Strategic Director, Ethics & Compliance

FirstEnergy Corp; Annapolis (MD); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Pension plan

401(k) with company matching

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

FirstEnergy is seeking a Director of Ethics & Compliance to lead strategic and day-to-day ethics initiatives, governance, and investigations. You will oversee intake, investigations, and remediation while guiding policies and training across the company.

The role requires deep experience in corporate compliance, anti-bribery controls, and regulatory obligations, with the ability to foster cross-functional collaboration and executive-level communication. Akron-based with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, law, accounting, finance, public policy, regulatory affairs, or related field required; Juris Doctor degree preferred.
• Ten years of progressively responsible experience in ethics and compliance, corporate investigations, legal, audit, regulatory compliance, risk management, internal controls, or related function required.
• Three to five years of leadership experience managing teams, programs, projects, or cross-functional initiatives in a corporate, legal, regulatory, audit, or compliance environment required.
• Experience leading or overseeing sensitive, complex, or high-risk investigations, including intake, triage, evidence review, interviews, documentation, root-cause analysis, remediation, and reporting preferred.
• Experience with corporate compliance processes including gifts, pre-approvals, conflicts of interest, policy acknowledgments, and related controls preferred.
• Knowledge of anti-bribery, anti-corruption, political compliance, lobbying, due diligence, and related processes preferred.
• Experience with FERC, state regulatory compliance, utility operations, or regulated energy-sector compliance preferred.
• Ability to develop, implement, assess, and continuously improve ethics and compliance programs and reporting mechanisms.
• Strong judgment, discretion, professionalism, and ability to handle confidential matters with integrity and escalation as needed.
• Executive presence and credibility as a trusted advisor with ability to communicate with senior leaders, partners, employees, regulators, and auditors.
• Ability to build cross-functional relationships and influence without direct authority across Legal, HR, Audit, Public Affairs, Regulatory, Security, and business units.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, project management, and reporting skills; identify trends and mitigate risks.
• Leadership style promoting transparency, accountability, inclusion, trust, and a speak-up culture.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and lead complex initiatives across the organization.
• Professional certifications in compliance or ethics preferred (e.g., CCEP, CFE, CIA, CPA).
• Proficiency with MS Office and ability to use data/dashboards for oversight and decision-making.
• Willingness to travel and work extended hours as required.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for Ethics & Compliance initiatives and program governance.
• Oversee intake, triage, investigation, documentation, reporting, and remediation of ethics concerns.
• Lead or advise on sensitive investigations ensuring timely, objective, and well-documented processes.
• Identify trends, root causes, and remediation opportunities; report themes to management.
• Oversee corporate compliance processes like gifts, pre-approvals, conflicts of interest, and policy acknowledgments.
• Guide employees and leaders on ethics policies, procedures, and escalation paths.
• Oversee anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and political compliance controls and monitoring.
• Coordinate with business units to track and document regulatory obligations.
• Monitor activities and reports to identify non-compliant conduct and control weaknesses.
• Lead or support internal and external reviews, audits, and assessments; track action items.
• Oversee ethics training, communications, and awareness campaigns; manage content and delivery.
• Ensure accuracy and maintenance of program documentation per requirements.
• Represent Ethics & Compliance in interpreting and implementing legal/regulatory requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Ethics & Compliance

Corporate investigations

Regulatory compliance

Risk management

Executive communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, law, accounting, finance, public policy, regulatory affairs, or related field

Juris Doctor degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

FirstEnergy is seeking a Director of Ethics & Compliance to lead strategic and day-to-day ethics initiatives, governance, and investigations. You will oversee intake, investigations, and remediation while guiding policies and training across the company.

The role requires deep experience in corporate compliance, anti-bribery controls, and regulatory obligations, with the ability to foster cross-functional collaboration and executive-level communication. Akron-based with travel as needed.