Vice President of Compliance

About the Role

The Vice President of Compliance is responsible for ensuring that WOCOTM operates in line with applicable laws, regulations, grant and contract requirements, Board decisions, and internal policies. This role builds and maintains the organization's compliance infrastructure — policies, risk controls, tracking systems, and reporting — while working closely with the Board, Executive team, and staff to protect the organization's mission, funding, and reputation.

The VP of Compliance develops and monitors the organization's compliance framework and oversees grants and contracts compliance, policy adherence, risk management, internal controls, audit readiness, training, and corrective actions. The VP reports significant compliance risks, unresolved issues, and recommendations to the CEO/Executive Director and the Board or relevant Board Committee.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure WOCOTM meets applicable nonprofit laws, tax-exempt status requirements, and annual filings in each jurisdiction where it operates
• Maintain good standing with relevant regulatory bodies (e.g., corporate registries, tax authorities, and nonprofit oversight agencies)
• Oversee adherence to applicable employment laws (equal opportunity, wage & hour, workplace safety)

Grant & Donor Compliance

• Review grant agreements to ensure WOCOTM follows all donor funding rules
• Monitor proper documentation of grant expenditures and reporting timelines
• Prevent misuse or misallocation of donor funds

Policy & Procedure Development

• Develop and update internal compliance policies (anti-fraud, whistleblower, conflict of interest)
• Ensure HR and operations policies align with state, federal, and international standards
• Maintain the employee/volunteer handbook and ensure policies are reviewed annually

Training & Awareness

• Conduct training for staff and volunteers on compliance topics (anti-harassment, data protection, safeguarding)
• Educate teams on donor requirements, ethical behavior, and reporting obligations

Risk Monitoring & Reporting

• Identify potential legal, financial, and reputational risks and recommend corrective action
• Maintain risk registers and ensure issues are escalated to the Board
• Conduct compliance audits and prepare reports for leadership

Data Protection & Confidentiality

• Ensure compliance with applicable data privacy laws in the jurisdictions where WOCOTM operates
• Oversee protection of volunteer and beneficiary data

Board & Executive Support

• Advise the Board of Trustees and Executive Director on compliance matters
• Prepare compliance reports for Board meetings
• Ensure Board members meet governance requirements (conflict disclosures, term limits, filings)

Key Outputs

• Compliance Plan
• Compliance Calendar
• Risk Register
• Policy Compliance Tracker
• Grant/Contract Checklist
• Training Tracker
• Audit Readiness Checklist
• Corrective Action Tracker
• Quarterly Compliance Reports

Reporting & Collaboration

• Reports to: CEO/Executive Director
• Works closely with: Board/Compliance or Audit Committee, HR, Finance, Grants, Programs, and Operations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or certification in compliance, nonprofit management, law, or related field preferred
• Several years of experience in nonprofit compliance, risk management, grants management, or a related area
• Working knowledge of nonprofit governance, tax-exempt compliance requirements, data privacy laws, and employment law across the jurisdictions WOCOTM operates in
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills
• Experience developing policies, training programs, and audit-readiness systems
• Ability to work effectively with Boards, executives, and cross-functional teams