Director, Legal and Regulatory Operations

Location: Iowa

* Translate regulatory legal changes and internal/external audit findings into clear, actionable operational requirements.
* Own regulatory and legal change intake, assessment, and change leadership for new or materially revised laws, regulations, and regulatory guidance.
* Serve as the central point of coordination and execution oversight for remediation efforts arising from:  + New or materially revised legal and regulatory requirements  + Regulatory exams, inquiries, or audits  + Internal control deficiencies or process errors  + Compliance gaps, risk events, or operational failures
* Monitor remediation progress and ensure issues are resolved fully and sustainably.
* Maintain centralized tracking of remediation activities, milestones, risks, dependencies, and ownership.
* Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
* Strong project management, documentation, and stakeholder communication skills.
* Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and operate effectively in a matrixed, cross-functional environment.
* Experience in operational risk, compliance, audit remediation, business process improvement, or regulatory change management.
* Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in regulated environments.
* Ability to synthesize complex information, assess risk, and develop clear, actionable recommendations.
* Skilled at translating regulatory or audit requirements into practical operational actions.
* Comfortable engaging senior management, including leading difficult or high-stakes conversations.
* JD preferred but not required; candidates with equivalent regulatory, compliance, or legal experience will be considered.
* Experience in insurance preferred, but will also consider experience in other areas of financial services, healthcare, or another highly regulated industry.
* Experience with internal audit a plus.
* Familiarity with regulatory exams, internal controls, and audit processes.
* Experience with change management frameworks or process improvement methodologies (e.g., Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma or CPM).
* Experience using issue tracking, project management, or governance tools.
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