A regulated financial institution is seeking an experienced Chief Compliance Officer to lead its enterprise compliance function. This senior leadership role will establish the overall direction of the compliance program and ensure the organization effectively identifies, manages, and monitors regulatory and consumer compliance risk.
The Chief Compliance Officer will work closely with executive leadership, business teams, risk, legal, audit, information security, and the Board. In addition to broader compliance responsibilities, this individual will provide leadership across consumer compliance, community reinvestment, privacy, fair lending, and related regulatory matters.
BSA/AML is managed by a separate function and is not part of this position’s responsibilities.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and continuously enhance the organization’s enterprise compliance management program, including policies, controls, risk assessments, monitoring, testing, and issue management.
- Establish the compliance strategy and provide senior-level guidance regarding regulatory risk across business lines, products, services, and operations.
- Serve as the primary compliance contact for regulatory agencies and oversee examinations, information requests, responses, remediation efforts, and resolution of findings.
- Monitor changes in banking and consumer protection requirements and ensure relevant regulatory developments are incorporated into business practices and controls.
- Maintain oversight of consumer compliance requirements, including fair lending, unfair or deceptive practices, lending and deposit regulations, credit reporting, and other applicable federal and state requirements.
- Direct the organization’s Community Reinvestment Act compliance program, including performance monitoring, strategic planning, regulatory reporting, lending analysis, community development activities, and examination readiness.
- Lead the enterprise privacy program, including privacy governance, regulatory requirements, incident management, breach response, and related policies and controls.
- Oversee required compliance and community reinvestment reporting and regulatory submissions.
- Establish effective compliance monitoring and testing processes to identify control weaknesses and verify adherence to regulatory requirements.
- Oversee the consumer complaint management framework, including escalation, investigation, resolution, trend analysis, and reporting.
- Provide compliance and privacy guidance for new products, services, partnerships, and other business initiatives.
- Review marketing, advertising, and customer-facing communications for applicable regulatory and privacy considerations.
- Oversee compliance and privacy risk associated with third-party relationships.
- Monitor fair lending performance through analysis of lending activity, demographic information, and other relevant data.
- Provide regular reporting to executive leadership and appropriate Board committees regarding compliance risk, regulatory developments, program effectiveness, privacy matters, and community reinvestment performance.
- Serve as a senior advisor to executives and the Board on significant compliance matters and emerging regulatory risks.
- Participate in enterprise ethics and conduct initiatives and promote strong standards of integrity and accountability throughout the organization.
- Build, lead, and develop an effective compliance organization capable of supporting the institution’s business strategy and regulatory obligations.
What We’re Looking For
- 15+ years of progressive compliance experience within banking or financial services.
- At least 5 years of senior-level compliance leadership experience; experience within a regional or community banking environment is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated success developing, leading, or significantly enhancing a bank compliance program.
- Deep knowledge of federal and state banking regulations and consumer protection requirements.
- Significant Community Reinvestment Act expertise, including strategic planning, examinations, performance evaluation, and ongoing program management.
- Experience leading regulatory examinations and managing responses and remediation associated with regulatory findings.
- Strong knowledge of consumer compliance requirements, including fair lending, lending and deposit regulations, credit reporting, and unfair or deceptive practices.
- Working expertise in financial privacy requirements, including federal and state privacy laws, incident response, and breach notification obligations.
- Strong understanding of compliance risk assessments, monitoring, testing, controls, and issue management.
- Experience analyzing lending activity, community reinvestment performance, demographic information, and compliance risk data.
- Demonstrated ability to advise executive leadership and communicate effectively with regulators and Board-level stakeholders.
- Strong leadership capabilities with experience developing and managing high-performing compliance teams.
- Strategic and commercially minded approach, with the ability to balance regulatory obligations with business objectives.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical guidance.
- Strong judgment, discretion, integrity, and ability to manage sensitive or confidential matters.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and make sound decisions in a demanding regulatory environment.
- Experience with compliance management platforms, fair lending/community reinvestment tools, and data analytics technology.
Education & Credentials
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, law, or a related discipline required.
- Advanced degree in a relevant field preferred.
- Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) or comparable compliance credential preferred.
- Community banking compliance certification or similar professional designation preferred.