Vice President - Compliance

Summary

The Vice President of Compliance is responsible for leading and overseeing the credit union's enterprise-wide compliance management program for a complex, nationwide credit union with a multi-billion-dollar asset base and ambitious growth objectives. This role ensures compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and regulatory guidance, with a strong emphasis on National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) requirements, consumer financial protection laws, Bank Secrecy Act / Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), fair lending, privacy, and operational compliance.

The Vice President of Compliance serves as the Credit Union's designated Compliance Officer and acts as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and business units regarding regulatory compliance, emerging compliance trends, and supervisory expectations. The role is accountable for maintaining a robust Compliance Management System (CMS) that supports strategic growth initiatives across all business lines. Ensure compliance is embedded into decision making, training, and performance expectations to foster a culture of compliance and ethical conduct throughout the organization.

Duties & Responsibilities

Regulatory Compliance Leadership

• Lead, administer, and continuously enhance the enterprise Compliance Management System, including compliance policies, procedures, training, monitoring, testing, issue management, and executive leadership reporting.
• Serve as the Credit Union's Compliance Officer, and Custodian of Records.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations impacting credit union operations, including those issued or enforced by NCUA, CFPB, FinCEN, and applicable state regulators.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of regulatory changes, interpret regulatory requirements, assess operational impact, and advise executive leadership, and management accordingly.
• Oversee regulatory change management processes to ensure timely implementation across the organization and documentation of new or revised regulatory requirements.
• Ability to research, assess and determine regulatory impact to business systems, processes and initiatives and influence decisions accordingly.

Compliance Monitoring and Oversight

• Identify, assess, and mitigate compliance risks across all business lines, products, services, and affiliates.
• Develop, maintain, and update enterprise compliance risk assessments, including those related to consumer compliance, operational compliance, and regulatory obligations.
• Oversee compliance monitoring, testing, quality control, and independent review activities to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies.
• Ensure timely remediation of compliance findings, deficiencies, and regulatory matters requiring attention.
• Track and report compliance issues, trends, and remediation efforts to executive leadership and designated committees.
• Administer quality control governance over lending and secondary-market activities to ensure regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.

Consumer Protection and Regulatory Programs

• Oversee compliance with consumer protection and financial crimes regulations, including but not limited to:

• Core NCUA / Federal Credit Union Governance

Federal Credit Union Act

NCUA Rules & Regulations (12 CFR)

NCUA Part 701 - Organization & Operations

NCUA Part 741 - Requirements for Insurance

Prompt Corrective Action (PCA)

NCUA Examination & Supervisory Process

Enterprise Risk Management Expectations

Compliance Management System (CMS)

Board Governance & Reporting

Records Retention Requirements

• BSA / AML / OFAC

Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)

USA PATRIOT Act

Customer Identification Program (CIP)

Customer Due Diligence (CDD)

Beneficial Ownership Rule

Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR)

Currency Transaction Reporting (CTR)

OFAC Sanctions Compliance

AML Independent Testing Requirements

AML Training Requirements

• Consumer Lending & Fair Lending

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA / Regulation B)

Fair Housing Act (FHA)

Truth in Lending Act (TILA / Regulation Z)

Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA / Regulation X)

Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA / Regulation C)

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA / Regulation V)

Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA)

Military Lending Act (MLA)

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

Flood Disaster Protection Act

• Deposits, Payments & Electronic Banking

Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA / Regulation E)

Truth in Savings Act (TISA / Regulation DD / NCUA Part 707)

Expedited Funds Availability Act (Regulation CC)

NACHA Operating Rules

UCC Articles 3 & 4

Check 21 Act

Wire Transfer Rules (UCC 4A / OFAC overlays)

Remote Deposit Capture Compliance

• Privacy, Information Security & Cybersecurity

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)

GLBA Safeguards Rule

NCUA Cybersecurity Expectations

Incident Response & Breach Notification Rules

Vendor / Third-Party Risk Management

Identity Theft Red Flags Rule

• Consumer Protection & UDAAP

UDAAP Standards

Debt Collection Rules

CFPB Complaint Management Expectations

Advertising & Marketing Compliance

• Lending Operations & Specialized Credit

NCUA Member Business Lending Rules (Part 723)

Loan Participation & Concentration Risk Rules

• Compliance may also oversee or coordinate:

CECL governance


Fair servicing


Collections compliance


Bankruptcy handling


Complaint analytics


AI/model governance


Digital banking compliance


Cannabis banking risk


Fintech partnership compliance


State privacy laws


ADA website accessibility


Elder financial abuse reporting


CFPB small business lending (1071)


Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop compliance staff, ensuring appropriate staffing, performance management, training, engagement, and succession planning.
• Establish department goals, compliance review schedules, KPIs, and service level expectations aligned with organizational objectives.
• Partner with Learning & Development to drive consistency and effectiveness of compliance training and guidance to employees, management and volunteers.
• Foster a strong culture of compliance, accountability, and ethical conduct through leadership, communication, and example.
• Support strategic initiatives, mergers, acquisitions, new products, technology implementations, and fintech partnerships from a compliance and regulatory perspective.
• Promote practical, risk-based compliance solutions that balance regulatory expectations with business objectives.
• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively partner with all departments and levels within the organization and with third party vendors to ensure consistent compliance practices across the enterprise.
• Maintain effective relationships with regulators, internal and external counsel, and industry peers.

Requirements

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Risk Management or related field required; advanced degree (Master's degree, MBA or JD) preferred.
• Relevant professional certifications such as CRCM, CAMS, or similar designations preferred.
• Minimum of 12-15+ years of progressive experience in compliance, regulatory affairs, legal, risk management, or related disciplines within a financial institution.
• Significant experience within a federally insured credit union or other highly regulated financial services organization required.
• Demonstrated expertise with NCUA regulations, examination processes, and supervisory expectations.
• Minimum of 5 years management, leadership and team development experience required.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of federal and state consumer financial laws and regulations applicable to credit unions.
• Strong understanding of enterprise Compliance Management Systems.
• In-depth knowledge of BSA/AML, OFAC, fair lending, consumer protection, privacy, and lending regulations.
• Ability to interpret complex regulatory requirements and translate them into practical business guidance.
• Excellent leadership, analytical, organizational, communication, and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to interact credibly with regulators, auditors, and executive leadership.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced regulatory environment.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and commitment to ethical conduct.