Chief Compliance Officer - Canada

Zurich Insurance; Toronto; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Four weeks vacation

Four personal days per year

Comprehensive health benefits

Competitive total compensation

Job summary

Zurich Canada is seeking a Chief Compliance Officer to lead the Canadian Compliance function and strengthen an ethics-based culture. This senior role sets direction, advises senior leaders, and ensures proactive risk management across the organization in a hybrid work environment.

The role requires extensive compliance leadership experience, strategic thinking, and the ability to engage cross-functionally with Legal and business partners across North America.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 9+ years of experience in Compliance Programs and Management.
• 2+ years of people management experience.
• Experience in local regulatory and governance environments.
• Experience developing, implementing, managing and monitoring corporate compliance programs and codes of conduct.
• Strong knowledge of compliance principles, regulatory risk and the legal environment.
• Executive presence with credibility to communicate complex matters and influence senior leaders.
• Strategic and commercial judgment with ability to translate requirements into practical solutions.
• Proven leadership to set direction and grow a high-performing team.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for Compliance in Canada in line with business priorities and regulatory expectations.
• Advise senior leadership on regulatory developments and emerging risks.
• Oversee Canadian compliance risk management with an effective program and control framework.
• Build relationships across the business and with key partners like Legal and Compliance teams.
• Champion a culture of integrity and compliance with clear accountability.
• Lead and develop the Canadian Compliance team and maintain depth for critical matters.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Executive communication

Strategic thinking

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree

J.D. or MBA (preferred)

Job description

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Chief Compliance Officer - Canada

137473

The Opportunity

If you have significant experience leading compliance programs within a regulated environment and are looking for a new challenge, we would love to hear from you. Zurich Canada is currently looking for a Chief Compliance Officer to lead the Canadian Compliance function and help the business identify, manage and mitigate compliance risk while continuing to strengthen an ethics-based culture. In this highly visible leadership role, you will set the direction for the Compliance function in Canada, provide strategic and practical advice to senior leaders, and ensure that compliance risks are appropriately identified, assessed and managed. You will lead and develop the Canadian Compliance team while partnering closely with stakeholders across the business, North America and the broader Compliance organization. This role requires a leader who can operate comfortably at both the strategic and hands‐on levels. You will bring the depth of compliance expertise needed to advise and influence senior stakeholders while remaining close enough to the work to support the team operationally when required. This is a unique opportunity to build your knowledge and experience for the future in a supportive environment where your voice matters.This posting is for an existing vacancy. Zurich Canada uses artificial intelligence-enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process, including the initial review and screening of applications. Artificial intelligence is not the sole basis for candidate shortlisting or selection. All hiring decisions are reviewed and made by qualified hiring professionals. Zurich follows a hybrid work model requiring three days per week of in-person presence, which may include time in the office or market‑facing engagements.

What you will do:

• Set the strategic direction for Compliance in Canada, aligning the function with business priorities, Zurich’s Compliance framework and an evolving regulatory environment.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing practical, business-focused guidance on regulatory developments, emerging compliance risks and key business decisions.
• Lead Zurich Canada’s compliance risk management and oversight, ensuring risks are proactively identified, assessed and managed through an effective compliance program and control environment.
• Build strong relationships across the business and broader Compliance organization, working closely with Legal and other key partners and supporting constructive engagement on regulatory matters.
• Champion a strong culture of integrity and compliance, helping embed clear accountability and effective compliance practices across the organization.
• Lead and develop the Canadian Compliance team, setting clear priorities, building capability and combining strategic leadership with the functional depth to remain close to critical matters when needed.

Job Qualifications - What you bring to the table:

Required

• Bachelor's degree and 9 or more years of experience in Compliance Programs and Management.
• 2 or more years of people management experience.
• Experience working within a local regulatory and governance environment.
• Experience developing, implementing, managing and monitoring corporate compliance programs and working with codes of conduct and ethical matters.
• Strong knowledge of compliance principles, regulatory risk and the legal and regulatory environment.
• Executive presence and credibility, with the ability to communicate complex compliance and regulatory matters clearly, influence senior leaders and build trusted relationships across the organization.
• Strategic and commercial judgment, with strong analytical capabilities and the ability to translate regulatory requirements and emerging risks into practical, business-focused solutions.
• Proven leadership capability, with the ability to set direction, develop and empower a high-performing team, and maintain sufficient functional depth to remain close to critical compliance matters when required.

Preferred

• Commercial Property & Casualty insurance experience.
• Insurance regulatory experience.
• J.D. degree or equivalent and/or MBA.

Our Culture

• At Zurich, we are proud of our culture. We are passionate about Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging (DIEB). We want you to bring your whole self to work, and we want our employees to be reflective of the communities in which we live and work. Our DIEB initiatives are creating an environment where everyone feels welcome.
• We have a collaborative culture where diversity of thought is valued. We value your input and strive to give our employees the tools they need to make an impact.
• We care about our employees' well-being and offer a comprehensive health/benefits plan with varying levels of coverage to suit your specific needs and a competitive total compensation package.
• We understand how important it is to rest, recharge and do the things you love. At Zurich, all employees receive a minimum of four weeks of vacation per year to do just that.
• We also understand that employees require time off for personal reasons. Maybe you have an appointment during a workday, a cultural or religious holiday you would like to observe, or you need time off to focus on your mental health. Zurich employees receive four personal days per year to be used at their discretion.
• We are committed to continuous improvement and offer access to a comprehensive range of training and development opportunities.
• We care about our communities. Our communities are where our customers, people and shareholders live and work. While we can be proud of the contribution to society Zurich makes through our core business of insurance, we must also give back to our communities through our talent, time and resources.
• We have won numerous awards for our workplace culture. We are proud to be one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers and to have received Insurance Business Canada's 5-Star Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.

Make a difference. Be challenged. Be inspired. Be supported. Love what you do. Work for us.

A future with Zurich

Now is the time to move forward and make a difference. At Zurich, we want you to share your unique perspectives, experiences and ideas so we can grow and drive sustainable change together. As part of a leading global organization, Zurich North America has over 148 years of experience managing risk and supporting resilience. We are a leading provider of commercial property-casualty insurance solutions and a wide range of risk management products and services for businesses and individuals. Today, we serve more than 25 industries, from agriculture to technology and insure 90% of the Fortune 500®. Our growth strategy is not limited to our business. As an employer, Zurich strives to provide ongoing career development opportunities and foster an environment where voices are diverse, behaviors are inclusive, actions drive equity, and our people feel a sense of belonging. Be a part of the next evolution of the insurance industry. Join us in building a brighter future for our people, our customers and the communities we serve.

As a global company, Zurich recognizes the diversity of our workforce as an asset. We recruit talented people from a variety of backgrounds with unique perspectives that are truly welcome here. Taken together, diversity and inclusion bring us closer to our common goal: exceeding our customers’ expectations. Zurich is committed to providing a diverse, inclusive and barrier-free environment resulting in an accessible organization for employees, customers, and other parties who interact with, or on behalf of, Zurich. We strive to achieve a workplace free of discrimination of all forms, including discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability, or medical condition. If you are interested in a job opportunity, please advise if you require an accommodation, so we can work with you to provide a more accessible process.

Zurich does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or employment agencies. Any unsolicited resume will become the property of Zurich Canadian Holdings Limited. If you are a preferred vendor, please use our Recruiting Agency Portal for resume submission.