Job Title: Chief Compliance Officer

Industry: Insurance | Financial Services

Reports To: Managing Director

Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Work Structure: Full-Time | Onsite

Client Overview
Our client is a well-established and highly respected player in the insurance and financial services industry, providing comprehensive risk management and insurance solutions to individuals, businesses, and corporate institutions.

With decades of industry experience, the organization operates across the life, general, and special risks insurance lines, delivering innovative insurance products designed to protect assets, businesses, and lives while promoting financial security and resilience.

Committed to strong corporate governance, regulatory excellence, and customer-centric service delivery, the organization continues to uphold the highest standards of integrity, compliance, and operational excellence within Nigeria's insurance industry.

Role Summary
The Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the organization's compliance function by developing, implementing, and overseeing an enterprise-wide compliance framework that supports business objectives while ensuring full compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards.

The successful candidate will serve as the organization's principal compliance advisor, driving regulatory compliance, ethical business conduct, corporate governance, anti-money laundering initiatives, consumer protection, and regulatory engagement while fostering a culture of integrity and accountability across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance Strategy & Governance

• Develop and implement the organization's compliance strategy in alignment with corporate objectives.
• Establish and maintain an effective enterprise-wide compliance management framework.
• Advise Executive Management and senior leadership on regulatory and compliance matters.
• Promote a strong culture of ethics, integrity, and regulatory compliance throughout the organization.

Regulatory Compliance & Regulatory Engagement

• Ensure full compliance with applicable insurance laws, regulations, and regulatory directives.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and assess their impact on business operations.
• Coordinate statutory filings and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Serve as the primary liaison with regulators and supervisory authorities.
• Ensure timely implementation of new regulatory requirements and recommendations.

Compliance Monitoring & Risk Management

• Develop and execute the annual compliance monitoring programme.
• Conduct compliance reviews, audits, and assessments across all business units.
• Identify compliance risks, regulatory gaps, and control weaknesses.
• Recommend and monitor corrective actions to address identified issues.
• Track remediation activities to ensure timely resolution.

AML/CFT & Financial Crime Compliance

• Lead the organization's Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CFT) compliance programme.
• Oversee Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) processes.
• Monitor suspicious transaction reporting and sanctions screening activities.
• Ensure compliance with financial crime prevention regulations and reporting obligations.

Policy Development & Corporate Governance

• Develop, review, and maintain compliance policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Ensure organizational policies remain aligned with evolving regulatory requirements.
• Promote consistent implementation of compliance policies across the business.
• Support the organization's corporate governance framework and ethical standards.

Ethics, Conduct & Compliance Culture

• Develop and administer the organization's Code of Conduct.
• Oversee whistleblowing programmes and ethics reporting mechanisms.
• Lead organization-wide compliance awareness and ethics initiatives.
• Develop and deliver annual compliance training programmes and certification exercises.

Consumer Protection & Market Conduct

• Ensure fair treatment of customers throughout the customer lifecycle.
• Monitor compliance with consumer protection regulations and market conduct requirements.
• Oversee compliance aspects of complaints management.
• Review product disclosures and marketing communications for regulatory compliance.

Third-Party & Vendor Compliance

• Conduct compliance due diligence on vendors, brokers, intermediaries, and strategic partners.
• Monitor third-party compliance with contractual obligations and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure outsourcing arrangements comply with applicable regulatory standards.

Compliance Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Prepare periodic compliance reports for Executive Management and the Board.
• Develop compliance dashboards, Key Risk Indicators (KRIs), and management reports.
• Report emerging compliance risks, regulatory developments, and significant incidents.
• Recommend continuous improvements to strengthen the organization's compliance framework.

Incident Investigation & Data Privacy

• Lead investigations into compliance breaches and regulatory violations.
• Coordinate root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
• Escalate significant compliance issues to Executive Management and the Board where necessary.
• Ensure compliance with applicable data protection and privacy legislation.

Requirements 

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor's Degree in Law, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Risk Management, Insurance, or a related discipline.
• A Master's Degree or MBA will be an added advantage.

Professional Qualifications
Professional certifications in any of the following areas will be highly desirable:

• Compliance
• Risk Management
• Internal Audit
• Corporate Governance
• Legal Practice
• Insurance

Experience

• Minimum of 12 years of relevant professional experience.
• At least 6 years' experience leading a Compliance function, preferably within the insurance or financial services industry.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with regulatory authorities and implementing enterprise-wide compliance programmes.

Core Competencies

• Regulatory Compliance / Engagement & Management of Regulatory Authorities
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Corporate Governance
• AML/CFT Compliance
• KYC & Customer Due Diligence
• Ethics & Conduct Management
• Policy & Framework Development
• Consumer Protection & Data Privacy
• Compliance Monitoring & Reporting
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Thinking

Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is an accomplished compliance executive with extensive experience in the insurance or financial services sector.

They possess exceptional regulatory knowledge, sound judgment, and the ability to provide strategic leadership while maintaining the highest standards of integrity, governance, and ethical conduct.

They are a proactive leader with excellent stakeholder management skills and a proven track record of building strong compliance frameworks within highly regulated environments.