Compliance Officer

The Opportunity

Purdue Global is seeking an accomplished, forward-thinking Compliance Officer to provide leadership for the university’s compliance, ethics, and enterprise risk management programs.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and maintaining a collaborative relationship with the Chief Counsel, the Compliance Officer will serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and university leadership. This individual will establish, guide, and maintain a comprehensive compliance, ethics, and risk mitigation program that supports Purdue Global’s mission while aligning with the Purdue system’s enterprise-wide compliance framework.

The Compliance Officer will provide leadership across a complex regulatory landscape that includes federal and state higher education requirements, accreditation, educational technology governance, data privacy, accessibility, multi-state employment compliance, and enterprise risk management. The successful candidate will bring sound judgment, executive presence, and the ability to translate evolving regulatory requirements into practical institutional strategies.

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory and Statutory Compliance

• Direct and oversee compliance strategies related to federal and state higher education regulations.
• Provide institutional leadership regarding Title IV financial aid regulations, Title IX, the Violence Against Women Act, FERPA, and consumer protection disclosure requirements.
• Oversee compliance with State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and other multi-state authorization requirements affecting online education.
• Monitor federal and state legislative and regulatory developments and lead proactive institutional responses.
• Coordinate compliance activities involving the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Indiana Commission for Higher Education, state workforce agencies, and other regulatory bodies.

Enterprise Risk Management and Policy Leadership

• Design, implement, and lead the university’s enterprise risk management practices in alignment with Purdue system frameworks.
• Identify and assess operational, cybersecurity, financial, academic, regulatory, and reputational risks.
• Collaborate with Purdue system Risk Management and Internal Audit teams.
• Develop compliance dashboards, risk registers, and key risk indicators that support timely decision-making and proactive mitigation.
• Connect risk indicators with Purdue Global quality assurance measures and strategic academic and operational initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Emerging Technology and Digital Learning Governance

• Participate in enterprise processes that establish and maintain compliance frameworks for artificial intelligence and machine learning in academic and administrative operations.
• Provide leadership regarding artificial intelligence ethics, educational technology governance, and responsible institutional use.
• Champion digital accessibility requirements, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Sections 504 and 508, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
• Monitor student and employee data privacy requirements under FERPA, state privacy laws, and applicable international frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation.
• Partner with the Chief Information Officer and other leaders to address risks associated with remote proctoring, biometric and related data, cloud-hosted instructional tools, and emerging technologies.

Accreditation

• Partner with the Chief Academic Officer, academic deans, and accreditation liaisons to support continued compliance with institutional and programmatic accreditation requirements.
• Support compliance with Higher Learning Commission expectations and specialized accrediting bodies.
• Ensure adherence to federal distance education requirements, including Regular and Substantive Interaction standards.

Audits, Investigations, and Employment Compliance

• Direct institutional preparation and response for federal compliance audits, annual Single Audits, state agency reviews, and independent evaluations.
• Oversee responses to reports received through the university’s anonymous whistleblower hotline.
• Direct objective, timely, and legally sound reviews of reported noncompliance.
• Collaborate with Human Resources on multi-state employment compliance for a distributed workforce, including requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and Americans with Disabilities Act.

Executive Advising and Leadership

• Serve as a trusted compliance and risk advisor to the CEO and university leadership.
• Prepare and present executive summaries, compliance dashboards, quarterly risk registers, and recommendations to the CEO, university board, and Core Leadership Team.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of compliance directors and specialists.
• Navigate sensitive academic and administrative matters with discretion, diplomacy, and sound judgment.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education administration, public policy, business administration, or a closely related field.
• Ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in compliance, regulatory affairs, legal services, or risk management.
• At least five years of senior-level leadership experience within a higher education environment.
• Significant experience interpreting and applying U.S. Department of Education regulations, including Title IV, FERPA, and Title IX.
• Experience with multi-state authorization requirements affecting online or distance education.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing long-term operational and strategic initiatives.
• Experience designing or coordinating enterprise risk management frameworks in collaboration with internal audit, legal, risk management, or related university functions.
• Strong executive communication, negotiation, mediation, and advisory skills.
• Ability to manage confidential matters and navigate complex academic and administrative decision-making processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree.
• Advanced knowledge of accreditation, online education, and distance learning regulatory requirements.
• Experience with educational technology governance, artificial intelligence and machine learning compliance, data privacy, and digital accessibility standards.
• Experience developing executive-level risk registers, compliance dashboards, and key risk indicators.
• Compliance leadership experience within a large university system or complex online higher education institution.

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue University’s online university for working adults. The university provides flexible, career-focused educational opportunities designed to help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their professional goals.

The Compliance Officer will have the opportunity to shape a comprehensive compliance and risk management program that supports innovation, academic quality, institutional integrity, and responsible growth across a dynamic online university.

Application Procedures

This is a remote position. The successful candidate must be able to work effectively within a highly collaborative, geographically distributed environment and may be required to travel periodically for university meetings, audits, regulatory engagements, or other institutional activities.

Application materials should include:

• A cover letter describing the candidate’s interest in the position and relevant leadership experience
• A current résumé or curriculum vitae
• Contact information for professional references ( references will not be contacted without permission from the candidate)
• Application deadline: December 10, 2026

Additional Information:

• The anticipated annual salary for this position is $175,000. The final salary offer will be determined based on various factors, including internal equity, available budget, and relevant experience.
• Purdue University Global will not sponsor employment authorization for this position.
• A background check will be required for employment in this position.
• We ask that our remote employees have access to a reliable internet connection and a dedicated, properly equipped workspace that is free of distractions.
• Exempt (Not Eligible For Overtime) This position is generally classified as exempt unless a non-exempt classification is required by applicable state law.

Job Family

Legal and Compliance

EOE

Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access university. Our goal is to recruit and retain talent from a broad pool of applicants. Purdue Global celebrates a variety of perspectives, experiences, and skills to support a success-focused environment for employees and students. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. All are encouraged to apply.

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