Director of Compliance

Servingschools; Orono (ME); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Maine System seeks an experienced and collaborative leader to serve as the Director of Compliance. The Director leads the system-wide compliance program, coordinates across UMaine institutions, and reports to the Audit Committee.

Based on the Orono campus, the role supports policy development, risk assessment, and monitoring with a hybrid work arrangement. The salary range reflects qualifications and experience, with strong benefits including health, retirement, and tuition

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in compliance, audit, risk management, or regulatory affairs.
• Knowledge of the federal and state regulatory framework applicable to public higher education (e.g., Clery Act, Title IX, FERPA, research compliance, NCAA rules).
• Ability to build and lead a compliance program, including risk assessment, policy development, training, monitoring, and reporting to senior leadership or a governing board.
• Strong relationship‑building and influence skills, with demonstrated success achieving compliance outcomes in a decentralized or matrixed organization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing materials for and presenting to boards, audit committees, or senior executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead system-wide compliance program for the University of Maine System.
• Coordinate compliance efforts across all UMaine institutions and support resources.
• Report periodically to the Audit Committee of the UM Board of Trustees and to senior leadership.

Skills

Compliance leadership

Regulatory affairs

Higher education

Policy development

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The University of Maine System (UMS or System) seeks an experienced and collaborative leader to serve as the Director of Compliance. The Director of Compliance (Director) leads the University of Maine System's system-wide compliance program and serves as the founding leader of a new, dedicated compliance office established for this purpose. The Director provides independent oversight, coordination, and support across all UMS institutions, helps establish system-wide compliance standards, monitors institutional compliance risk, and reports periodically to the Audit Committee of the UMS Board of Trustees. The position works with and supports university-level compliance resources to ensure that compliance activity across the System is coordinated, adequately resourced, consistently measured, and visible to System leadership and the Board.

The office for this position is located on the University of Maine campus in Orono. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule, as arranged in coordination with the supervisor.

Work Schedule: The hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Salary: The annual salary range is $120,000-$150,000, based on qualifications and experience.

Benefits: The University of Maine System offers a highly competitive benefits package that includes (but is not limited to):

• 13 paid holidays plus earned vacation and sick time
• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Short-term disability insurance and employer-paid long-term disability insurance
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and supplemental life insurance
• Tuition waiver program for employees and their dependents (spouse, domestic partner, and dependent children)
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• A minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in compliance, audit, risk management, or regulatory affairs, with substantial exposure to higher education, government, healthcare, or another highly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the federal and state regulatory framework applicable to public higher education (e.g., Clery Act, Title IX, FERPA, research compliance, NCAA rules, or comparable regulatory regimes).
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead a compliance program, including risk assessment, policy development, training, monitoring, and reporting to senior leadership or a governing board.
• Strong relationship‑building and influence skills, with demonstrated success achieving compliance outcomes in a decentralized or matrixed organization without direct line authority over the staff involved.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing materials for and presenting to boards, audit committees, or senior executive leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• J.D., Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP), Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC), or comparable professional certification.
• Experience in a multi‑campus or multi‑entity system environment.
• Direct experience in one or more of the position's core focus areas - such as research compliance, NCAA/athletics compliance, or information security and privacy.
• Experience supporting compliance reporting channels or investigations processes, such as a whistleblower program.

Important Items To Know About The Recruitment Process

• Review of applications and materials will begin immediately. For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 pm EST, Fri., Sept. 18, 2026.
• Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.
• We are not able to consider applicants who require Visa sponsorship.
• Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide three (3) names and contact information for references.
• Incomplete application materials cannot be considered.
• The successful candidate is subject to appropriate background screenings.

University of Maine

The University of Maine, founded in Orono in 1865, is the state's land grant and sea grant university. As the state’s only public research university, UMaine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service. UMaine is among the most comprehensive higher education institutions in the Northeast, with nearly 100 majors and academic programs. It attracts students from Maine and 49 other states, and more than 60 countries. It currently enrolls more than 11,400 undergraduate and graduate students who can directly participate in research, working with world‑class scholars. UMaine offers more than 100 degree programs through which students can earn graduate certificates, master's, doctoral or professional science master's degrees. The university promotes environmental stewardship, with substantial efforts campuswide aimed at conserving energy, recycling and adhering to green building standards in new construction.

The University of Maine System (the System) is an equal opportunity institution committed to fostering a nondiscriminatory environment and complying with all applicable nondiscrimination laws. Consistent with State and Federal law, the System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran or military status in any aspect of its education, programs and activities, and employment. The System provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you believe you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, Orono, ME 04469-5713, by calling 207.581.1226, or via TTY at 711 (Maine Relay System). For more information about Title IX or to file a complaint, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at www.maine.edu/title-ix/.