VP, Assistant General Counsel - Insurance Operations

WCF Insurance; Sandy (OR); On-site; USD 182,000 - 228,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision

401K with 6% employer match

Life insurance

Volunteer time off

Vacation 4 weeks

Job summary

WCF Insurance, based in Sandy, Oregon, seeks an exempt Vice President, Assistant General Counsel – Insurance Operations to serve as a strategic legal advisor to the executive team and business units. This role leads attorneys handling contracts and day-to-day corporate legal support while collaborating with compliance.

This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Senior VP/General Counsel, open to external and internal candidates. Executive benefits are included.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in the Utah State Bar in good standing, or eligibility for admission, including through in-house counsel licensure, with admission completed within twelve months of hire.
• Ten or more years of legal experience, including at least five years advising on insurance matters for an insurance carrier or law firm serving insurers.
• Significant experience in employment law, government affairs, legislative matters, or a combination thereof.
• Three or more years of experience managing, mentoring, or developing attorneys or other legal professionals.
• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Experience effectively managing outside counsel.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Exceptional written, verbal, analytical, and leadership skills.
• Strong judgment, integrity, collaboration, and executive presence

Responsibilities

• Serve as trusted legal advisor to executive leadership and business unit leaders on legal, regulatory, operational, and strategic matters.
• Provide practical, risk-based legal guidance that supports business objectives while protecting the company’s interests.
• Identify emerging legal and operational risks and develop proactive solutions.
• Monitor developments in the law, insurance industry, and regulatory environment and advise leadership accordingly.
• Lead, mentor, and develop attorneys responsible for contracts and business legal support.
• Promote collaboration, accountability, and high-quality legal services across the legal team.
• Drive continuous improvement of legal processes and practices.
• Advise underwriting and premium audit teams on classification, coverage, and insurance-related legal issues.
• Lead and support cross-functional initiatives that drive business results and strengthen operational effectiveness.
• Provide legal guidance on mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.
• Serve as employment counsel to Human Resources and company leaders on hiring, discipline, accommodations, leaves of absence, wage-and-hour matters, investigations, policies, and separations.
• Manage corporate legal matters and non-claims litigation.
• Retain and oversee outside counsel on specialized or complex matters.
• Support corporate governance activities, including board and committee materials and maintenance of corporate records.
• Partner with the General Counsel on legislative and regulatory matters affecting WCF.
• Help maintain relationships with legislators, regulators, and industry organizations.
• Engage with Utah Legislature, Utah Labor Commission, Department of Insurance, and other governmental agencies.
• Assist with public policy and legislative initiatives important to WCF's business objectives.
• Develop expertise in corporate governance matters and advise other departments on issues.
• Establish credibility as a problem-solving resource within WCF.
• Establish rapport with key regulators and business contacts.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Contract drafting

Outside counsel management

Communication

Executive presence

Collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Utah Bar admission eligible

Job description

WCF Insurance is an "A" rated, innovative property and casualty carrier with more than a century of experience serving businesses across the Western United States. Since 1917, we have built our reputation on doing the right thing, being great at what we do, and helping others succeed. As we continue to grow, we are looking for individuals who share these values and want to contribute to delivering an excellent insurance experience.

Position Overview

This is an exempt position that reports to the Senior Vice President/General Counsel. The Vice President, Assistant General Counsel – Insurance Operations serves as a key strategic legal advisor to WCF's executive leadership team and all business units. This role leads attorneys responsible for contracts and day-to-day corporate legal support and works closely with the compliance team to provide practical, business-focused legal guidance. The Vice President, Assistant General Counsel will lead complex legal initiatives, develop legal talent, support executive decision-making, and build strong partnerships throughout the company and with external stakeholders, including legislators, regulators, and industry organizations.

This is a full-time, exempt position based out of WCF Insurance's Sandy headquarters. This position is open to external and internal candidates.

Responsibilities

Strategic Legal Counsel and Risk Management

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to executive leadership and business unit leaders on legal, regulatory, operational, and strategic business matters.
• Provide practical, risk-based legal guidance that supports business objectives while protecting the company’s interests.
• Identify emerging legal and operational risks and develop proactive solutions.
• Monitor developments in the law, insurance industry, and regulatory environment and advise leadership accordingly.

Leadership and Legal Operations

• Lead, mentor, and develop attorneys responsible for contracts and business legal support.
• Promote collaboration, accountability, and high-quality legal services across the legal team.
• Drive continuous improvement of legal processes and practices.

Insurance Operations and Business Support

• Advise underwriting and premium audit teams regarding classification, coverage, and insurance-related legal issues.
• Lead and support cross-functional initiatives that drive business results and strengthen operational effectiveness.
• Provide legal guidance on mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.

Employment and Corporate Legal Matters

• Serve as employment counsel to Human Resources and company leaders regarding hiring, discipline, accommodations, leaves of absence, wage-and-hour matters, investigations, policies, and separations.
• Manage corporate legal matters and non-claims litigation.
• Retain and oversee outside counsel on specialized or complex legal matters.
• Support corporate governance activities, including board and committee materials and maintenance of corporate records.

Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs

• Partner with the General Counsel on legislative and regulatory matters affecting WCF.
• Help maintain effective relationships with legislators, regulators, and industry organizations.
• Engage with the Utah Legislature, Utah Labor Commission, Department of Insurance, and other governmental agencies on matters impacting the company.
• Assist with public policy and legislative initiatives important to WCF's business objectives.

Accountability & Requirements

• Develop expertise in corporate governance matters and a working knowledge of the operations of the company and its subsidiaries to advise other departments on a variety of issues.
• Establish credibility as a problem-solving resource within WCF by understanding and influencing people to resolve problems and increase policyholder knowledge and satisfaction.
• Establish rapport with the Utah Labor Commission, Utah Department of Insurance, Utah legislators, key management and labor contacts, and other key people in the business and insurance communities.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in the Utah State Bar in good standing, or eligibility for admission, including through in-house counsel licensure, with admission completed within twelve months of hire.
• Ten or more years of legal experience, including at least five years advising on insurance matters for an insurance carrier or law firm serving insurers.
• Significant experience in employment law, government affairs, legislative matters, or a combination thereof.
• Three or more years of experience managing, mentoring, or developing attorneys or other legal professionals.
• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Experience effectively managing outside counsel.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Exceptional written, verbal, analytical, and leadership skills.
• Strong judgment, integrity, collaboration, and executive presence

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in insurance law, employment law, and government relations.
• Commercial property and casualty insurance experience, including workers' compensation insurance.
• Litigation experience.

Executive Benefits

In addition to the base salary, Vice Presidents are eligible for executive bonus opportunities and receive allowances associated with WCF's leadership positions.

Benefits

WCF Insurance offers an extensive compensation package. Benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Company paid life insurance
• 401K with a generous 6% employer match
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Time off to volunteer in the local community
• All employees earn 4 weeks of vacation their first year.

The expected salary range for this position is 182,100.00-227,600.00. This salary range depends on experience, education, and location for this specific position.

Values

The person in this position must demonstrate the WCF values of doing the right thing, being great at your job, and helping others succeed to fulfill the company's mission of excellence.

Working Conditions

This position is based in an office environment with adequate temperature and lighting control. There are no known hazardous or unpleasant conditions caused by noise, dust, or other environmental factors. There are potentially high-stress situations that require meeting deadlines. The employee must meet the job attendance requirements for this position.

Our People

WCF strives to provide an excellent work experience and cultivate an inclusive environment where anyone who embodies our values will thrive.

WCF Insurance is an Equal Opportunity Employer

WCF Insurance provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability that can be reasonably accommodated, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.