Job Description

The Opportunity

Driven by Curiosity. Inspired by Chapman.

Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked, mid-sized private institution, known for its commitment to excellence through research and innovative teaching, as well as its distinctive approach to personalized education. Chapman has experienced near-unprecedented growth during the last thirty years, evolving from a regional college with approximately 2,000 students to a nationally ranked, R2 comprehensive research university of nearly 10,000 students.

Chapmans academic excellence and momentum as an institution are supported by its healthy financial position, resulting from careful planning and the thoughtful stewardship of university assets. Further, the Universitys endowment exceeds $850 million and is amongst the fastest-growing university endowments in the country.

The University recently adopted its current strategic plan, Our Path to Greatness, an ambitious five-year plan that sets a course towards significantly elevating Chapmans academic excellence. The Chapman community is excited about the strategic plan, and their new comprehensive fundraising campaign, Inspire: The Campaign for Chapman University, will help fuel their success. In February 2023, they announced the public phase of the campaign, and as of February 2025, they are already more than $400 million towards the $500 million goal.

To help continue this momentum and to realize its future goals, Chapman seeks a thoughtful, strategic, and dynamic leader to serve as its next Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). The successful candidate will bring subject-matter expertise, sound judgment, excellent relationship and management skills, and a strategic understanding of risk-based audit and compliance approaches to their leadership of this important area. This leader will help develop and implement a clear, unified vision for University Compliance that will engage the campus community and position the University for future success.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven leader to help support and safeguard a highly recognized institution of academic distinction, and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation.

Position Summary

Reporting functionally to the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees, and administratively to the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the CCO will serve as a critical member of the Universitys Administration and Finance Division. This executive will provide leadership and direction for the Office of Institutional Compliance and Internal Audit to ensure that Chapman University management, in all functional areas, is accountable for maintaining compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. In addition, the CCO will conduct internal investigations, working with Chapmans General Counsel. The CCO will lead multiple finance-related compliance and audit functions that are strategically and operationally essential to the governance of the University and will facilitate a compliance risk assessment process and develop an annual compliance plan and annual compliance report to the Audit Committee of the Board.

The CCO will provide reasonable assurance to senior management and the Board that there are effective and efficient policies and procedures in place to address financially related issues such as fraud, waste, and abuse, and that these are well understood and respected by all employees. This leader will also ensure that the University is complying with all financial regulatory requirements. The CCO will have the independent authority and autonomy necessary to objectively provide a review and evaluation of internal audit and compliance issues and will advise the Audit Committee and senior management on all ethics, compliance, and audit matters.

All of this shall be accomplished with a high level of professionalism and integrity; hands-on contributions; a transparent, team-oriented, and collaborative style; a passion for the mission of Chapman; and a commitment to serving and safeguarding the University.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be an inclusive, collaborative, transparent, and action-oriented leader with the professional experience and leadership style to inspire respect for a common vision within the compliance and internal audit team, and throughout the Chapman community. This executive will have a solution-oriented service approach, and the interpersonal, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills to work effectively and thrive in a complex, decentralized, constantly evolving, mission-driven enterprise. This leader will bring a servant leadership approach, with the proven ability to build and nurture meaningful, lasting relationships, and foster collaboration and support among a range of constituents across the University.

Chapman seeks candidates with the following qualities, characteristics, and experience. Understanding that each candidate brings relative strengths and areas in need of improvement and that no single candidate will be equally strong in every area, we encourage all who are interested to apply.

Skills and Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge and understanding of the investigation process of high-level/sensitive claims on behalf of a university or organization.
• Excellent organizational, administrative, and project management skills, including the ability to diagnose critical areas that require attention, assimilate information quickly, arrive at conclusions and accurately represent a position to a variety of audiences; and then translate strategies into achievable steps.
• Demonstrated success designing risk-based audit and compliance plans, leading investigations, and presenting to governing boards.
• Deep knowledge of GAAP, International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (2025 revision), DOJ compliance guidance, and federal/state regulations.
• A consultative, supportive, yet independent and objective practice of engaging business units and programs across a mission-oriented enterprise with a distributed, matrixed management structure.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and motivate diverse teams; approachable, collaborative, and trustworthy leadership style.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skillsable to translate complex concepts for non-experts and build consensus among varied stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten years or more of relevant financial and/or administrative experience, with at least three years in supervisory or senior management capacity, preferably within higher education institutions.
• Advanced degree (e.g. JD, MPS, MBA)
• Professional certifications (one or more): Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information System Auditor (CISA). Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP), and/or Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Personal Attributes

• An action-oriented leader with the ability and willingness to multitask, work independently or as part of a team, to roll up their sleeves and do what is needed to keep assignments on track.
• Proven capacity to be adaptable, patient, and flexible, as well as appropriately tenacious with the conviction to stand by difficult decisions and unpopular judgments.
• An approachable, trustworthy, facilitative leadership style with the ability to demonstrate a strong sense of personal accountability.
• A humble, trustworthy, accountable leader, with a genuine interest, strong alignment, and commitment to Chapmans mission.
• A leader with the highest ethical and professional standards, as well as the ability to manage the most sensitive and challenging issues with tact, diplomacy, and discretion.
• A forward-thinking outlook that embraces inclusivity, sustainability, technology, wellness, and a wide range of progressive strategies. A leader who considers issues of inclusion and equality in decision-making and strategic planning and is mindful of biases in their own decision-making and in that of others within the organization.

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