Chief Risk and Compliance Officer

Job Title

Chief Risk and Compliance Officer

Job #

Department

Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Location

Campus

Location and Work Policy

Syracuse University is committed to delivering an exceptional student experience through vibrant, engaged campus communities. This position is based at the above campus location and requires regular in-person presence to support our students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to our thriving academic environment. Syracuse University values the collaboration, mentorship, and spontaneous connections that happen when our community works together on campus. Remote work arrangements are limited in accordance with University policy.

Pay Range

$235,000 - $275,000

Staff Level

S7

FLSA Status

Exempt

Hours

Standard University business hours
8:30am – 5:00pm (academic year)
8:00am – 4:30pm (summer)
Hours may vary based on operational needs.

Job Type

Full-time

Job Description

The Chief Risk and Compliance Officer serves as the University’s leader for risk management and compliance, providing strategic direction and oversight for institution‑wide risk programs. Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, the CRCO develops and maintains an integrated framework to identify, assess, and address risks across University operations. The Chief Risk and Compliance Officer promotes adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and University policies while fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct. The position collaborates with academic and administrative leaders to align risk and compliance efforts with the University’s mission and strategic priorities. The Chief Risk and Compliance Officer works with University leadership and internal stakeholders to evaluate strategic, operational, reputational, and compliance risks and to advance effective mitigation strategies that strengthen institutional resilience. The role also presents risk analyses and compliance updates to senior leadership and participates in meetings of the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee to support governance oversight and helps ensure the University meets its regulatory and ethical responsibilities. This is an on‑site position.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree is required. Master’s degree in a field directly related to compliance or institutional risk is preferred.

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in compliance and risk management within higher education, demonstrating a deep understanding of the regulatory and operational environment.
• Leadership experience directing enterprise‑wide risk management and compliance functions in a complex setting, including collaboration with academic, administrative, and operational units.
• Experience with risk mitigation, internal controls, and compliance program design, with the ability to apply best practices to strengthen institutional risk posture and accountability.

• Experience designing, implementing, or overseeing an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program.
• Experience overseeing or working closely with Athletics Compliance to support NCAA, conference, and institutional requirements.
• Experience overseeing ethics and compliance reporting systems, including whistleblower reporting and case management.
• Experience overseeing risk management and insurance programs, including workers’ compensation, liability coverage, and claims management in a university setting.

Skills and Knowledge

• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state regulations affecting higher education.
• Demonstrated understanding and ability to develop and communicate enterprise risk management frameworks and compliance standards to executive leadership.
• Strong capability in program and policy development, including drafting, reviewing, and aligning policies to regulatory and operational requirements.
• Ability to oversee compliance functions in highly regulated environments, including Division I athletics compliance programs.
• Knowledge of risk management and insurance principles, with the ability to provide strategic oversight of liability, property, workers compensation, and related coverage programs within a large institutional setting.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build credibility and influence decisions at senior levels.
• Ability to navigate the operational and research complexities of an R1 university, including working effectively across academic, research, administrative, and operational units.

Responsibilities

• University Compliance Oversight – Provides strategic leadership and comprehensive oversight of the University’s compliance program, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local laws, as well as institutional policies. Develops and maintains institutional compliance frameworks, oversees compliance risk assessments and monitoring activities, and partners with stakeholders across campus to foster a culture of integrity, accountability, and ethical conduct. Additionally, the position provides oversight for research‑related compliance activities, including research security, foreign influence, and export control regulations. Advises faculty and staff on risk mitigation strategies for sponsored research and works directly with the Vice President for Research to support compliant, secure, and federally aligned research operations.
• Education, Reporting and Engagement – Prepares and delivers risk, ethics, and compliance dashboards; annual compliance plans; investigation and trend analyses; program maturity and effectiveness assessments; emerging regulatory updates; performance metrics; and written reports for the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board of Trustees and senior leadership, ensuring clear, accurate, and timely communication of key institutional risks and compliance obligations. Collaborates with stakeholder offices including Title IX, Research Compliance, Human Resources, and others to promote transparency, accountability, and coordinated institutional responses.
• Leads and supports education and communication initiatives that strengthen the University’s culture of compliance, risk awareness, and ethical decision‑making. Facilitates operational compliance partnerships and provides leadership support for University committees related to compliance and enterprise risk management.
• Keeps University leadership informed of emerging ethical, compliance, and risk issues with potential adverse impact. Maintains regular engagement with the Vice President for Research on research‑related compliance matters and collaborates with Academic Affairs on the development, review, and alignment of academic and administrative policies.
• Risk Management and Insurance – Provides strategic oversight of the University’s Office of Risk Management and Insurance, which manages property, liability, workers’ compensation coverage, and medical leaves. Sets program direction, approves coverage strategies and ensures effective claims governance and loss prevention practices. Partners with the Executive Director of Risk Management & Insurance to monitor performance, broker relationships, coverage placements, claims trends, and reserve practices. Oversees the stewardship, and regulatory compliance of the University’s captive insurance entity, Orange Insurance Company, LLC.
• Enterprise Risk Management – Provides strategic oversight and direction for the University’s ERM program to ensure a fit for purpose framework that is well communicated, consistently applied, and tracked to completion.
• Partner with and supervise the Director of Enterprise Risk Management, who leads operational execution, including risk analytics, dashboards, heat maps, emerging risk monitoring, and facilitation of risk owner action plans.
• Collaborate with the Office of General Counsel to govern University policy through a standardized policy framework ensuring policies are current, compliant, accessible, and aligned with ERM priorities and facilitate stakeholder engagement to promote clarity, consistency, and reduced institutional risk.
• Ethics and Compliance Reporting Hotline – Maintains operational oversight of the ethics and compliance reporting hotline to ensure accessibility and confidentiality. Establishes and enforces protocols for timely triage, investigation, and resolution of cases.
• Athletics Compliance – Provides oversight of the Division I Athletics Compliance Office, ensuring adherence to NCAA rules, conference requirements, and federal and state laws.
• Conflicts of Interest and Financial Conflicts of Interest – Administers and oversees annual Conflict of Interest and Financial Conflict of Interest disclosure processes. Ensures completion and review of COI surveys for university leadership, Board of Trustees, head coaches, and the highest‑compensated individuals.
• Clery Reporting – Ensures compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Coordinates data collection and reporting processes, oversees timely publication of the Annual Security Report.
• Management and Supervision – Manages and oversees the work of staff within the Office of the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, ensuring effective coordination across all functional areas. Provides guidance, sets priorities, and monitors performance to achieve departmental objectives and initiatives as organizational needs evolve.

Application Instructions

This position posting does not accept online applications. Please contact your Human Resource Office for instructions on how to apply. All applications, inquiries, and nominations, which will remain confidential, are invited. Applications should include a detailed resume and a letter of interest that highlight the applicant’s personal vision and relevant leadership experience. Please submit electronically in confidence to:

EEO Statement

Syracuse University is an equal‑opportunity institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.