Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer

Job Title Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer Agency Texas A&M University

• Kingsville Department Chief Administrative Officer Proposed Minimum Salary Commensurate Job Location Kingsville, Texas Job Type Staff Job Description About Texas A&M University–Kingsville Texas A&M University–Kingsville (TAMUK), the oldest institution of higher learning in South Texas and a proud member of the Texas A&M University System, stands as the region’s premier university. TAMUK offers the widest range of academic programs and degrees in South Texas, provides exceptional learning and residential facilities, conducts impactful research, awards substantial scholarships, and has awarded more than 80,000 degrees in the institution’s 100-year history. The university is recognized for its unwavering commitment to student success, meaningful research, and deep community engagement. With a welcoming campus culture and strong regional partnerships, TAMUK offers faculty and staff a unique opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of students and the broader South Texas region. Location: The University is located in historic Kingsville, a friendly, safe city of 25,000 that is the home of the legendary King Ranch. Corpus Christi and its beaches are just 40 miles to the northeast, and the border with Mexico is 120 miles to the south at Brownsville or 119 miles to the west at Laredo. For more information, click here . Position Overview The Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (CECO), reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, provides strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for Texas A&M University-Kingsville's comprehensive ethics and compliance program. The CECO is responsible for proactively promoting a culture of integrity, accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct while ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state laws, Texas A&M University System policies and regulations, accreditation requirements, and university rules and procedures. The position leads institution-wide compliance initiatives, conducts risk assessments, oversees investigations of compliance-related concerns, coordinates compliance monitoring and reporting activities, and serves as a key advisor to executive leadership on ethics, compliance, governance, and institutional risk matters. The CECO collaborates with university departments, Texas A&M University System offices, legal counsel, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to support effective compliance management and continuous improvement across the institution. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Ethics and Compliance Leadership
• Provides strategic leadership and oversight for the university's ethics and compliance program.
• Develops, implements, and maintains a comprehensive, risk-based compliance program designed to prevent, detect, and address regulatory, operational, and ethical risks.
• Promotes a culture of integrity, accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct throughout the university.
• Chairs the University Compliance Committee, convenes quarterly meetings, and serves as the university representative at Texas A&M University System compliance meetings.
• Provides guidance and recommendations to executive leadership regarding ethics, compliance, governance, and institutional risk matters. Compliance Program Administration
• Manages the day-to-day operations of the university's compliance program.
• Assists with the initiation, development, implementation, maintenance, and revision of policies, procedures, and standards related to compliance activities.
• Maintains responsibility for official university rules and procedures, including the review, development, approval, and revision processes consistent with Texas A&M University System requirements.
• Establishes compliance program objectives, performance measures, and monitoring activities to assess program effectiveness.
• Ensures proper reporting of significant compliance matters to System Ethics and Compliance officials, executive leadership, and other stakeholders as required. Risk Assessment and Monitoring
• Conducts periodic compliance risk assessments to identify areas of vulnerability and institutional risk.
• Develops, implements, and monitors corrective action plans to address identified compliance concerns.
• Oversees compliance reviews and monitoring activities with university departments and officials to evaluate adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
• Identifies compliance trends and emerging risks and recommends mitigation strategies. Investigations and Case Management
• Receives, reviews, and coordinates the investigation and resolution of reports involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, conflicts of interest, fraud, waste, abuse, and other compliance-related concerns.
• Administers and serves as the university coordinator for the EthicsPoint Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Hotline and other reporting mechanisms.
• Collaborates with appropriate university departments and System offices to direct compliance concerns through established investigative and resolution processes.
• Evaluates allegations of misconduct and recommends or initiates appropriate investigative procedures.
• Serves as an independent reviewer to ensure compliance concerns are appropriately evaluated, investigated, documented, and resolved.
• Works closely with the Office of Employee Services, Equal Opportunity offices, and other stakeholders regarding employee-related compliance matters.
• Receives external charges and complaints filed with regulatory agencies and coordinates responses in consultation with System offices and legal counsel. Audit, Legal, and Regulatory Coordination
• Serves as the primary compliance liaison between university departments and internal, external, regulatory, and System audit organizations.
• Coordinates university responses to compliance reviews, audits, assessments, and regulatory inquiries.
• Serves as liaison to the Texas A&M University System Office of General Counsel on compliance, regulatory, and litigation-related matters affecting the university.
• Supports university leadership during audits, accreditation reviews, compliance examinations, and regulatory investigations.
• Consults with legal counsel regarding complex compliance and regulatory issues. Education, Training, and Communication
• Develops and implements training and professional development programs related to ethics, compliance, regulatory requirements, and university policies.
• Provides compliance guidance and consultation to university departments, colleges, and administrative units.
• Maintains an effective compliance communication program that promotes ethical conduct, awareness of reporting resources, and understanding of compliance responsibilities.
• Promotes awareness and appropriate use of the EthicsPoint Hotline and other reporting mechanisms.
• Facilitates campus-wide outreach and education initiatives to strengthen institutional compliance and integrity. Collaboration and Institutional Engagement
• Collaborates with Human Resources, Internal Audit, Legal Affairs, Information Security, Student Affairs, Research Compliance, Athletics, and other university units to address compliance risks and implement corrective actions.
• Maintains productive relationships with university leadership, Texas A&M University System offices, regulatory agencies, and professional organizations.
• Represents the university on System-wide compliance committees, working groups, and professional associations. Qualifications Required Education Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Required Experience Ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in ethics, compliance, equal opportunity, investigations, risk management, internal audit, legal affairs, higher education administration, or a related field, including at least five (5) years of progressively responsible supervisory, manage