VP, Compliance

Citizens, Inc.•Austin, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a highly visible leadership opportunity with a publicly traded global life insurance company. Reporting directly to the Chief Legal Officer, the Vice President, Compliance will play a critical role in shaping the Company's compliance strategy, strengthening regulatory relationships, and fostering a culture of integrity while partnering closely with executive leadership and the Board of Directors. The Vice President, Compliance is responsible for the strategic design, implementation, oversight, and continuous enhancement of a risk-based enterprise compliance program. The role provides strategic leadership to ensure the Company conducts its business in accordance with applicable federal and state insurance laws and regulations, regulatory expectations, industry standards, and the Company's Code of Conduct and governance framework. The Vice President, Compliance serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and the Board, providing independent oversight and objective guidance regarding compliance risks and regulatory matters. The ideal candidate will bring deep insurance regulatory knowledge with strong business judgment, executive presence, and the ability to foster a culture of ethics, accountability, and compliance throughout the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required; Juris Doctor (JD) or other advanced degree preferred.
Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in insurance compliance, legal, risk or regulatory affairs roles.
Minimum of 7 years of leadership experience managing enterprise compliance functions within a life insurance, annuity or financial services organization.
Deep knowledge of: state insurance laws, market conduct requirements, AML / BSA, consumer protection requirements, insurance distribution compliance, corporate governance principles, privacy and data protection requirements, enterprise compliance frameworks
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on business-oriented solutions.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams to complete entity-level projects.
Self-motivated, organized team player with ability to work in a fast-paced environment where you will be both a leader and an individual contributor.
Strong ethical standards and integrity, with a commitment to upholding the company's values.

Nice To Haves

Experience presenting to executive leadership teams, board committees, and regulators preferred.
Global business acumen; bi-lingual in Spanish, Portuguese or Mandarin a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide independent oversight of the Company's compliance risk profile across all aspects of its operations, including insurance products, distribution, underwriting, claims, policy administration, operations, and third-party relationships.
Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the Company's enterprise compliance program, ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and the Company's values and ethical standards.
Establish and maintain a risk-based compliance framework to identify, assess, monitor, and mitigate compliance risks across all business operations.
Monitor and interpret regulatory developments, advise executive leadership on emerging compliance obligations and risks, and oversee implementation of regulatory changes.
Maintain productive relationships with state insurance regulators and oversee regulatory and market conduct examinations, inquiries, reporting, and remediation activities.
Provide independent reporting and insights to executive leadership and the Board regarding compliance risks, program effectiveness, significant issues, and regulatory developments.
Partner with business leaders to support strategic initiatives while ensuring compliance considerations are integrated into decision-making, product development, operations, and distribution activities.
Promote a strong culture of integrity, accountability, and ethical conduct through effective policies, training, communication, and leadership engagement.
Partner with the Chief Legal Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and executive leadership team to support the Company's governance, risk management, and control framework, including enterprise risk management, disclosure controls, regulatory reporting, and Board governance activities.
Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing compliance department, fostering operational excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.