Job Description
Harbor is seeking a Director of Global Compliance to establish, lead, and continuously evolve the Company’s global compliance function.
Reporting directly to the General Counsel, this is a rare opportunity to build a critical enterprise capability from the ground up. The Director will create the governance, policies, controls, and operating framework necessary to support a rapidly growing global organization while ensuring compliance remains a strategic business enabler rather than an administrative function.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys creating scalable infrastructure while remaining actively involved in the day-to-day work required to operate an effective compliance program. As the sole compliance leader, this individual will be expected to personally develop policies, conduct investigations, implement processes, deliver training, build reporting, support acquisitions, and partner closely with leaders across the business.
Success in this role requires strong business judgment, operational excellence, and a pragmatic approach to balancing appropriate risk management with Harbor’s entrepreneurial, acquisition-focused growth strategy. This is a remote position that can be worked from anywhere in the USA (EST/CST preferred).
Key Responsibilities:
Build Harbor’s Global Compliance Function
- Design, implement, and continuously improve Harbor’s global compliance program.
- Develop the long-term compliance strategy, operating model, governance framework, and multi-year roadmap.
- Create scalable policies, processes, and internal controls that support rapid organizational growth.
- Establish enterprise compliance standards that can evolve alongside Harbor’s expanding global footprint.
- Recommend future organizational structure, technology investments, and resource needs as the function matures.
- Build compliance into business operations in a way that enables growth while maintaining appropriate governance.
Lead Compliance Operations
- Draft and maintain global compliance policies and procedures.
- Lead internal investigations and ethics matters.
- Manage whistleblower reporting and case management.
- Conduct enterprise compliance risk assessments.
- Develop and deliver compliance training and awareness programs.
- Create executive dashboards, metrics, and reporting.
- Monitor compliance activities and recommend continuous improvements.
- Maintain governance documentation and supporting records.
- Coordinate external advisors and consultants when appropriate.
Support Growth through Mergers & Acquisitions
- Conduct compliance due diligence during acquisitions.
- Identify compliance and regulatory risks associated with target companies.
- Develop post-close compliance integration plans.
- Harmonize policies, governance, and compliance practices across acquired businesses.
- Build repeatable compliance integration playbooks that support Harbor’s ongoing acquisition strategy.
- Ensure compliance programs scale efficiently as the business grows through M&A.
Drive Operational Excellence
- Design repeatable, scalable operating processes.
- Develop compliance KPIs and executive reporting dashboards.
- Measure program effectiveness using data and meaningful performance metrics.
- Identify opportunities to automate manual compliance activities.
- Evaluate and implement compliance technology solutions where appropriate.
- Support internal and external audit activities.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement across the compliance function.
Enterprise Risk & Governance
- Lead enterprise compliance risk assessments.
- Monitor global regulatory developments affecting Harbor.
- Develop mitigation strategies for emerging risks.
- Oversee policy governance and lifecycle management.
- Support enterprise record retention and governance initiatives.
- Establish monitoring and testing activities to evaluate compliance effectiveness.
Business Partnership
- Develop trusted relationships across the organization and serve as a strategic advisor to leadership partnering closely with General Counsel, Executive Leadership Team, Human Resources, Finance, Information Security, Corporate Development, External Counsel and more.
Qualifications:
Required
- Bachelor’s degree required I don’t think the person needs to be a lawyer. I have worked with quite a few compliance people and none have been lawyers but they have been terrific at the position. I think we will limit ourselves with this preference and will have to pay more if we try to hire a JD.
- 8-12+ years of progressive compliance, legal, ethics, or regulatory experience.
- Experience building or significantly transforming a corporate compliance program.
- Experience supporting global organizations across multiple jurisdictions.
- Strong experience developing governance frameworks, policies, and internal controls.
- Demonstrated success leading internal investigations and ethics programs.
- Experience developing enterprise compliance training and awareness initiatives.
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.
- Ability to influence senior leaders without direct authority.
Preferred
- Experience within a private equity-backed organization.
- Experience supporting a rapidly scaling business.
- Professional services, consulting, technology, or legal industry experience.
- Experience supporting domestic and international acquisitions.
- Experience integrating acquired businesses into enterprise governance frameworks.
- Experience implementing governance or compliance technology platforms.
- Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP) or comparable certification.
Leadership Profile
The successful candidate is a builder, operator, and trusted business advisor who is energized by creating structure in a fast-moving environment.
They demonstrate:
- A builder’s mindset with a passion for creating scalable enterprise capabilities.
- A strong operational orientation and willingness to personally execute critical work.
- Excellent commercial judgment and the ability to balance business objectives with appropriate risk management.
- Comfort operating in a private equity-backed, high-growth environment where priorities evolve quickly.
- A bias toward action, accountability, and measurable results.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills supported by data-driven decision making.
- Outstanding collaboration and relationship-building abilities.
- Intellectual curiosity and a continuous improvement mindset.
- Executive presence with the confidence to influence and appropriately challenge senior leaders.
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 12-18 months, you will:
- Build Harbor’s first enterprise-wide global compliance function.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive compliance strategy and governance framework.
- Launch core compliance policies, training, and reporting programs.
- Complete a global enterprise compliance risk assessment.
- Establish executive and Board-ready compliance dashboards and metrics.
- Create scalable operating processes that support Harbor’s continued growth.
- Successfully integrate newly acquired businesses into Harbor’s compliance program.
- Establish Compliance as a trusted strategic partner that enables growth while protecting the Company.
- Lay the foundation for a mature, scalable compliance organization capable of supporting Harbor’s long-term global expansion.
About Us:
Harbor is the preeminent provider of expert services across strategy, legal technology, operations, and intelligence. Our globally integrated team of 900+ strategists, technologists, and specialists navigate alongside our clients – leading law firms, corporations, and their law departments – to provide essential resources and invaluable insights. Anchored in a rich heritage of deep knowledge, steadfast relationships, and mutual respect, our unwavering dedication lies in shaping the future of the legal industry and fostering enduring partnerships within our community and ecosystem.
Harbor is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, national origin, ancestry, age, parental status, disabled status, veteran status, or any other legally protected classification, in accordance with applicable law.
