Chief Compliance Officer

Description

Are you a leader who enjoys providing strategic oversight of a large compliance function? Are you a leader who thrives at the intersection of regulatory compliance, ethics, and international trade? Do you enjoy cross‑collaboration across various business units?

If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

Join our team of experienced professionals working together to support one of the country’s premier research laboratories. We are seeking a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) / Group Supervisor to provide enterprise‑wide leadership, strategic direction, and independent oversight of the organization’s Ethics and Conduct Office, Equal Employment Opportunity/Accommodations Office, and International Trade Compliance program within a large mission‑driven research and development enterprise.

In this capacity, the CCO will ensure that these functions are integrated into a unified compliance program while maintaining appropriate operational independence and subject‑matter expertise.

The CCO reports to the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer of the Laboratory and serves as a member of the senior leadership team. The CCO is responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously strengthening an integrated compliance framework that supports federally sponsored research, development, analysis, and prototyping; government contracting; national security activities; and university‑affiliated operations.

This role combines senior professional‑level compliance authority with direct line management responsibility for a multi‑disciplinary compliance organization. The CCO exercises significant independent judgment, supervises a staff of compliance professionals, and serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, governing bodies, sponsors, and regulators. The CCO will be responsible for ensuring close coordination with key stakeholders across APL, including the Business, Construction, and Facilities Department;
Talent Services Department;
Environmental Health and Safety; and Security Services Department.

• Lead and oversee a comprehensive, risk‑based compliance program addressing federal, state, and local laws; sponsor requirements; and contractual obligations applicable to research, engineering, and national security activities.
• Ensure effective internal controls, documentation, and reporting related to allegations, investigations, dispositions, and corrective actions.
• Monitor and analyze metrics and trends; prepare reports for senior leadership on the effectiveness of the program and areas for improvement.
• Oversee education and training programs for staff and leadership, reinforcing expectations for integrity, ethical decision‑making, and personal accountability.
• Promote a culture of ethical awareness and speak‑up, including confidence in reporting mechanisms and protection against retaliation.
• Establish and maintain an enterprise compliance framework aligned with U.S. Department of Justice guidance, federal acquisition regulations, and best practices across University‑Affiliated Research Centers, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and Department of Energy laboratory environments.

• Provide enterprise‑wide leadership and oversight of the organization’s ethics and conduct program, including development, implementation, and periodic review of the Code of Ethics and Conduct and related communications.
• Serve as a principal advisor to executive leadership on ethics‑related risks, trends, and emerging issues in a federally funded research and national security environment.
• Oversee processes for receiving, assessing, investigating, and resolving allegations of ethical misconduct, conflicts of interest, or violations of standards of conduct, ensuring fairness, confidentiality, and independence.
• Coordinate ethics and conduct investigations and referrals for corrective or disciplinary action in collaboration with other business units and senior leadership, as appropriate.

• Oversee institutional compliance with Equal Employment…