Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer

Job Overview

BASIC SUMMARY:

The Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) serves as the senior executive responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously enhancing Charles River Laboratories' global ethics and compliance program. The CCO provides strategic leadership and oversight of compliance risks across Charles River's global operations, including anti-bribery and anti-corruption, healthcare compliance, research integrity, trade compliance, competition law, data privacy, government contracting, third-party risk management, investigations, and regulatory compliance. The role serves as a trusted advisor to executive management and the Board regarding compliance, ethics, and enterprise risk matters.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential Duty

Estimated Time Allocation

Summary of Responsibilities

Enterprise Ethics & Compliance Program Leadership

25%

Set compliance strategy, oversee the global ethics and compliance framework, maintain policies and governance processes, and promote a culture of integrity and accountability across the enterprise.

Compliance Risk Management, Controls & Monitoring

20%

Lead enterprise compliance risk assessments, identify emerging risks, develop mitigation plans, and oversee risk-based controls, testing, monitoring, and remediation activities.

Regulatory Compliance, Investigations & Response

20%

Oversee compliance with global regulatory obligations, direct ethics reporting and investigations processes, and coordinate response to regulatory inquiries, audits, inspections, and significant compliance matters.

Third-Party, Transactional & International Compliance

10%

Lead third-party compliance programs, support due diligence and integration for transactions and partnerships, and address compliance risks in complex international markets.

Training, Communications & Culture

10%

Develop enterprise-wide and targeted compliance training, communications, certifications, and executive education to reinforce ethical decision-making and reporting expectations.

Board, Executive & Cross-Functional Engagement

10%

Advise executive leadership and the Board on compliance program effectiveness, key risks, investigations, regulatory trends, metrics, dashboards, and remediation progress.

Global Compliance Team Leadership & Operations

5%

Build and develop the global compliance team, strengthen accountability and succession planning, and drive continuous improvement, efficiency, and innovation in compliance operations.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Enterprise Ethics & Compliance Leadership, including enterprise program design, governance, culture-building, and oversight of the Company's global compliance framework.
• Lead and continuously improve Charles River's global ethics and compliance program to ensure it remains risk-based, effective, scalable, and aligned with evolving business operations.
• Establish compliance strategy, priorities, and annual objectives aligned with the Company's business goals, regulatory obligations, geographic footprint, and enterprise risk profile.
• Promote a culture of integrity, accountability, transparency, and speak-up behavior throughout the organization, with clear expectations for ethical decision-making and responsible escalation.
• Develop and maintain compliance policies, standards, procedures, and governance frameworks that support consistent execution across global operations and business functions.
• Oversee the Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics program, including periodic updates, training, certification, communications, and related governance processes.
• Compliance Risk Management, including risk assessment, monitoring, mitigation planning, and coordination with enterprise assurance functions.
• Conduct enterprise-wide compliance risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies that are prioritized based on likelihood, impact, regulatory exposure, and business relevance.
• Identify emerging legal, regulatory, operational, and reputational risks across markets and business lines, and translate those risks into practical compliance priorities and controls.
• Implement risk-based compliance controls, monitoring programs, testing activities, and remediation plans to support effective prevention, detection, and response.
• Partner with Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management to ensure coordinated oversight, clear accountability, and appropriate reporting of compliance risk trends and remediation progress.
• Partner with Legal and other relevant stakeholders and assume a leadership role in guiding the Company through regulatory inquiries, investigations, audits, and inspections.
• Support due diligence and integration activities associated with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and business transformations.

Regulatory & Legal Compliance

• Oversee compliance with global laws and regulations impacting Charles River's operations, including healthcare, anti-bribery, antitrust, trade controls, sanctions, government contracting, environmental, privacy, and research-related requirements.
• Monitor regulatory developments and enforcement trends, and coordinate readiness and response for regulatory inspections, audits, and investigations.

Investigations & Helpline Oversight

• Direct the Company's ethics reporting, whistleblower, and investigations programs, including intake, investigation, remediation, documentation, and corrective action processes.
• Ensure appropriate escalation and reporting of significant matters to executive leadership and the Board.

Third-Party Compliance & Due Diligence

• Lead third-party compliance programs for distributors, agents, consultants, suppliers, contract research partners, and other business relationships, including risk-based diligence, contracting, monitoring, and certifications.
• Oversee compliance reviews for acquisitions, investments, and strategic partnerships.

Job Description (cont.)

Training & Communications

• Develop enterprise-wide compliance training and targeted communications that strengthen ethical decision-making, awareness, and reporting obligations.
• Deliver executive and Board-level compliance education.

Privacy & Data Governance

• Partner with Privacy, Information Security, and IT to support compliance with privacy, data protection, data handling, and records management requirements.
• Support regulatory readiness and response for privacy and cybersecurity matters.

Board & Executive Engagement

• Brief the Audit Committee and executive leadership on program effectiveness, significant investigations, regulatory developments, key risks, trends, and remediation efforts.
• Develop compliance metrics, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms to support transparent oversight.

Team Leadership

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing global compliance organization with clear accountability, succession planning, and talent development.
• Drive continuous improvement, operational efficiency, and innovation across compliance operations.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 15 years of progressive experience in compliance, legal, risk management, ethics, governance, or related enterprise control functions. Undergraduate degree required, and advanced degrees and/or certifications in relevant disciplines preferred.
• Prior experience serving as Chief Compliance Officer or Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for a multinational company.
• Experience managing compliance programs in China and other complex and high-risk international markets.
• Experience in life sciences, pharmaceutical services, biotechnology, healthcare, CRO/CDMO, research services, manufacturing, or another regulated global business.
• Proven ability to lead and/or partner with Legal to support and manage the successful resolution of regulatory inquiries, investigations, audits, and inspections, and to successfully partner with the legal team to manage and support related litigation.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a matrixed, global organization and influence stakeholders across functions, geographies, and levels of seniority.
• Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership and the Board of Directors on global compliance program effectiveness, investigations, regulatory risk, and ethics matters.
• Experienced in managing and developing high performing teams across regions.

Professional Attributes:

• Trusted ethics and compliance advisor with exceptional judgment, independence, integrity, discretion, and executive presence.
• Pragmatic, proactive, and solutions-oriented leader who translates complex compliance obligations into clear, risk-based guidance for the business.
• Strong enterprise risk acumen and ability to balance regulatory expectations, ethical standards, business objectives, operational realities, and reputational considerations.
• Collaborative, credible, and low-ego partner who builds trust across Legal, Compliance, HR, Internal Audit, Finance, Quality, Operations, and business teams.
• Clear and concise communicator who can distill compliance risks, investigation findings, and program effectiveness for executive leadership and the Board.
• Comfortable operating independently in a fast-paced, global, highly regulated environment with ambiguity, competing priorities, and sensitive matters.
• Committed to fostering a culture of integrity, accountability, transparency, and ethical decision-making consistent with Charles River's mission, values, and reputation.

Workplace Requirements:

• Ability to work remotely.
• Domestic and international travel required 20% of the time.

Compensation Data

The hiring range for this position in the United States is $320,000/yr - $350,000/yr. Please note that salaries vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, certifications, location and any collective agreements, if applicable.

We’re committed to providing benefits that elevate your quality of life. Based on your position these may include: bonus/incentives based on performance, 401K, paid time off, stock purchase program, Health and wellness coverage, employee and family wellbeing support programs, and work life balance flexibility.