Director of Compliance and Legal

Key Responsibilities
Regulatory Compliance & Legal Affairs
Monitor, interpret, and communicate changes to applicable Texas laws, regulations, administrative rules, agency guidance, and enforcement priorities affecting medical cannabis operations.
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) requirements, and applicable Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and Department of State Health Services (DSHS) regulations.
Serve as the company's primary compliance subject matter expert and provide regulatory guidance to executive leadership, department heads, and operational teams.
Partner with internal and external legal counsel to evaluate regulatory exposure, interpret statutory and administrative requirements, and develop risk mitigation strategies.
Assess proposed legislation, regulatory changes, and agency actions for potential operational, financial, and strategic impact.
Develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory obligations matrix, compliance calendar, and documented process for tracking regulatory changes and implementation requirements.
Support legal review of commercial agreements, vendor relationships, operational policies, and business initiatives to identify regulatory and compliance risks.
Maintain clear separation between compliance oversight and legal representation, escalating matters requiring formal legal advice to qualified counsel.

Licensing, Registration & Regulatory Engagement
Oversee the preparation, submission, maintenance, and renewal of all required company licenses, registrations, permits, and regulatory filings.
Ensure the organization maintains compliance with applicable ownership, management, employee registration, background screening, and eligibility requirements.
Coordinate regulatory due diligence and documentation related to ownership changes, business transactions, facility modifications, and operational expansions.
Establish processes to ensure regulatory submissions are complete, accurate, timely, and appropriately documented.
Serve as a primary point of contact for regulatory agencies, including DPS and other applicable state and local authorities.
Manage regulatory inquiries, inspections, audits, information requests, and corrective action requirements.
Develop and maintain professional relationships with regulatory stakeholders while ensuring all communications are accurate, consistent, and appropriately documented.
Maintain a centralized repository of licenses, registrations, regulatory correspondence, inspection records, and supporting documentation.

Compliance Program Development & Governance
Design, implement, and continuously improve a comprehensive compliance management system aligned with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Establish and maintain written policies, standard operating procedures, internal controls, and compliance protocols across cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, dispensing, security, and corporate functions, as applicable.
Develop a risk-based compliance monitoring and testing program to assess adherence to regulatory obligations and internal policies.
Establish compliance governance structures, including reporting mechanisms, escalation procedures, executive oversight, and documented accountability.
Conduct periodic enterprise-wide compliance risk assessments and develop mitigation plans addressing identified gaps and emerging risks.
Implement compliance training and education programs tailored to employees, managers, executives, and other relevant stakeholders.
Promote a culture of accountability, ethical conduct, transparency, and regulatory integrity throughout the organization.
Maintain appropriate documentation demonstrating compliance program effectiveness and management oversight.

Operational Compliance, Product Integrity & Patient Protection
Oversee compliance controls related to regulated cannabis inventory, cultivation, processing, manufacturing, storage, distribution, and dispensing activities.
Ensure appropriate systems and procedures are established for inventory reconciliation, product traceability, chain of custody, and prevention of unauthorized access or diversion.
Partner with operational leadership to maintain compliant facility operations, security protocols, access controls, and recordkeeping practices.
Oversee compliance with applicable product testing, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, storage, and product handling requirements.
Support the development and implementation of product recall, adverse event reporting, product complaint, and incident response procedures, as applicable.
Ensure patient eligibility verification, prescription validation, and dispensing controls are aligned with applicable Texas requirements.
Evaluate proposed products, delivery methods, marketing initiatives, and operational practices for regulatory permissibility before implementation.
Partner with quality assurance and operations teams to ensure compliance requirements are incorporated into daily workflows and operational decision-making.

Audits, Investigations & Corrective Action
Develop and execute a risk-based internal audit and compliance testing schedule.
Lead internal investigations involving potential regulatory violations, policy breaches, inventory discrepancies, security incidents, or other compliance concerns.
Establish confidential and accessible reporting channels for employees to raise compliance concerns or report suspected misconduct.
Oversee root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive action plans, and verification of remediation effectiveness.
Maintain complete and accurate records of compliance findings, investigations, corrective actions, and management responses.
Escalate material compliance risks, potential violations, and significant incidents to executive leadership and legal counsel.
Coordinate responses to regulatory inspections, enforcement inquiries, and other formal agency proceedings in collaboration with legal counsel.
Ensure the organization is prepared to demonstrate compliance through reliable records, documented controls, and consistent operational practices.

Regulatory Strategy & Business Expansion
Provide compliance guidance and regulatory risk assessments for new facilities, operational expansions, product launches, and strategic business initiatives.
Support licensing strategy, regulatory due diligence, and readiness planning for new or expanded operations.
Evaluate proposed business models and operational changes for compatibility with Texas medical cannabis laws and licensing requirements.
Monitor regulatory developments that may affect market structure, patient access, permissible products, licensing opportunities, and operational requirements.
Develop compliance infrastructure that can scale alongside the company's growth and evolving regulatory obligations.
Partner with executive leadership to incorporate regulatory considerations into strategic planning, capital allocation, and business risk management.

Qualifications
Required
Bachelor's degree in law, business, public policy, regulatory affairs, or a related discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in regulatory compliance, legal affairs, regulatory operations, or a related field within a highly regulated industry.
Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and managing enterprise compliance programs.
Strong understanding of regulatory interpretation, licensing, regulatory examinations, internal controls, and risk management.
Experience working directly with regulatory agencies and managing complex regulatory submissions, audits, or investigations.
Exceptional analytical, research, writing, and communication skills, including the ability to translate complex legal requirements into actionable business practices.
Demonstrated ability to advise senior leadership and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
High level of integrity, discretion, sound judgment, and attention to detail.

Preferred
Juris Doctor (JD) or other advanced degree in law, regulatory affairs, public policy, or a related field.
Active Texas bar license is preferred but not required.
Experience in medical cannabis, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, controlled substances, or another heavily regulated industry.
Direct experience with Texas cannabis regulations, the Texas Compassionate Use Program, DPS licensing requirements, or comparable state-regulated cannabis programs.
Experience supporting cannabis licensing applications, regulatory inspections, or operational readiness initiatives.
Familiarity with quality management systems, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), product testing, inventory tracking, and controlled-substance compliance frameworks, as applicable.
Experience supporting business expansion, licensing strategy, mergers and acquisitions, or regulatory due diligence.

Core Competencies
Regulatory interpretation and legal analysis
Compliance program design and implementation
Licensing and regulatory affairs
Internal controls and audit readiness
Investigation and corrective action management
Executive communication and strategic judgment
Cross-functional leadership and influence
Policy development and operational execution
Adaptability in an evolving regulatory environment

The Director of Compliance will report to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel, or another designated executive leader.

This position will work closely with executive leadership, legal counsel, operations, cultivation, manufacturing, quality assurance, security, finance, human resources, and commercial teams.

The Director will have responsibility for establishing compliance priorities, directing compliance-related initiatives, and providing independent reporting regarding material regulatory risks and program effectiveness.

Measures of Success
Maintenance of required licenses, registrations, and regulatory approvals.
Timely and accurate completion of regulatory filings and reporting obligations.
Effective implementation and maintenance of compliance policies and internal controls.
Demonstrated audit and inspection readiness.
Timely identification, escalation, and remediation of compliance risks.
Reduction of repeat findings and preventable compliance incidents.
Effective employee training and demonstrated compliance awareness.
Successful integration of compliance requirements into business operations and strategic initiatives.

Equal Opportunity Statement
The company is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics. This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or qualifications. Responsibilities may evolve based on business needs and changes in applicable laws and regulations.

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