Senior Compliance Officer Trade & Economic Sanctions

The company seeks a Senior Compliance Officer for Trade & Economic Sanctions in Zürich. The position requires over a decade of experience in compliance, financial crime, and sanctions, with expertise in multi-jurisdictional regimes and screening frameworks.

This position serves as a central expert for trade and economic sanctions, translating global regulatory changes into practical guidance for business units. The role provides risk-based advice on complex cases, oversees screening standards, and ensures the organization responds effectively to new regulations and potential breaches.

Responsibilities

• Translate global sanctions updates into practical guidance for business units.
• Serve as the primary expert for complex, high-risk sanctions cases across different jurisdictions.
• Evaluate referred cases involving sanctioned entities, countries, or ownership structures.
• Assess new regulations and executive orders, including extraterritorial effects, and coordinate group-wide responses.
• Establish and maintain global sanctions screening standards, including lists, rules, and tool calibration.
• Monitor and test sanctions screening effectiveness, ensuring alignment with policy systems.
• Provide second-line oversight throughout the customer lifecycle, ensuring proper escalation of high-risk cases.
• Coordinate responses to sanctions breaches, regulatory inquiries, and licensing matters, including regulator interactions.
• Collaborate with Group Legal and external counsel on complex legal scenarios.
• Deliver training and support to business units and local teams to ensure consistent implementation of the Group TES Framework.

Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years in compliance, focusing on financial crime and sanctions, with hands-on experience designing and overseeing sanctions frameworks.
• Deep knowledge of US, UK, UN, EU, and Swiss laws, with practical experience applying multi-jurisdictional sanctions, preferably in insurance.
• Proven experience managing complex sanctions topics, including screening, investigations, escalations, licensing, and advisory support across multiple jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated adaptability, curiosity, and openness to new technologies and evolving regulatory expectations.
• Strong collaboration, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across functions and seniority levels.
• Ability to prioritize effectively, navigate complexity, and use digital collaboration tools in a dynamic international environment.
• Strong analytical skills with a background in economics, finance, business administration, or law, preferably with a Master’s degree.
• Ability to deliver effective management information and reporting.
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage with internal and external stakeholders, including senior management, regulators, and authorities.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks in a fast-evolving geopolitical and regulatory environment.
• Strong presentation and communication skills.
• Proficiency in MS applications (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook) and sharing platforms (SharePoint, MS 365).
• Knowledge of sanctions screening and case management systems (e.g., World-Check, Fircosoft, Actimize).
• Fluent written and spoken English.

About the company

Zurich Insurance Company Ltd. is a leading multi-line insurer serving over 82 million customers in more than 200 countries and territories with a workforce of over 65,000 employees. For over 150 years, the company has been transforming insurance by offering protection and prevention services that promote well-being and climate resilience. Guided by its purpose to create a brighter future together, Zurich aims to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world.

• Serves over 82 million customers in more than 200 countries and territories.
• Over 150 years of experience in transforming insurance with a focus on prevention and resilience.
• Guided by a purpose to create a brighter future together and be a responsible business.