Chief Compliance & Fair Practices

Position Summary

Anne Arundel Community College seeks an outstanding individual with exceptional strategic, operational, and interpersonal capabilities to join the College’s leadership team as the Chief Compliance and Fair Practices Officer (CCFPO).

The CCFPO collaboratively ensures compliance with statutory, regulatory, and policy matters that impact the college, including federal and state laws and regulations. Reporting directly to the President, the CCFPO provides independent oversight and coordination of an institutional compliance program that promotes a culture of compliance and the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and responsibility within the College community. While the primary responsibility for compliance outside those managed directly by the CCFPO remains in the individual units of the College, the CCFPO works closely and collaboratively with each unit to build on existing compliance practices, such as reporting, the establishment of policies and procedures, training, and taking corrective actions, as necessary. By partnering with leaders and staff across compliance-intensive areas, the CCFPO provides strategic leadership and collaborative oversight of all compliance-related activities for the College.

Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is committed to enriching the educational experience it offers through the diversity of its faculty, administrators, and staff members. The college seeks to recruit and support a broadly diverse team who will contribute to the college's excellence, diversity of viewpoints and experiences, embrace concepts of equity and inclusiveness and support the equal rights of all people by advancing the understanding and appreciation of differences including age, race, gender, ability, religious convictions, socio-economic status, ethnic heritage, or sexual orientation.

While we appreciate your interest in employment with Anne Arundel Community College, applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for any position.

In the best interest of the College, only individuals who are residents of Maryland or one of the following states will be eligible for employment at the college: Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia or the District of Columbia. The college will annually review this restriction and, if appropriate, expand the list of states of employment eligibility.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Serves as the institutional liaison to external agencies, including but not limited to the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). In consultation with the President and College Counsel, monitors and advises senior leadership on all complaints generated through state and federal agencies. With the support of the general counsel, drafts the College’s position statements and manages requests for information from external agencies.

Serves as the primary contact for the complaint process as it relates to the AACC Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policy; Initiates investigation process in response to violations or suspected violations of rules, regulations, policies, and/or procedures; and develops plan of corrective action, including but not limited to: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Sections 504 and 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act; Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), and Protection of Minors. Refers to specific compliance or legally complex problems and concerns for investigation and resolution to the appropriate College units and obtain legal counsel from the College General Counsel on such matters, as needed.

Responsible for the development, review, and analysis of the affirmative action data. Serves as the Affirmative Action Officer. Keeps the College's Affirmative Action Plan current. Provides recommendations to College leadership for action plans and, when approved, in collaboration with Human Resources and Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, implement plans.

Responsible for crafting institutional responses to requests for records from external persons and agencies, which could include Maryland Public Information Act requests, state and federal investigations, and litigation-related discovery requests.

Serve as a member of the Policy Action Request team. Support the development, revision, maintenance, and discontinuation of College policies, procedures, and the College Manual.

Serve as the College’s Title IX Coordinator. Exercises the primary responsibility for coordinating the College's efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to include the supervision of the Title IX Investigator. Keeps current and disseminates materials to the college community regarding their rights and responsibilities under Title IX.

Stays abreast of legal and regulatory developments, as appropriate, assisting departments in interpreting laws and regulations in the context of the college’s operations, in consultation with College Counsel, and ensuring that key personnel is informed of the laws and regulations applicable to their duties. Consult with senior leadership about institutional priorities in mitigating compliance risks relating to EEO matters; advise the President, senior leaders, faculty governance, and compliance partners on balancing administrative burden while maintaining risk-appropriate compliance activities. Working with Strategic Communications ensures that the College website and all other forms of communication to the college community regarding equal opportunity and non-discrimination are periodically reviewed and kept current with applicable College policies, procedures, and applicable laws.

Partners with the Office of Human Resources, Center for Faculty and Staff Professional Development, and the Office of Community Standards to align and integrate quality educational and training programming to ensure that new hires and members of the College community understand their compliance responsibilities and the policies, procedures, and legal requirements that are relevant to their work.

Provides daily supervision to the ADA/Accessibility Compliance Officer. Provides general supervision to the Title IX Investigator.

Required Qualifications:

• Five (5) years of relevant experience with compliance program development, implementation, complaints, and investigations, including two (2) years working in higher education, a governmental organization, or a related setting, including direct experience with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
• A J.D. is preferred, and a master’s degree in law, business administration, risk management, or related fields is required.
• Strong local, state, and federal legislation governing compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Sections 504 and 508 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act; Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), and protection of minors.
• Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision and direction
• Deep knowledge of higher education practices, regulations, compliance, and accrediting agencies.
• Successful experience leading and managing day-to-day operations in a large, complex, and highly decentralized setting.
• Experience working with committees or subgroups on matters of compliance;
• Extraordinary ability to work on a senior team as a listener, contributor, collaborator, mediator, and change agent interacting with all constituencies in a higher education institution
• Strong creative, innovative, strategic, and visionary qualities
•Strong and effective interpersonal skills; the ability to listen well and demonstrate sensitivity to and respect for individual needs. The ability to respond equitably to crises and highly sensitive situations and excellent listening, communication, and presentation skills.
• Keen understanding of the importance of commitment to and fostering strong relationships with all College and external constituents
• Strong commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Five to ten years of relevant experience with compliance program development, implementation, complaints, and investigations.
2. Earned Jurist Doctorate from a United States accredited law school.
3. Respect for and understanding of the mission of community colleges.
4. Experience reporting to a senior counsel, senior partner, College president, or other high-level administrator.
5. Experience with policy development at a higher education institution a plus.