled, confident leader with sound judgment and unwavering integrity
• Strategic yet pragmatic, able to translate regulatory expectations into actionable business practices
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, evolving regulations, and emerging risks (including AI and data privacy)
• Commercially-minded while maintaining appropriate independence
• A strong communicator with executive presence and the ability to influence at the highest levels
• Well-networked across regulators, peers, and industry forums

Nice To Haves

• Global experience is a strong plus
• Juris Doctor or advanced legal degree not required, but viewed as a strong asset

Responsibilities

• Lead Pacific Life’s global compliance and ethics framework, setting enterprise strategy, priorities, and operating rhythm.
• Oversee the Code of Conduct, ethics education and awareness, ethics helpline, and enterprise ethics program.
• Serve as Pacific Life’s senior compliance executive, providing independent oversight while enabling responsible business growth.
• Provide direct reporting and regular updates to the Governance & Nominating Committee of the Pacific Mutual Holding Company Board of Directors.
• Partner closely with the Chief Legal Officer, Chief Risk Officer, CEO, and Management Committee to address regulatory risk, emerging issues, and organizational priorities.
• Act as a key second-line leader, overseeing first- and second-line compliance activities, excluding differentiated compliance activities led by Business Division General Counsels.
• Lead proactive compliance risk assessments, monitoring, escalation, and remediation efforts.
• Oversee insurance regulatory compliance, with a heavy focus on life and annuity products, reinsurance, institutional and group benefits.
• Oversee investment, fund, and securities compliance, including separate accounts.
• Oversee privacy and AI compliance programs, ensuring compliance with evolving global privacy and technology regulations.
• Oversee ethics program governance and execution.
• Oversee vendor and third-party compliance oversight (vendor management responsibilities to be consolidated within the function).
• Lead and develop a team of approximately 50 compliance professionals.
• Strengthen leadership capability and build future-ready talent, upgrading skills, bench strength, and succession where needed.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, inclusion, and ethical decision-making.
• Leverage strong external networks, regulatory relationships, and industry insights to continuously elevate the function.

Benefits

• Prioritization of your health and well-being including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Wellbeing Reimbursement Account that can be used on yourself or your eligible dependents
• Generous paid time off options including: Paid Time Off, Holiday Schedules, and Financial Planning Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave as well as an Adoption Assistance Program
• Competitive 401k savings plan with company match and an additional contribution regardless of participation

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees