Compliance Officer
Job Code 5274
Job Title: Compliance Officer
Salary Grade: 24
Department: Sheriff’s Office
STARTING SALARY: $90,000 annually
Characteristics of the Position:
General Overview
The Compliance Officer is a non-Shakman exempt position within the Sheriff’s Office. The primary responsibility of the position is to assume those tasks assigned to the Compliance Officer under the Sheriff’s Employment Plan and to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Employment Plan, consistent with the Sheriff’s Orders on the prohibition of unlawful political factors in employment decisions. The Compliance Officer will also have input into the development and/or revision of the employment policies of the Sheriff as they relate to the Employment Plan and the Sheriff’s Orders on the prohibition of unlawful political factors in employment decisions. These responsibilities extend during and after judicial oversight under the Shakman Supplemental Relief Order. Responsibility for the Sheriff’s employment compliance system requires the Compliance Officer to have wide-ranging responsibilities, including, but not limited to, monitoring activities pertaining to the employment of non-Shakman exempt personnel in the Sheriff’s Office, including, but not limited to participation as required or as appropriate in eligibility screening meetings, job interviews and candidate selection meetings; reviewing employment-related documents relating to non-Shakman exempt issues and recommending revisions as appropriate; preparing periodic and issue-specific reports for the Sheriff, the Undersheriff and the Director of the Office of Professional Review (“OPR”) concerning Employment Plan issues and the Sheriff’s Orders related to the prohibition of unlawful political factors in employment decisions. The Compliance Officer also recommends policy and procedure changes designed to promote and improve the Sheriff’s Shakman compliance efforts.
Position
A non-exempt position and subject to a written agreement with the Sheriff specifying a term of employment of no less than four years, with a Sheriff’s option to renew for additional four-year terms. The agreement will further provide that the Compliance Officer may be terminated prior to the end of any four-year appointment only in the event the Sheriff and OPR agree that he or she should be terminated due to “Cause,” defined as:
- (a) the Compliance Officer’s death;
- (b) the inability of the Compliance Officer to perform the essential duties of his or her employment for more than twelve weeks in the aggregate during any rolling twelve-month period;
- (c) the Compliance Officer’s willful failure or refusal to perform any material duty or obligation described in the Employment Plan;
- (d) entering any electoral race as a candidate during the term of his or her employment and for a period of two years after termination of employment or;
- (e) violation of any state, federal or local law, regulation or ordinance in connection with the Compliance Officer’s employment; or
- (f) engaging in any activity involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or fraud which would result in the termination of any other Sheriff’s employee, or
- (g) conviction of any crime.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
Key responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to, implementing the terms of the Employment Plan, as in effect from time to time, and taking appropriate action(s) to eliminate, remedy and report instances of Unlawful Political Contacts and Unlawful Political Discrimination, including, but not limited to:
- (a) receiving and investigating complaints of alleged violations of the Employment Plan, and those Cook County Ordinances, or the Sheriff’s General Orders and Directives which relate to the prohibition of unlawful political factors in employment decisions;
- (b) forwarding complaints and investigation results to the Director of OPR;
- (c) conducting, supervising and monitoring training of Department Heads, Supervisors, Screeners, Interviewers, the Merit Board and the Department of Personnel on appropriate methods for preventing and reporting Unlawful Political Contacts and Unlawful Political Discrimination;
- (d) reviewing Job Descriptions and Notices of Job Opportunity and taking appropriate steps to assure their accuracy;
- (e) monitoring all facets of the non exempt job interview process in order to identify and assess potential and/or existing problems and discrepancies and reporting same to the Undersheriff and OPR;
- (f) reviewing Applications, Eligibility Lists and Interview Lists;
- (g) reviewing and maintaining Recommendations and making inquiries re: same;
- (h) auditing Employment Plan compliance;
- (i) receiving and maintaining reports and logs of Political Contacts on employment matters from Department Heads and employees;
- (j) periodically distributing Contact Logs to appropriate individuals;
- (k) providing the Undersheriff, the Director of OPR and the Director of Personnel first-hand information, observations and assessments concerning the Sheriff’s hiring, promotion, transfer and selection practices, policies and practices, noting any irregularities which may compromise the Sheriff’s compliance with the Employment Plan, Shakman Decree, while in effect, and other court-ordered directives;
- (l) preparing reports of complaints received, monitored and investigated to the Undersheriff and the Director of OPR;
- (m) updating, maintaining and posting the Exempt and Senior Manager Lists;
- (n) consulting with, advising and informing Department Heads and other Sheriff’s employees involved in Employment Actions regarding Shakman compliance and the Employment Plan;
- (o) acting as representative of the Sheriff’s Office;
- (p) developing, recommending and implementing necessary policy and operating changes; and
- (q) other related duties as assigned.
The Compliance Officer will exercise broad discretion and latitude in performing his or her duties, and to act as an objective and unbiased third-party when providing OPR, the Undersheriff and the Sheriff with information and suggestions aimed at preventing potential problems in the hiring, promoting, transferring and selection processes. He or she must also use sound, professional judgment in the handling of highly confidential matters.
The Compliance Officer must demonstrate skill and willingness to work with others in a non-adversarial manner aimed at arriving at positive and productive solutions to a variety of issues and problems.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Ability to formulate, implement and monitor data collection methodologies in order to objectively identify potential or existing irregularities and discrepancies in the selection, hiring, transfer and promotion processes and to demonstrate where the processes are working most effectively.
- Ability to analyze data and other reports and/or allegations of impropriety, thereby diagnosing problems and preparing possible solutions and action plans in a concise and accurate manner.
- Excellent verbal and writing skills. Ability to formulate reports and make presentations in an understandable manner, provide explanations and articulate the matter at hand in the context of the overall problem.
- Excellent listening skills, coupled with the ability to conduct interviews and interact effectively with employees at all levels, including senior managers and those just entering the workforce.
- Must be computer literate, with skill and efficiency in generating and modifying meaningful spreadsheets and explaining same to others.
- A broad understanding of federal and state traditional labor and employment laws as well as the employment and hiring practices, policies and Ordinances of Cook County Government.
- Ability to exercise discretion in handling highly confidential matters.
- Ability to demonstrate an objective and methodical approach in ascertaining all relevant facts in connection with investigating an issue.
Minimum Qualifications
Licensed attorney with a minimum of ten (10) years professional work experience utilizing the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities described above.
Applicants must not have been an employee of or filed an appearance on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office within the two year period prior to their application, must never have filed an appearance on behalf of any defendant accused of political discrimination in connection with any employment action, and must not have participated in any prohibited political activities as defined in Section 2-561 of the Cook County Ethics Ordinance within the last two (2) years.
Preferred Qualifications
Investigative experience.
Experience within the public sector.
Download Official NOTICE OF JOB OPPORTUNITY
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT: Daley Center Room 702 Chicago, IL 60602
(312)603-4521 Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All applications must be picked up and submitted in person. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office does not accept applications or resumes via fax or email.
