Compliance Director

AppFolio Inc; Goleta (CA); On-site; USD 167,000 - 209,000; Full time

Job summary

AppFolio is seeking a Compliance Director to mature the Privacy Compliance Program, records retention, and second‑line data oversight across the enterprise. You will craft KPIs/KRIs, align privacy with product/workflows, and partner with Legal, InfoSec, and business leaders to embed data governance into operations.

You will act as the primary liaison to ERM and Internal Audit, driving practical risk‑based reporting and accountability while leading a team responsible for privacy and data

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive compliance leadership in high-growth tech or SaaS.
• Experience defining KPIs/KRIs and standardized program reporting.
• Proven ability to build and operationalize privacy frameworks (CCPA/CPRA).
• Experience serving as Second Line liaison to ERM and Internal Audit.

Responsibilities

• Lead AppFolio’s Privacy Program and data privacy policies across the enterprise.
• Serve as privacy SME for the third‑party risk management program.
• Assess maturity and operating effectiveness of the privacy program and chart a roadmap.
• Map privacy obligations to business workflows with minimal friction.
• Oversee data governance framework and integrate privacy standards into first‑line ops.
• Establish KPIs/KRIs and standardized reporting across domains.
• Collaborate with Legal, InfoSec, and Business leaders to embed privacy.
• Provide privacy and data governance input for AI and emerging tech.
• Coordinate with ERM and Internal Audit for assurance activities.
• Lead the privacy and data compliance programs and team coordination.

Skills

Privacy governance

Data retention

Third‑party risk

KPIs/KRIs

Cross-functional

Executive briefing

CIPP/US

Privacy program

Education

Bachelor's degree

CIPP/US

Job description

AppFolio is more than a company. We’re a community of dreamers, big thinkers, problem solvers, active listeners, and multipliers. At every opportunity, we set the pace while delivering innovation built to carry real estate into the future. One in which every experience feels effortless, yet meaningful. Where customers are empowered to take on any opportunity. We show up as one team, connected by our values to be a force for good. Because together, we have the power to create extraordinary outcomes for our customers, our communities, and ourselves.

As the Compliance Director, your role will focus on enterprise compliance, privacy, and data. This position will serve as a hands‑on execution leader responsible for maturing AppFolio’s Privacy Compliance Program, records retention, standing up second‑line data compliance & oversight, and establishing a pragmatic compliance reporting foundation across second‑line compliance. You will bring structure, clarity, and consistency to how we measure program effectiveness, defining realistic KPIs and KRIs that provide clear visibility into compliance health across the enterprise.

Your Impact

• Lead AppFolio’s Privacy Program, including the Enterprise Data Privacy Policy, individual rights requests, privacy risk assessments, and records retention.

• Privacy SME for the third‑party risk management program (TPRM), in partnership with the TPRM program.

• Conduct a comprehensive initial maturity and operating effectiveness assessment of AppFolio's existing privacy program to identify gaps, establish baseline risk profiles, and chart a roadmap for program evolution.

• Map privacy obligations to real‑world business and product workflows, cleanly integrating data privacy, classification, retention, and access standards into Product, Engineering, and operational teams without creating unnecessary friction.

• Direct AppFolio’s compliance oversight of data governance as an enterprise discipline, standing up the compliance framework, policies, and standards where they do not yet exist. Partner with Legal, InfoSec, and Business leaders to integrate data compliance and privacy standards into first‑line operations. Serve as the compliance lead for privacy and data governance dimensions of AI, automated tools, and emerging technology across company products and internal operations.

• Establish a standardized framework to measure and report on compliance program health, defining key performance indicators (KPIs) and key risk indicators (KRIs) across core compliance domains.

• Partner with cross‑functional teams to identify key compliance data sources and establish consistent, repeatable reporting processes.

• Synthesize compliance metrics into actionable reporting outputs, ranging from operational team updates to executive leadership and board committee decks.

• Establish clear operational thresholds and accountability, ensuring that risk trends or identified compliance gaps lead to practical action, designated ownership, and tracked resolution.

• Act as the primary Second Line liaison to Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) and Internal Audit, providing consistent compliance reporting inputs to support enterprise risk assessments and independent assurance.

