Chief Assessment & Compliance Officer

Position Summary:

The Chief Assessment and Compliance Officer (CACO) reports directly to the VPAA with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the President. The CACO provides primary leadership and oversight for campus-wide assessment and accreditation efforts. In addition, this role serves as the College's regulatory compliance administrator. In that capacity, the CACO reviews and interprets laws, policies, and standards established by federal, state, and other regulatory agencies, and monitors the College's adherence to required protocols and reporting obligations. The CACO also supervises the Faculty Director of Institutional Research and Faculty Director of Grants Sponsored Programs.

Essential Functions:

Supervision and Leadership Provides administrative oversight and leadership for Institutional Research (IR) and Grants Sponsored Programs (GSP) Supervises the Director of IR and the Director of GSP, ensuring alignment of their work with institutional effectiveness, assessment, compliance, accreditation, and strategic priorities. Guides and supports the integration of institutional research, data analytics, and grant activity to inform decision-making and continuous improvement across the College Ensures effective coordination, communication, and collaboration between these areas and other institutional stakeholders Oversees goal-setting, performance expectations, and professional development for supervised personnel Oversees Accreditation for institution and relevant academic programs Leads institutional accreditation strategy and ensures ongoing readiness for reaffirmation and substantive changes processes Supports professional programs in the College's accreditation and reaccreditation applications Maintains current approvals for the college's membership in NC-SARA Acts as the College's SACSCOC Institutional Accreditation Liaison (IAL), with those responsibilities listed on https://sacscoc.org/ Attends and participates in SACSCOC annual meetings, summer institutes, and workshops when appropriate Assists with accreditation-related tasks in regional and specialized accreditation processes, as requested Provides guidance and training to faculty and staff on accreditation standards, expectations, and processes. Coordinates and serves as primary point of contact for all College assessment activities, including the assessment of academic programs, non-academic departments, and institutional effectiveness initiatives across campus. Oversees the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the College's institutional effectiveness framework, ensuring alignment with the strategic plan and institutional priorities Oversees administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement and disseminates results to Cabinet and faculty Provides expertise and consultative support across campus for curricular issues pertaining to (a) identifying mission-relevant goals aligned with the strategic plan with measurable outcomes and (b) developing direct and indirect measures of those outcomes. Facilitates professional development to faculty/staff who serve as assessment liaisons for both core curricular and program-specific assessment efforts Serves as assessment director for the Core Development Committee and recommends changes to the core curriculum based on the faculty-driven assessment data Ensures the systematic use of assessment results to inform decision-making, resource allocation, and continuous improvement across campus Oversee institutional assessment reporting processes, ensuring timely, accurate, and consistent documentation of outcomes for internal and external stakeholders Promotes a culture of evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement across campus Oversight of compliance and risk management across campus Reviews and interprets laws, policies, and standards relating to higher education established by federal, state, and other regulatory agencies Monitors the College's compliance with prescribed standards, protocols and reporting requirements Identifies, assesses, and mitigates institutional risk in collaboration with the President and Cabinet Works closely with the President and Cabinet on institutional compliance and risk management concerns, including preparation of an annual compliance and risk report shared with the appropriate Board Committees Oversight of compliance with HEOA requirements Oversight of grant compliance in collaboration with the Faculty Director of Grants Sponsored Programs Oversees and coordinates development, review, and maintenance of institutional policies to ensure regulatory compliance Develops and implements compliance training and awareness programs where needed. Coordinates institutional responses to internal and external audits, reviews, and compliance inquiries

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

Comprehensive knowledge of higher education administration, including compliance, assessment and accreditation In-depth knowledge of institutional effectiveness, assessment practices, and continuous improvement models Familiarity with or sincere interest in learning about the mission of Spring Hill College and the meaning of a Jesuit education, thus enabling the employee to support and strengthen the Jesuit, Catholic mission of Spring Hill College Proven ability to support and contribute to a culture of inclusion, equity, and respect for diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and traditions in alignment with SHC mission Knowledge of federal, state and regulatory requirements related to higher education compliance, including the Higher Education Act Knowledge of institutional research methodologies, data analysis, and report practices Knowledge of risk management principles and compliance framework Understanding of curriculum development, program review, and academic governance processes Strong leadership and organizational skills with ability to manage multiple complex institutional functions Ability to interpret and apply complex regulatory and accreditation standards Ability to lead campus-wide initiatives and influence a culture of assessment, compliance, and continuous improvement Ability to think strategically and align assessment, compliance, accreditation, and risk management with institutional goals Ability to supervise, mentor, and develop professional staff Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to prepare and present reports to executive leadership and governing board Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion and sound judgement Ability to navigate and respond effectively to audits, compliance reviews, and accreditation processes

Qualification Standards :

Minimum Qualifications:

Master's degree in higher education administration, educational leadership, institutional research, public administration, or related field from an accredited institution 3-5 years of progressive administrative experience in higher education Demonstrated knowledge and experience with assessment, accreditation, risk management, and compliance

Supervisory Experience Preferred Qualifications:

Doctoral degree in higher education or related field or Juris Doctorate 5 or more years of legal affairs, risk management, or business experience, preferably in higher education Experience working at a Jesuit, Catholic, or mission driven institution Spring Hill College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values inclusion, respect, and the inherent dignity of every person, consistent with our Catholic, Jesuit mission. The College reserves the right to modify, reassign, or eliminate job duties and responsibilities, or to combine positions, or portions thereof, at any time, with or without notice. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract.