Compliance Officer
Description
Community College Preparatory Academy
Compliance Officer
Department: Enterprise and Administration
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Status: Full-time; exempt
Location: Washington, DC / campus based
Salary band: $85,000–$115,000 annually
Supervisory responsibilities: No standing direct reports. Provides functional direction to the Administrative Assistant serving Human Resources and Compliance and may lead cross-functional compliance workgroups.
Our mission
Community College Preparatory Academy (CCPrep) creates an innovative and rigorous learning environment for adults who are under-credited or have aged out of traditional K–12 pathways. We respond to each learner’s strengths and barriers while preparing students for employment, postsecondary education, industry credentials, and lifelong learning.
The opportunity
Coordinate an organization-wide compliance program that turns legal, charter, grant, policy, and reporting obligations into clear ownership and timely evidence.
Why this role matters for students
Students are better served when required protections, records, funds, and services are dependable—and when leaders learn about risks early enough to act.
Cognia connections Culture of Learning, Leadership for Learning, Engagement of Learning, and Growth in Learning | Standards 1–3, 5–7, 11, 15, 17, 24, 26–27, 30–31. These responsibilities apply within this position’s assigned authority.
Essential responsibilities
- Maintain a compliance calendar and obligation inventory with owners, evidence, and escalation dates.
- Monitor charter, authorizer, grant, procurement, records, privacy, accessibility, and policy requirements in partnership with accountable leaders.
- Conduct risk-based reviews, document findings, and track corrective actions.
- Coordinate responses to audits, monitoring visits, information requests, complaints, and policy updates.
- Deliver practical compliance training and maintain reporting or ethics channels.
- Report material risks and remediation status to executive leadership and the appropriate Board committee.
- Coordinate an evidence register with accountable academic and operational leaders that links approved practices, improvement actions, and supporting records to Cognia standards.
- Review whether access, accommodation, privacy, and recordkeeping practices support learner participation and trustworthy assessment evidence; escalate gaps to the responsible owner.
- Track corrective actions affecting learning conditions and learner services through documented closure and effectiveness review; verify supporting evidence without assuming academic decision-making authority.
- Promote fair, respectful, and learner-centered policies; engage accountable stakeholders in reviewing whether institutional structures support well-being, access, staff practice, and continuous improvement.
- Coordinate training and evidence routines that help staff understand expectations, strengthen practice, and resolve systemic barriers within assigned authority.
- Maintain the compliance calendar, evidence, authorized access, and submission controls for platforms such as the PCSB Hub, EpiCenter, OSSE Support Tool, Special Programs, SLED, Qlik, and other authorizer or regulator systems; verify responsible owners and preserve submission confirmation and correction records.
What strong performance looks like
- High-risk obligations have named owners, evidence, and on-time completion.
- Findings and corrective actions are documented, prioritized, and closed responsibly.
- Leaders receive timely notice of material changes or exposure.
- Compliance reporting distinguishes verified facts, open questions, and management action.
- Specific annual targets and milestones will be established in the employee’s performance plan and aligned with the approved school operating plan.
- Evidence is current, traceable to the responsible owner, and sufficient to substantiate documented practices rather than unsupported compliance claims.
- Reviews and corrective-action records show resolution of identified barriers and follow-up on whether the remedy worked.
- Compliance reviews include stakeholder input and evidence of fairness, staff support, learner well-being, corrective action, and sustainable process improvement.
- Regulatory submissions are complete, timely, traceable to verified source records, and supported by current access lists, confirmations, correspondence, and documented corrections.
Minimum qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
- At least five years of progressively responsible experience, including project, program, or staff leadership.
- Demonstrated skill with data, documentation, cross-functional communication, and service-oriented problem solving.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with education-authorizer, state-reporting, accreditation, grants-compliance, or document-submission portals; familiarity with DC PCSB or OSSE systems is preferred.
- JD, CCEP, CCEP-I, or other relevant compliance credential.
- Graduate degree or recognized professional certification related to the function.
- Experience in adult education, workforce development, public charter education, or a nonprofit setting.
- Experience establishing practical controls, dashboards, and continuous-improvement routines.
Core ways of working
- Centers adult learners, values their backgrounds and abilities, and respects their voice and choices.
- Communicates clearly, follows through, and raises risks early.
- Uses evidence, protects confidentiality, and documents work so others can rely on it.
- Collaborates across units and uses resources responsibly.
- Uses feedback and role-appropriate evidence to test improvements, apply professional learning, and review results.
Work environment and essential capabilities
Primarily campus and office based, with sustained computer use and frequent interaction with staff, students, vendors, or partners. Some evening, weekend, or off-site work may be required. Essential duties must be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.
Application and employment conditions
To learn more and apply, visit ccprep-academy.org/careers/. Questions or accommodation requests may be directed to (202) 770-3252.
CCPrep provides equal employment opportunity without regard to any characteristic protected by federal or District of Columbia law. Qualified applicants and employees may request reasonable accommodation for the application process or to perform essential job functions. Any required background, credential, driving-record, or employment-history review will occur in accordance with applicable law and at the appropriate stage of the hiring process. Employment may be contingent on satisfactory completion of job-related screening.
This description identifies the role’s principal responsibilities and essential functions. It does not create an employment contract and may be revised to reflect lawful, mission-related organizational needs. Related duties may be assigned when consistent with the role’s purpose and qualifications.