Cigna Healthcare is a global health service company headquartered in the United States, serving over 180 million customers and patients worldwide. The organization delivers high-quality health care by offering choice, predictability, and affordability, supported by integrated capabilities and connected, personalized solutions that promote whole-person health. Cigna’s mission is to help individuals improve their health, well-being, and sense of security by ensuring access to care. Through a whole health approach, the company focuses on addressing health concerns, enhancing resilience, and reducing stress and emotional health challenges.
As an employer, Cigna is committed to fostering growth and enriching lives by providing meaningful work within a positive, inclusive culture that values its employees. The company emphasizes teamwork and collaboration, empowering its workforce with advanced technology to boost efficiency and enhance impact. Cigna aims to cultivate an environment where every individual can thrive and contribute to meaningful change.
Cigna Group is a global health services company dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and peace of mind of the people it serves.
Cigna Healthcare’s products and services include an integrated suite of health benefits such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and vision care, as well as related offerings including group disability, life, and accident coverage.
The company operates globally, supporting more than 182 million customer relationships across over 30 countries and jurisdictions. For the full year 2024, The Cigna Group reported revenues of around $195 billion. The global headquarters remains in Bloomfield, Connecticut, U.S.
In Europe and worldwide, Cigna Healthcare continues to build on the 2020 launch of its European and Global Segments (EGS) business, headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium. EGS brings together international health insurance and well-being solutions for multinational employers, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, governments seeking sector and population health solutions, high-net-worth individuals, and domestic markets in the UK and Spain. With expanding operations in Europe, Africa, and beyond, EGS is a cornerstone of Cigna Healthcare’s international growth.
Our client is seeking a Head of Compliance Europe, based primarily in Antwerp, who will be a key and valued contributor to the EGS business.
As a Head of Compliance Europe, you will be responsible for the following tasks:
Compliance: responsible for managing European regulated entity and business line compliance requirements and processes and acting as an advisory partner to the business segments within a group supervisory framework. Responsible for developing, managing and delivering the European compliance programme and strengthening and broadening the company’s compliance and ethics programme in a highly dynamic environment created by significant international growth. This will include identifying critical issues and risks, defining gaps in compliance, implementing remediation measures, formulating appropriate policies and procedures, and promoting a culture of compliance and ethics throughout the region.
Regulatory Affairs: responsible for assisting in building and maintaining strong positive relationships with regulators in multiple jurisdictions with an emphasis on the home state regulators (NBB, FSMA). A critical element of this objective is identifying, developing and designing innovative governance solutions to meet expectations of both internal and external stakeholders and having the negotiating and influencing skills to implement. Act as statutory Compliance Officer.
European Projects: responsible for advising and delivering business focused compliance input to management and the business segments. Key relationships – senior insurance company management, business segment heads and management teams, legal teams across Europe, compliance resources across Europe, internal audit, risk and international regulators.
Main Responsibilities
- Be a trusted advisor and gatekeeper to senior members of the business and legal team, able to work independently on complex cross-border matters in a multicultural environment and with products that do not easily fit into traditional product and compliance categories.
- Assess compliance risks and evaluate the business procedures and systems controls designed to mitigate risks.
- Ensure the establishment of an annual compliance plan based on a business and compliance risk assessment process.
- Take overall compliance responsibility for businesses as directed including International Organizations and Branch activities
- Continually examine all business and compliance activities, programs, organizations, operations, and policies to ensure alignment with company vision.
- Provide value as a business partner, while maintaining objectivity and independence.
- Ensure compliance projects meet professional and company standards in planning, execution, and reporting.
- Assist the European Chief Counsel, and International Chief Compliance officer in building a “best in class” corporate governance and global compliance function.
- Prepare materials for the European Audit Committee, Risk Committee, Comite de Direction and European company Boards related to compliance performance and achievement of annual compliance plan.
- Review compliance documentation and processes and issue compliance audit reports and assessments.
- Interact with and influence senior managers and matrix partners to build an effective culture of compliance.
- Respond to and interact with Regulators from multiple jurisdictions, building strong positive relationships, in maintaining company compliance position and promoting good corporate governance.
- Work with the business lines to review and develop appropriate compliance processes.
- Lead the creation of the annual compliance plan.
- Work with Enterprise Compliance to ensure implementation of HO policies such as OFAC, anti-bribery and AML and other corporate global policies.
- Develop training and other measures and processes tailored to the compliance requirements of the company businesses.
- Anticipate compliance issues and design strategies to address related business risks as well as play a key role in implementing such strategies.
- Maintain an effective compliance communication programme for Europe including promoting 1) use of the hotline, 2) ‘tone at the top’ communications by business executives, 3) heightened awareness of the Code of Ethics, and 4) understanding of new and existing compliance issues and related policies and procedures.
- Develop a detailed understanding of the various businesses and the legal and compliance issues which arise.
- Develop a detailed understanding of company European and global governance framework to be able to deliver innovative solutions.
- Motivate and manage the local team of Compliance Officers in Europe and encourage personal/professional development
Experience/Knowledge:
- 10 years experience working in a financial institution, or 10 years experience working in private practice advising financial institutions, particularly insurance is desirable.
- Knowledge of the regulatory framework applicable to an Insurance Company.
- Experience working in a multinational and multicultural environment, as well as on cross-border matters.
Personal Competencies:
- 10 plus years of financial professional experience preferably in the insurance sector desirable.
- Industry knowledge of healthcare insurance, financial services or general insurance.
- Knowledge of the regulatory framework applicable to an Insurance Company.
- Possess excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated high level of ethics and integrity.
- Proven ability to build effective relationships with business partners.
- Interest in and demonstrated experience with multinational work.
- Cross-cultural agility and sensitivity.
- Experience in staff management. Skilled in building, mentoring and developing a team.
- Results driven.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to present at all levels both internally and externally. Organisational agility.
- Highly developed leadership qualities with an ability to motivate and inspire a group of individuals to achieve results.
- An ability to be innovative and challenge the conventional ways of doing things.
- The ability to consult with clients to understand their requirements.
- Ability to think analytically, interpret information / observations, apply judgment and make effective decisions.
- Education and Other Requirements:
- Belgian compliance qualification or other equivalent in another European jurisdiction – or willingness to obtain the same.
- Business degree or equivalent desirable.
- Highly developed writing and verbal skills.
- Strong numerical skills.
- Ability to travel internationally as required.
- Good computer literacy skills.
- Strong regional language skills, particularly English is essential and French or Dutch is highly desirable. Spanish is an advantage.
- You will have to be approved by the European boards and application will be submitted to Belgian Regulators for applicant’s approval.
- You will have to pass confirmation of no convictions, a full background check, which includes analysis of financial status.
In addition to a motivating and competitive remuneration package, the role offers the opportunity to be part of a supportive team, key to the success of a business enjoying strong and exciting growth in a sector which makes a difference to people’s lives.
