Senior Compliance Specialist

Nakupuna Federal is seeking a Senior Compliance Specialist to support the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Global Acquisitions (GA). The Compliance Specialist provides senior-level expertise in federal compliance, suspension and debarment, safeguarding, and organizational accountability. The position analyzes investigative findings and complex compliance matters, develops persuasive administrative legal memoranda and recommendations, advises acquisition and program stakeholders, and delivers workforce training. The ideal candidate combines sound judgment, excellent writing and public speaking skills, and extensive practical knowledge of federal regulations and policies.

The following reflects management’s definition of essential functions for this job but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Management may assign additional duties and responsibilities at any time. 

• Analyze investigative reports, audit findings, referrals, disclosures, and other evidence to identify compliance risks and determine whether administrative remedies or corrective actions are warranted. 

• Draft persuasive, well-supported administrative legal memoranda, case recommendations, decision documents, briefing materials, and correspondence for senior officials. 

• Support suspension and debarment matters, including case intake, factual and regulatory research, evidentiary analysis, record development, action tracking, and coordination of proposed or final administrative actions. 

• Assess safeguarding allegations and organizational responses involving sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding, trafficking in persons, harassment, fraud, and other misconduct affecting federally funded activities. 

• Interpret and apply relevant federal statutes, regulations, policies, award requirements, and agency procedures, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the Code of Federal Regulations, mandatory disclosure requirements, and government-wide exclusion rules. 

• Advise contracting officers, grants and agreement officers, program officials, legal counsel, investigators, and senior leaders on compliance risks, available remedies, documentation requirements, and mitigation strategies. 

• Develop, negotiate, monitor, and assess corrective action plans, administrative agreements, internal controls, ethics and compliance measures, and other risk-mitigation mechanisms. 

• Coordinate with Department offices, Offices of Inspector General, law enforcement or investigative organizations, other federal agencies, and external stakeholders while protecting sensitive case information. 

• Review and validate exclusion-related information and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and appropriate entry in government systems, including the System for Award Management. 

• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, handbooks, templates, case files, tracking tools, and metrics that improve consistency, transparency, records management, and process efficiency. 

• Monitor changes in federal regulations, case law, policy, and industry practices; evaluate operational impacts; and recommend updates to compliance processes and guidance. 

• Design and deliver training, workshops, briefings, and technical assistance for government personnel, contractors, recipients, and other stakeholders on compliance, safeguarding, ethics, mandatory disclosures, and suspension and debarment. 

• Present complex and sensitive findings clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences and respond effectively to questions from senior leaders and workforce participants. 

• Manage multiple complex and time-sensitive matters concurrently while maintaining sound judgment, attention to detail, impartiality, and confidentiality. 

Qualifications: 

• Extensive demonstrated experience in federal compliance, suspension and debarment, and safeguarding, including practical knowledge of applicable federal regulations, policies, and administrative processes. 

• Demonstrated ability to analyze investigative findings, evaluate evidentiary records, identify risk, and develop defensible recommendations. 

• Excellent legal and analytical writing skills, including experience preparing persuasive administrative legal memoranda and senior-level decision documents. 

• Strong knowledge of federal acquisition and assistance compliance concepts, ethics and business conduct requirements, internal controls, due diligence, corrective actions, and organizational accountability. 

• Experience handling sensitive allegations and case information with discretion, objectivity, and appropriate attention to survivor-centered and trauma-informed considerations. 

• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering workforce training, briefings, or workshops, with excellent public speaking and facilitation skills. 

• Ability to collaborate effectively with legal, acquisition, program, investigative, policy, and executive stakeholders across organizational boundaries. 

• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing requirements and produce accurate work under firm deadlines. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and electronic records, case-management, collaboration, and reporting tools. 

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. 

• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in compliance, suspension and debarment, safeguarding, or a closely related field. 

• Experience supporting a U.S. Government agency or federally funded programs is strongly preferred. 

Clearance: Must possess active Secret security clearance. U.S. citizenship is required. 

The Nakupuna Companies use a market-based compensation strategy to ensure that our employees are compensated within applicable market ranges commensurate with multiple factors, including but not limited to the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability, organizational requirements, and position location. The projected compensation range for this position is $130,000.00 to $165,000.00 (annualized USD). The salary range displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of Nakupuna Companies total compensation package for employees.