• Serve as the accountable lead for the Privacy and Data Compliance programs and the second‑line reporting framework, and coordinate the Compliance team members who support them.

Qualifications

• Operator‑minded leader with a practical, outcome‑focused approach to building structured, sustainable processes without bureaucratic overhead.

• Demonstrated track record as a hands‑on individual contributor who thrives on executing directly while leading through persuasion, trust, and influence.

• Thriving in a highly collaborative, cross‑functional environment to align Legal, Product, Engineering, Data, Information Security, and Business Operations teams around shared compliance goals.

• Prioritizing urgency and transparency when tracking compliance commitments, reporting risk metrics, and managing executive cadences.

• Elevating the collective output of the department by introducing simple, standardized metrics that bring clarity to program results and operational effectiveness.

• Building trust by listening to customer needs and embedding data privacy and retention directly into business workflows.

• Consistently meeting commitments across board reporting, program milestones, and audit readiness.

• Proven capability to brief C‑suite executives and board committees, translating compliance data and risk context into commercial risk decisions and actionable guidance.

• Bachelor’s degree required; relevant professional certifications (e.g., CIPP/US, CCEP) are a plus.

Must Have

• 10+ years of progressive compliance, risk, or operational leadership experience in high‑growth technology, SaaS, fintech, or regulated environments.

• Demonstrated experience defining compliance metrics, KPIs/KRIs, and standardized program reporting structures from scratch in a growing organization.

• Proven, hands‑on experience building and operationalizing comprehensive privacy frameworks (e.g., CCPA/CPRA) and records retention programs within SaaS product architectures and operational workflows, ideally in a business that acts as both controller and service provider/processor.

• Experience building or operating privacy or data governance programs (e.g., CCPA/CPRA, records retention, data classification, data ownership, second‑line monitoring) in a technology or regulated environment.

• Proven track record as a hands‑on individual contributor driving end‑to‑end execution of enterprise program management, governance reporting, and cross‑functional tracking.

• Experience serving as a primary subject matter expert and Second Line liaison to ERM and Internal Audit functions.

Location

Find out more about our locations by visiting our site.

All late‑stage candidates complete an in‑person meeting with an AppFolian as part of our hiring process.

Compensation & Benefits

The compensation that we reasonably expect to pay for this role is: $167,200 to $209,000 [base pay]. The actual compensation for this role will be determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s skills, education, experience, and internal equity.

Please note that compensation is just one aspect of a comprehensive Total Rewards package. The compensation range listed here does not include additional benefits or any discretionary bonuses you may be eligible for based on your role and/or employment type.

Regular full‑time employees are eligible for benefits - see here.

About AppFolio

AppFolio is the technology leader powering the future of the real estate industry. Our innovative platform and trusted partnership enable our customers to connect communities, increase operational efficiency, and grow their business. For more information about AppFolio, visit appfolio.com.

Why AppFolio

Grow

| We enable a culture of high performance, where delivering results is recognized by opportunities for growth and compelling total rewards. Our challenging and meaningful work drive the growth of our business, and ourselves.

Learn

| We partner with you to realize your potential by investing in you from the start. We're cultivating a team of big thinkers through coaching and mentorship with our best‑in‑class leaders, and giving you the time and tools to develop your skills.

Impact

| We are creating a world where living in, investing in, managing, and supporting communities feels magical and effortless, freeing people to thrive. We do this by innovating with purpose while cultivating a culture of impact. We learn as much from each other as we do our customers and our communities.

Connect

| We excel at hybrid work by fostering an environment that feels flexible, personal and connected, no matter where we are. We create space to fuel innovation and collaboration, and we come together to celebrate, connect, and succeed.

Paddle as One.

Learn more at appfolio.com/company/careers

Statement of Equal Opportunity

At AppFolio, we value diversity in backgrounds and perspectives and depend on it to drive our innovative culture. That’s why we’re a proud Equal Opportunity Employer, and we believe that our products, our teams, and our business are stronger because of it. This means that no matter what race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, or medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law, you’re always welcome at AppFolio.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible candidate experience. If you need a reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process for a disability, pregnancy‑related condition, or religious practice, please contact us at [e-mail] or [phone]. You do not need to use any particular wording.