Research and Academic Compliance Officer

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard University Central Administration?

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

Job Description

Department Profile

Harvard’s Office of Research and Academic Compliance (ORAC) within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research aims to promote and support a culture of integrity in research and education by providing specialized administrative and operational expertise, including proactive risk assessment, consultation, and mitigation, to help Harvard’s schools, departments, and research communities comply with applicable laws, regulations, and institutional policies.

ORAC leads and directs risk and compliance activities for various schools and units across campus and is responsible for a broad spectrum of risk assessment and mitigation, compliance, research security, operations, and education/training in the major compliance domains including financial conflicts of interest, conflicts of commitment, outside activities, export controls, and international collaborations and activities. ORAC works as a central administration clearinghouse for non-financial compliance issues and operates in close collaboration with the research and academic community and the relevant administrative units (e.g., School research administration offices and Dean’s Offices, the Office for Sponsored Programs, the Office of Technology Development, the Office of the General Counsel) to ensure timely service delivery, risk management, and compliance with all applicable regulatory, funder, and university requirements.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director of the Office of Research and Academic Compliance, the Research and Academic Compliance Officer (RACO) will manage compliance and risk management activities/functions in areas across the university. The Officer will provide direct and vital support to constituents in all risk areas and attend to their compliance, operations, and policy needs with strong emphasis on financial conflict of interest, conflicts of commitment, export control, international collaborations and other foreign activities, while managing and integrating as necessary across other compliance domains. The RACO partners closely with community members and leaders to ensure risks are understood, controls are designed and operating effectively, and activities support safe and secure research and academic practices in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies. Under minimal supervision, the Officer executes risk assessments, oversees issue identification and management, documents, tracks and reports risk metrics, sets priorities for and monitors ongoing resolutions and mitigations, and escalates emerging issues appropriately. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, the role serves as the primary risk and compliance liaison between schools and units across campus and the Senior Director of ORAC, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR), which includes change management and training and education. The Officer also promotes a strong risk and compliance culture by embedding risk awareness into day-to-day business activities and training for schools/units and represents the Office of Research and Academic Compliance on school-wide and university-wide committees and teams.