Chief Compliance and Quality Officer

Job Opportunity: Chief Compliance and Quality Officer (CCQO) Location: Litchfield, Connecticut Travel: Local and statewide travel required Schedule: 35 hours Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm

The Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of CJR during a pivotal period of growth, innovation, and leadership transition. Reporting directly to the President & Chief Executive Office, the Chief Compliance & Quality Officer will serve as a key member of the executive team, helping to elevate organizational performance, strengthen accountability, and advance a culture of excellence across the organization. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to integrate quality improvement, risk management, data-driven decision-making, responsible use of artificial intelligence, and continuous improvement into every aspect of CJR's operations. This leader will help CJR move from meeting standards to setting them, challenging traditional thinking, identifying best practices, and ensuring the organization consistently operates at the highest levels of integrity, effectiveness, and mission impact. Through strong relationships, strategic influence, and a commitment to excellence, the CCQO will play a critical role in helping CJR achieve its vision while preserving the values and culture that define the organization.

The Candidate

CJR seeks a visionary, collaborative, and principled leader who understands that compliance and accountability are not merely regulatory requirements, but essential drivers of organizational excellence, trust, and mission impact. The ideal candidate will possess the ability to balance rigorous oversight with relationship-centered leadership, fostering a culture where accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement can thrive. This individual will be a strategic thinker who is equally comfortable operating at the executive level and engaging directly with program leaders and frontline staff. They will bring a demonstrated ability to build trust, influence change, and challenge the status quo in ways that inspire growth rather than create resistance. They will recognize opportunities to elevate organizational performance while honoring and preserving the values, history, and culture that have made CJR a respected leader in human services.

Executive Leadership Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the President & CEO on organizational risk, quality, compliance, operational excellence, and emerging trends
• Provide recommendations to the Executive Leadership team to strengthen organizational effectiveness and create systems that can be implemented by Senior Leadership throughout our service delivery system
• Provide compliance reports for executive leadership, regulatory agencies, and CJR Board of Directors
• Act as the organization wide Privacy Officer
• Serve as executive lead for Council on Accreditation (COA) & ongoing accreditation compliance
• Oversee compliance with all Connecticut state agencies and departments relevant to organizational operation
• Help drive organization-wide strategic initiatives and organizational transformation efforts
• Ensure executive decisions are informed by data, compliance requirements, best practices, and risk analysis
• Leads and develops the PQI team through effective supervision, coaching, mentorship, and performance management, ensuring staff are equipped to advance organizational quality, compliance, accreditation, and continuous improvement initiatives

Organizational Excellence and Continuous Improvement

• Lead efforts organization wide that are focused on innovation, evidence-based practices, and continuous improvement
• Benchmark CJR against leading human service organizations and industry best practices
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, service quality, outcomes, and stakeholder experience

Compliance, Risk and Accountability

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive compliance and ethics program
• Establish systems that promote accountability at all levels while maintaining fairness, transparency, and respect
• Monitor regulatory compliance, contractual obligations, accreditation standards, and organizational policies
• Lead internal audits, investigations, corrective action planning, and risk mitigation efforts
• Provide leadership to the Board of Directors with clear visibility into organizational performance and compliance trends

Quality Improvement, Data Strategy, and Analytics

• Oversee quality assurance and performance improvement initiatives across all programs and services
• Establish meaningful performance metrics tied to outcomes, effectiveness, and mission impact
• Promote data-informed decision-making throughout the organization
• Ensure lessons learned from audits, incidents, and evaluations translate into sustainable improvements
• Provide executive oversight of CJR’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) and related information systems to ensure alignment with clinical, programmatic, compliance, billing, and reporting requirements
• Lead efforts to improve documentation quality, data integrity, regulatory compliance, and reimbursement processes through system optimization and workflow redesign
• Strengthen organizational data collection, reporting, and analysis capabilities
• Improve the accuracy, consistency, and strategic use of data

AI Governance and Innovation

• Collaborate with Information Technology (IT), Legal Counsel, Human Resources, and Executive and Senior Leadership to ensure safe deployment of AI-enabled tools
• Lead the development of organizational policies and standards governing the responsible, ethical, and secure use of artificial intelligence
• Establishes the framework, oversight, accountability and responsible use standards that guide how AI is adopted across the organization
• Evaluate emerging technologies and AI applications that can improve service delivery, administrative efficiency, quality assurance, and decision-making
• Partner with leadership to identify opportunities where AI can enhance operations while preserving human judgment, connection, and organizational values
• Promote staff education and responsible adoption of technology and innovation

Relationship Building and Organizational Culture

• Build strong, trusting relationships with Board of Directors, Executive and Senior leaders, middle managers, and frontline staff
• Serve as a coach, resource, and partner rather than solely an enforcement authority
• Foster collaboration across departments to solve problems and improve organizational performance
• Help Senior leadership and middle management understand compliance and quality standards as tools for success rather than barriers
• Promote psychological safety, open communication, and ethical decision-making

Qualifications/Experience

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Human Services Administration, Healthcare Administration, Law, Organizational Leadership, or related field
• Current licensure or professional certification, where applicable, including but not limited to LCSW, LPC, RN, CPA, CHC (Certified in Healthcare Compliance), CCEP (Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional), or similar credentials
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in human services, behavioral health, healthcare, child welfare, juvenile justice, nonprofit management, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience leading compliance, quality assurance, accreditation, risk management, organizational effectiveness, performance improvement, or related functions
• Strong knowledge of federal and state regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and contractual obligations relevant to human services organizations
• Experience conducting investigations, audits, risk assessments, and corrective action planning
• Proven ability to develop and implement organization-wide policies, systems, and performance improvement initiatives
• Experience using data, analytics, and performance metrics to drive decision-making and improve outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate effectively with executive leadership, boards of directors, regulators, funders, and external stakeholders
• Experience working with state agencies, Medicaid-funded services, accreditation bodies (COA preferred), and government contracts
• Knowledge of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, and experience developing policies or governance frameworks for responsible technology use

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive and commensurate with experience
• Low-cost Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Plan Options
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance offered after 30 days of employment
• Company Paid Life and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Generous Paid Vacation Package (unused time eligible for carry over)
• Paid Holiday Time (separate from vacation time)
• Floating Holidays (separate from paid vacation time and holiday time off)
• Annual Monetary Incentives
• Tuition Assistance
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with Company Match
• Company Celebrations & Employee Recognition Program
• Employee Discounts (Cell Phone, Computer)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Qualified Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Employer Federal Student Aid
• 10%-20% tuition discount at many local educational institutions, including those listed by the CT Nonprofit Alliance

Equal-Opportunity Employer: CJR is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.