Executive Director of Conflicts of Interest: Campus Compliance Services - UTK
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, WorkFromHome, TN, United States
Executive Director – Conflict of Interest (COI) Program
Reporting to the Chief Campus Compliance Officer, the Executive Director serves as the university’s principal authority on identifying, reviewing, managing, and mitigating conflicts of interest while ensuring alignment with institutional values and regulatory requirements.
Responsibilities
- Institutional Leadership & Program Development
- Lead the design, development, and phased implementation of a dedicated COI/COC team within Campus Compliance Services
- Establish organizational structure, staffing plans, workflows, and operating procedures
- Build sustainable processes and internal controls for consistent and timely conflict review and management
- Integrate COI/COC operations into UTK’s broader compliance and risk management framework
- Coordinate with the Research Conflicts of Interest Compliance Officer to ensure alignment while maintaining a defined research compliance model
- Policy Development & Governance
- Draft, interpret, and revise policies and procedures related to conflicts of interest and commitment
- Lead development and maintenance of the UTK COI/COC Program Charter
- Define institutional vs. research-specific authority and responsibilities
- Establish clear escalation, enforcement, and reporting pathways
- Serve as the primary staff lead for the Conflicts of Interest Committee and related governance bodies
- Disclosure Review & Case Management
- Oversee review and adjudication of COI/COC disclosures for faculty and staff
- Lead evaluation of complex and high-risk cases
- Coordinate research-related disclosures with the Research COI Compliance Officer
- Develop and monitor conflict management and mitigation plans
- Escalate significant risks to senior leadership
- Regulatory Compliance & Reporting
- Ensure systems support both institutional and research-specific disclosures
- Training, Outreach & Program Effectiveness
- Design and implement campus-wide COI/COC training and education programs
- Promote awareness of disclosure requirements and ethical standards
- Partner with academic and administrative leaders to embed compliance practices
- Develop metrics, dashboards, and reporting tools to monitor performance and risk
Qualifications
- Required Qualifications
- Education: Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Research, Audit, and/or Compliance related fields.
- Experience:
- 7‑10 years of progressively responsible experience in research compliance, institutional compliance, ethics programs, and/or conflicts of interest administration.
- Experience reviewing and creating conflict management plans for complex disclosures.
- Experience with federal sponsor compliance, audits, and institutional reporting.
- Experience with Huron (or similar disclosure system)
- Experience in institutional compliance, governance, and risk management in complex organizations.
- Expertise in disclosure review processes, conflict management strategies, and policy development.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Knowledge of conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment frameworks in higher education; federal research sponsor requirements; principles of research integrity and responsible conduct of research; and institutional compliance, governance, and risk management practices within complex academic environments.
- Strong ability to interpret and apply complex federal regulations and institutional policies.
- Understanding of federal research sponsor requirements and research integrity principles.
- Knowledge of disclosure review processes, conflict management strategies, and policy development related to conflicts of interest.
- Skill in interpreting and applying complex federal regulations, institutional policies, and sponsor requirements related to conflicts of interest and commitment.
- Preferred Qualifications
- Education: JD or PhD in Public Administration, Research, Audit, and/or Compliance related fields.
- Experience:
- Experience building/developing a COI program and/or research integrity program.
- Leadership experience at an R1 research institution.
- Experience with Huron.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Knowledge of governance structures and demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty committees, senior leadership, and research administration to address complex or high‑risk conflicts of interest and commitment matters.
Work Location
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Hybrid
Compensation And Benefits
- UT market range: 20
- Anticipated hiring range: Based on qualifications $145,000-$155,000
Application Instructions
To express interest, please submit an application with the following attachments. Applications must be submitted on or before Friday, May 1st, 2026 .
- Resume
- Cover Letter