Chief Executive of Audit, Risk and Compliance

Oregon State University (OSU), Oregon’s land grant institution, seeks an experienced and collaborative leader to serve as the next Chief Executive of Audit, Risk and Compliance (CEARC). The ideal candidate will bring enthusiasm for the role, the capacity to lead within a highly complex environment, and the ability to engage with both internal and external stakeholders to advance OSU’s goals and vision for the future while ensuring compliance and mitigating risk. 

The only R1 public university to have achieved 28 consecutive years of enrollment growth, Oregon State University serves nearly 38,000 students with more than 5,000 faculty and staff, including the fast-growing OSU Ecampus, which has ranked in the top 10 nationally by U.S. News & World Report for 11 consecutive years. With more NSF funding than all other Oregon comprehensive universities combined, OSU is one of only three institutions in the U.S. to hold land, sea, space, and sun grant designations. Additionally, it is Oregon’s only institution to hold both the Carnegie R1 (very research-intensive) designation and the Carnegie Community Engagement classification. Founded in 1868, OSU is an internationally renowned public research institution that attracts students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Through its Corvallis and Bend campuses, a leading marine science center in Newport, downtown facility in Portland, agricultural research experiment stations, Extension offices, and research forests, OSU has a presence in all 36 Oregon counties. Under the dynamic leadership of President Jayathi Murthy, the University is making significant investments in research, student success, economic development, and priorities outlined in its 2024-2030 strategic plan, Prosperity Widely Shared: The Oregon State Plan. Central to OSU's mission is its commitment to providing exceptional 21^st-century teaching, scholarship, research, discovery, innovation, and engagement. This commitment is underscored by its status as the largest university in Oregon, offering more majors, minors, and special programs than any other institution in the state. 

Reporting administratively to the President of the University and functionally to the Chair of the Executive, Audit and Governance Committee (EAGC) of the OSU Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive for Audit, Risk and Compliance is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance (OARC). The CEARC will lead a team of eight professionals within OARC, guiding the internal audit function, planning and overseeing the university enterprise risk management process, overseeing the institutional compliance programs, and maintaining the OSU Accountability and Integrity Hotline, including coordinating investigations with University management. In addition, the CEARC formulates the annual plan of audit coverage, provides guidance to the Office of General Counsel on state ethics matters, serves as the board liaison for all high-profile compliance and ethics evaluations that require board-level response, works with senior leaders and the board to identify top enterprise risks that might impede OSU strategic objectives, presents risks to the EAGC for review and approval, and educates campus constituents on best practices for evaluating risks. The depth and breadth of the role require a collaborative and collegial approach and strong and effective communication skills with a full commitment to integrity.

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Confidential inquiries, nominations, referrals, and resumes with cover letters should be submitted electronically below.

The search advisory committee is chaired by Dr. Maria Chávez-Haroldson, Vice Chair of the Oregon State University Board of Trustees.

IM Partners Rebecca Kennedy and Lindsay Gold are leading this search with Mia Carpiniello and Julia Hochner.

OSU commits to inclusive excellence by advancing equity and diversity in all that we do. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community.