Chief Compliance Officer - job 1 of 2

Overview

The Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) (Compliance Officer Lead in the HR Information System) provides administration, vision, strategic direction, coordination, and implementation of a comprehensive and cohesive institutional compliance and ethics program at Utah State University (“USU”).

The CCO serves as the administrative leader of the Office of University Ethics & Compliance within USU’s Legal Affairs and reports directly to the Vice President of Legal Affairs.

This position is eligible for hybrid work within the state of Utah.

Responsibilities

• Develops, maintains, and implements a comprehensive and cohesive university compliance and ethics program.
• Prepares and maintains a five-year plan that sets strategies and objectives for the compliance program and reviews the plan regularly to assess and mitigate risks.
• Supervises the employees within the Office of University Ethics & Compliance.
• Informs and advises university administrators and employees regarding university compliance and ethics efforts.
• Provides annual report to university administrators and the USU Board of Trustees Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee regarding the institution's compliance program and compliance culture.
• Supports coordination among various university administrators who have administrative ownership over certain compliance frameworks (each, a “compliance owner”) to facilitate implementation and maintenance of effective compliance systems in areas including, but not limited to, athletics, human resources, research, privacy, information technology and security, civil rights, financial aid, purchasing, etc.
• Monitors international, federal, and state regulations to maintain an institutional compliance matrix and works with USU administrators and compliance owners to identify and support actions that facilitate compliance within an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
• Manages the formulation, implementation, and maintenance of compliance-related policies and procedures to advance emerging initiatives and support compliance with federal and state regulations.
• In partnership with Human Resources, develops and maintains training and education programs on relevant ethics and compliance issues and systems. 
• Promotes activities that foster awareness of compliance and ethics issues within USU.
• Supports and advises on mandatory reporting to state and federal agencies, coordinating efforts with appropriate compliance owners and responsible executives to ensure compliance with reporting requirements.
• Supports reporting of non-compliance, as required under state and federal laws, and ensures appropriate and consistent responses to non-compliance.
• In conjunction with the Office of General Counsel, serves as a liaison with external authorities who raise compliance-related inquiries or complaints or conduct investigations.
• Participates in regular university-wide risk analysis to ensure that compliance risks are properly identified, resourced, and managed.
• Manages USU’s EthicsPoint reporting system.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduate degree (e.g., J.D., MPA, MBA, PhD, etc.) OR a bachelor’s degree with compliance-related professional certificates/credentials (e.g. Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (“CCEP”)).
• Working knowledge and professional experience in at least two of the following compliance areas: privacy (FERPA, HIPPA), conflicts of interest, disability (ADA), research, information security, nondiscrimination (Title IX), finance, and employment.
• 10 years of professional experience to include:
  • At least 3 years of experience as a compliance professional.
  • At least 3 years of supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in compliance at an institution of higher education, in government, or in industry.
• Professional experience in higher education.
• Compliance-related professional certificates/credentials – including, but not limited to: CCEP, Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA), Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC), Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), Certified Risk Management Professional (CRMP).
• Prior experience collaborating with multiple divisions/units to meet the needs of various constituencies, while also meeting the needs of the organization as a whole.
• Demonstrated leadership capacity.
• Demonstrated ability to devise and initiate strategies to motivate and drive durable institutional change.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate in person and in writing with people at all levels within a large organization and to present complex subjects in an engaging manner to a diverse audience.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.

USU enrolls 28,900 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level, USU is a proud member of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026-2027 season. The Aggies’ long-standing tradition of athletic and academic excellence is exemplified by conference championships in multiple sports, reflecting USU's commitment to perseverance and achievement.

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

*updated 02/2025

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023