Job Details

Job Description:
A newly formed life and health insurance company is seeking a a highly experienced legal and compliance executive to fill the role of Chief Legal and Compliance Officer. This role is critical in shaping the company’s legal and regulatory strategies across multiple states, with the goal of expanding coverage nationally, excluding New York. The successful candidate will lead multi-state licensing initiatives, oversee product and rate filings, and develop trusted relationships with state insurance departments to secure approval for new and existing products. As a strategic partner to the executive team, the leader will negotiate commercial agreements, manage vendor relationships and build a comprehensive compliance program from the ground up. Additionally, the role encompasses governance responsibilities, including serving as a corporate secretary, strengthening decision-making frameworks, managing disputes and regulatory inquiries with sound judgment. This position offers remote flexibility with monthly in-person leadership gatherings. This is a retained search.

Responsibilities:

• Drive the multi-state licensing strategy to achieve national coverage by managing licensing applications and maintaining alignment across jurisdictions.
• Lead the product and rate filing calendar, ensuring timely and efficient regulatory submissions across states.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with distribution partners, third-party administrators and technology vendors to support business growth.
• Oversee reinsurance treaty negotiations as the company scales operations.
• Build and implement a scalable compliance program covering licensing, market conduct, consumer protection, AML, privacy and complaint handling.
• Establish monitoring and reporting processes for regulatory obligations, providing regular updates to the board and executive leadership.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the board and senior leadership to strengthen corporate governance frameworks.
• Lead responses to disputes and regulatory inquiries, coordinating outside counsel and managing legal risk.
• Manage outside legal counsel performance and budget, ensuring high-quality legal support across the organization.
• Support legal aspects of new product launches, state expansions and acquisitions.

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor with active bar admission in good standing
• Deep expertise in life insurance regulation and compliance, with experience advising multi-state carriers
• Proven success in leading state licensing and product filings
• Extensive experience negotiating complex commercial agreements, including reinsurance treaties and distribution partnerships
• Strong background in building and managing comprehensive compliance programs in regulated insurance environments
• Experience engaging directly with state insurance departments, especially in California
• Demonstrated ability to operate in fast-moving, strategic environments with cross-functional teams
• Entrepreneurial mindset with solutions-oriented legal and regulatory judgment