AccessWave · 6 hours ago
VP, Legal & Compliance
UNAVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE, US
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
15+ years expAccessWave is a national, high-service PEO serving small and mid-sized employers in the professional, financial, and technology sectors. The Senior Vice President, Legal & Compliance is responsible for overseeing all legal, regulatory, risk, and compliance matters, ensuring the company operates in full compliance with relevant laws while supporting scalable growth and client trust.
Commercial InsuranceEmployee BenefitsLife Insurance
Responsibilities
Serve as chief legal advisor to the CEO, executive team, and Board of Directors
Provide strategic counsel on co-employment risk, workforce management, benefits administration, insurance, and regulatory strategy
Lead legal review and negotiation of client agreements, vendor contracts, carrier agreements, and strategic partnerships
Advise on M&A, corporate governance, capital transactions, and expansion into new states or markets
Own enterprise compliance with all applicable PEO laws and regulations, including: State PEO licensing, registration, and reporting requirements – in coordination with Finance & Tax departments, Federal and state employment laws (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, ADEA, Title VII, etc.), Payroll tax compliance and wage/hour regulations, ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, and benefits compliance, Workers’ compensation, EPLI, and other insurance regulations
Lead regulatory examinations, audits, and inquiries at the federal and state level
Manage relationships with regulators, outside counsel, auditors, and industry associations
Monitor regulatory changes and proactively assess impact on products, pricing, and operations
Oversee all litigation, claims, and disputes, including employment, benefits, tax, and regulatory matters
Manage employment practices liability exposure and co-employment risk across the client base
Partner with our Benefit Management Team to optimize coverage and risk mitigation strategies
Build and lead a high-performing Legal & Compliance team, including internal counsel, compliance officers, and external partners
Design scalable compliance programs, policies, controls, and training for employees and clients
Partner closely with HR, Payroll, Tax, Benefits, Sales, Product, and Client Success to embed compliance into day-to-day operations
Support client-facing compliance guidance while maintaining appropriate risk boundaries
Oversee corporate governance, board materials, and entity management
Maintain and enforce codes of conduct with Human Resources, ethics programs with the entire senior leadership team, and general compliance
Ensure data privacy and security compliance in partnership with IT and Security teams
Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned
Qualification
Required
Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; active bar membership in good standing
15+ years of legal experience, including senior leadership responsibility
Deep expertise in employment law, benefits, payroll, and regulatory compliance
Demonstrated experience operating in highly regulated, multi-state environments
Proven ability to manage regulators, audits, and complex legal risk
Strong executive presence with the ability to influence across functions
Preferred
Prior experience in a PEO, HR services, payroll, benefits, insurance, or staffing organization
Experience with employment law and benefits
Background in scaling legal/compliance functions in growth-stage or private-equity-backed companies
Experience leading and supporting a compliance team
Benefits
Performance bonus tied to operating KPIs
Long-term incentive aligned with multi-year value creation
Company
AccessWave
AccessWave offers insurance brokerage, benefits consulting, and professional networking events for businesses.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Bill Williams
Founder & CEO
Company data provided by crunchbase