Chief Investigations Officer

Penn State University; University Park (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University seeks an experienced investigations leader to establish the inaugural Chief Investigations Officer, responsible for building the new Office of Investigations — a centralized unit of ~8 full-time staff to handle intake, triage, and resolution of policy violations and discrimination/harassment complaints across the University.

Reporting to General Counsel, the CIO will lead cross‑functional collaboration with OCCR, HR, and campus leadership, ensure neutral, thorough

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; JD or advanced degree preferred.
• Ten years of experience planning and conducting complex internal investigations.
• At least three years of experience supervising investigative staff.
• Experience applying laws and policy to Title IX/VI/VII in higher education.

Responsibilities

• Design and oversee the full intake-to-resolution process for investigations.
• Develop a jurisdictional triage framework and standardized templates.
• Lead, mentor, and train investigators with a two-investigator model for core cases.
• Collaborate with General Counsel, HR, OCCR, and campus stakeholders throughout cases.
• Draft credible findings and manage reporting to senior leadership.

Skills

Investigations leadership

Team management

Policy interpretation

Analytical thinking

Written communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Discretion & confidentiality

Case management systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Juris Doctor or advanced degree

Tools

Maxient

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

POSITION SPECIFICS

Penn State is seeking an experienced investigations leader to serve as the inaugural Chief Investigations Officer (CIO), responsible for building and leading the new Office of Investigations — a centralized, University-wide unit of approximately 8 full-time staff (plus part-time/flex investigative capacity) responsible for the intake, triage, and resolution of policy violation allegations and discrimination and harassment complaints (including cases arising under Title VI, VII, and IX), involving employee respondents. This is a new, senior leadership role central to the University’s ability to resolve matters thoroughly, fairly, consistently, and efficiently, while serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.

Reporting to General Counsel, the Chief Investigations Officer will lead the Office of Investigations as one of two newly restructured functions succeeding the current Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) and Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (OEOA). The Office of Investigations will absorb applicable casework previously handled separately by OEC, OEOA, Labor & Employee Relations, and the bias incident reporting team, consolidating it into a single intake and resolution pathway for employee-related matters. The companion office, OCCR, will retain and centralize subject-matter policy expertise — including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Employee Code of Conduct, Athletics Compliance, Youth Protection, ADA/disability accommodations for employees, and bias report management — and will serve as an embedded technical resource and consultation partner to the Office of Investigations throughout the lifecycle of a case.

Responsibilities

Program Design, Standardization & Process Oversight

• Establish and continuously refine the full case-intake-to-resolution process including protocols for matters where no policy violation is found, consistent with system capabilities and best practices
• Develop and maintain a decision-tree rubric to guide consistent jurisdictional and pathway determinations across all incoming matters, informed by risk and community impact. Potential pathways include outside counsel investigation, internal investigation, administrative case review, referral to HR, Unit Head or another office, provision of resources/information
• Standardize written work-product templates and complainant/respondent communications templates across all case types
• Oversee the hotline and case management system, including data reporting and trend/issue-spotting in partnership with OCCR subject-matter experts

Investigative Leadership

• Lead, manage, and mentor a team of investigators operating under a two-investigator model for full Investigations and a one-investigator model for Administrative Case Reviews, providing training, feedback, and day-to-day guidance
• Consult with the relevant subject-matter expert(s) both before launching an investigation or administrative case review (to establish parameters, key factual questions, and legal framework) and before finalizing any report (to confirm all necessary investigative steps have been taken)
• Remain neutral, independent, and objective at all times — including in controversial, high-profile, or politically-sensitive matters
• Collaborate closely with OCCR, the Office of General Counsel, Human Resources, Labor & Employee Relations, and other key University constituents throughout the lifecycle of a case
• Occasionally serve as a lead investigator on the University’s most complex, sensitive, or high-profile matters, including interviewing subjects and witnesses, evaluating evidence, and drafting credibility assessments, findings of fact, and findings of responsibility

Reporting, Metrics & Administration

• Organize, manage, and report on the work of the Office of Investigations to University leadership, including case volume, pathway distribution, time-to-close metrics, and outcome trends, measured against a documented baseline
• Directly support the University’s goal of reducing the median number of days to resolve employee compliance and discrimination/harassment allegations
• Oversee the Office of Investigations’ budget, expenses, and staffing

Qualifications

Essential Education

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Juris Doctor or advanced degree preferred

Essential Experience

• At least ten (10) years of experience planning and conducting complex internal investigations, including witness interviews, evidence evaluation, and preparation of high-quality investigative reports
• At least three (3) years of experience managing or supervising investigative staff or a comparable team
• Demonstrated experience applying laws, regulations, and/or institutional policy to employment, Title IX, and/or civil rights matters (including Title VI and VII), with higher education experience preferred

Essential Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to identify key issues, synthesize complex information, and apply relevant laws and policies across a broad range of subject matters
• Demonstrated ability to design and operate a jurisdictional triage framework, distinguishing among investigation, administrative review, referral, and no-action pathways
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse constituencies — including faculty, staff, administrators, and external parties — with discretion, diplomacy, and tact
• Superior judgment, discretion, and confidentiality in handling sensitive and privileged matters; ability to maintain objectivity while treating all individuals with respect, dignity, and empathy
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft clear, well-supported, legally defensible investigative reports reflecting both factual findings and policy/legal determinations
• Demonstrated ability to build, develop, and supervise a high-performing investigative team, including both full-time and flex/part-time staff, within a service-oriented organization
• Ability to build and maintain productive, collaborative relationships with senior University leaders, OCCR subject-matter experts, and campus-wide constituents across a large and decentralized institution
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex, concurrent cases in a time-sensitive environment
• Fosters a climate of inclusion and is attentive to diverse perspectives and cultural norms across multiple organizational units and campus locations
• Proficiency with Maxient or comparable case management systems, and Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Penn State is committed to providing an inclusive, welcoming, and lawful educational and working environment for all members of its community. The Chief Investigations Officer will be central to delivering on that commitment through a rigorous, well-documented, and efficient case resolution process across a large, multi-campus, decentralized institution.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

This position requires the following clearances in addition to applicable background checks: PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.

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