Manager, University Policy and Enterprise Risk

Administration & Operations; Fairfax (VA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) department seeks a Policy & Planning Specialist 2 to lead the policy lifecycle from development to renewal and governance anchoring across university operations. This role focuses on clear, compliant policy language aligned with strategic goals and includes significant cross-functional leadership responsibilities.

The Manager, University Policy and Enterprise Risk will collaborate with the CRO, policy owners, internal audit, and legal

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5–7 years in policy management, ERM, compliance coordination, or organizational governance.
• Experience with governance committees, policy owners, auditors, or risk stewards.
• Experience developing training materials, process documentation, or guidance related to policy, compliance, or risk practices.
• Experience using project management or risk tracking tools, workflow systems, or document management platforms.
• Knowledge of enterprise risk management frameworks (e.g., COSO ERM, ISO 31000) and higher education governance/compliance environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including policy drafting and executive-level reporting.

Responsibilities

• Policy Development, Management & Governance Support: coordinates the full lifecycle of institutional policies, drafts/revises policies, manages review processes, publishes policies, and archives.
• Maintains policy repository and ensures version control and clarity in policy language.
• Provides guidance to policy owners on required processes, templates, timelines, and governance structures.
• Contributes to policy management efficiency by updating practices and approaches as needed.
• Enterprise Risk Management: supports ERM framework improvements, identifies and prioritizes institutional risks, maintains risk registers and data, and proposes mitigation strategies.
• Communication & Collaboration: develops policy-specific communication plans, trains stakeholders, collaborates with internal audit, compliance, legal, and policy teams, and drives accountability for deliverables across cross-functional stakeholders.

Skills

Policy management

Enterprise risk management

Governance

Communication

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Policy management systems

Risk tracking tools

Workflow systems

Document management platforms

Job description

Department: Enterprise Risk Management

Classification: Policy & Planning Specialist 2

Job Category:Classified Staff

Job Type:Full-Time

Work Schedule:Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type:Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility:Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band:05

Salary:Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check:Yes

About the Department:

George Mason University’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) exists to promote institutional resilience by identifying, assessing, and managing risks that could affect the university’s mission. The unit also oversees policy management and building code compliance to ensure clear, consistent, and accountable governance across the institution. Through collaboration, transparency, and proactive guidance, it supports informed decision‑making and strengthens the university’s culture of integrity and risk awareness.

About the Position:

The Manager, University Policy and Enterprise Risk serves as the lead on development, review, approval, and renewals of university policies. This includes ensuring policies are clear, compliant, and aligned with strategic goals, while identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks that could impact operations, reputation, finances, or regulatory compliance. This is an individual contributor role with significant cross-functional leadership responsibility.

Responsibilities:

Policy Development, Management & Governance Support:

• Serves as the University Policy Manager coordinating the full lifecycle of institutional policies, including providing information to policy owners as they draft and revise policies, providing feedback and advice to policy owners, managing the review process by the Policy Management Group, facilitating approval, publishing policies to the policy website, and archiving;
• Provides advice and guidance to policy owners regarding required processes, templates, timelines, and governance structures;
• Maintains the policy repository and ensures version control, consistency, and clarity in policy language;
• Supports transparency by keeping the website up-to-date with current policies listed and helpful information posted to enable the policy management process; and
• Contributes to policy management efficiency and effectiveness by updating practices and approaches to university policy management as needed.

Enterprise Risk Management:

• Serves as a thought partner to the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) in continuous improvement of the university’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework;
• Identifies, assesses, and prioritizes institutional risks across academic, operational, financial, regulatory, and reputational domains;
• Facilitates regular risk assessments with leadership and key stakeholders across units;
• Maintains the university’s enterprise risk register and other key ERM documents and data, ensuring risks are documented, evaluated, and updated regularly;
• Designs and works with risk owners to implement risk mitigation strategies and action plans to reduce exposure and strengthen organizational resilience;
• Monitors emerging risks and trends (e.g., regulatory changes, cybersecurity threats, enrollment shifts) and advises leadership accordingly;
• Works in partnership with the CRO to establish key risk indicators (KRIs) and metrics to track risk levels and effectiveness of mitigation efforts;
• Provides advice for integrating risk management practices into strategic planning, decision-making, and business processes; and
• Evaluates the effectiveness of existing controls and recommends improvements where needed.

Communication & Collaboration:

• Works with policy owners to develop policy-specific communication plans;
• Promotes a risk-aware culture through training, communication, and stakeholder engagement;
• Collaborates with internal audit, compliance, legal, and policy teams to ensure alignment of risk management activities; and
• Owns project execution for policy and risk workstreams, including establishing structures, tracking requests, organizing and leading meetings, and driving accountability for deliverables across cross-functional stakeholders.

Other Related Duties as Assigned:

• Related tasks assigned by the supervisor and department head.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Experience (typically 5-7 years) in policy management, enterprise risk management, compliance coordination, or organizational governance;
• Experience working with governance committees, policy owners, auditors, or risk stewards;
• Experience developing training materials, process documentation, or guidance related to policy, compliance, or risk practices;
• Experience using project management or risk tracking tools, workflow systems, or document management platforms;
• Experience interpreting regulatory or accreditation requirements relevant to institutional policy and compliance environments;
• Knowledge of enterprise risk management frameworks (e.g., COSO ERM, ISO 31000) and higher education governance/compliance environments;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to assess risk and develop practical mitigation strategies;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including policy drafting and executive-level reporting;
• Ability to engage stakeholders and facilitate cross-functional collaboration and risk discussions;
• Ability to translate complex concepts into clear, actionable guidance for diverse audiences;
• Strong organizational and project management skills to handle multiple priorities effectively;
• Ability to apply a strategic, proactive mindset with adaptability to evolving risks and regulatory requirements; and
• Sound judgment, integrity, and ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Professional certification or advanced training in risk management, audit, compliance, or governance (e.g., CRMP, CERM, CIA, PMP);
• Experience (typically 7+ years) that includes both policy management and enterprise risk management, preferably in higher education or a similarly complex organization;
• Advanced experience leading or maturing enterprise-wide policy or ERM programs, including implementing governance frameworks and driving cross-functional adoption at scale; and
• Experience implementing ERM programs or policy frameworks in a higher education or similarly complex organizational environment.

Posting Open Date: August 17, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by: August 31, 2026

Open Until Filled:Yes