Education Regulatory Compliance & Policy Analyst

Position: Higher Education Regulatory Compliance & Policy Analyst
Who We Are Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs.

It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. To learn more about UC Irvine, visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning (IRAP) provides reliable and accurate data, insights, and guidance to help inform campus units with their decision-making, planning, and reviews.

Our goal is to enhance campus excellence across teaching, research, and service and support UC Irvine's pursuit of its brilliant future. For additional details about IRAP, please visit our website,  Your Role on the Team Under the direction of the Associate Vice Provost (AVP) the Higher Education Regulatory Compliance and Policy Analyst serves as the institution's primary coordinator of complex regulatory requirements, bridging the gap between external state authorizations and internal campus operations.

This role serves as a central liaison, synthesizing vast amounts of educational policy data, dissecting nuanced legislative language, and distilling it into clear, actionable intelligence for diverse campus constituents. The ideal candidate is an exceptionally organized self-starter who combines solution-oriented thinking with clear communication. The ideal candidate thrives when managing competing deadlines and is skilled at interpreting complex organizational financial statements and campus-level data.

Primary responsibilities include overseeing annual regulatory submissions, analyzing higher education policy impacts, and streamlining compliance management workflows to improve operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Regulatory Submission and Compliance Management Lead the end-to-end preparation, coordination, and submission of state authorization applications, annual renewals, and other submissions. Coordinate cross-functional data collection by assigning clear deliverables, timelines, and accountability to stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate submissions.
2. Data Integrity and Information Management Retrieve, validate, and organize programmatic, financial, institutional, and other relevant data to ensure accuracy and consistency prior to external reporting. Coordinate and review analyses, such as campus finance, enrollment, and student outcomes, to support operational viability determinations and regulatory compliance. Maintain a centralized repository of institutional data, prior submissions, and regulatory documentation to support continuity, auditability, and team access.

3. Policy Research, Interpretation, and Synthesis Monitor, translate, and distill UC, state, and federal education regulations, navigating state-specific terminology and compliance framework, to inform leadership decision-making and institutional planning. Conduct gap analyses comparing institutional operations to new or revised regulations, proactively identifying compliance risks and required operational changes.
4. Process Improvement and Efficiency Design and document Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for state authorization workflows to reduce redundancy and increase efficiency. Conduct post-submission reviews to identify inefficiencies, reduce redundancy, and implement process improvements for future reporting cycles.
5. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Translate technical regulatory jargon into accessible, user-friendly language for non-technical campus constituents (i.e., faculty, admissions, finance). Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), advising campus stakeholders on the regulatory implications of distance education degree programs in specific states.
6. Administrative and Leadership Support Proactively support essential administrative tasks to ensure a productive and organized workplace environment. Provide VP and AVP support as needed to optimize their workflow and strategic focus. What It Takes to be Successful

Required:

Knowledge of common organization or research-specific and other computer application programs and the ability to navigate complex system structures. The ability to navigate complex system structures and adjust communication styles to influence internal and external stakeholders at all levels. Strong professional writing skills with the ability to adapt tone for different audiences (e.g., formal regulatory boards vs. internal staff). Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality.

Analytical problem-solving skills, with a focus on efficiency; constantly looking for…