Ethics and Compliance Specialist

Career Guide

An Ethics and Compliance Specialist helps an organization follow laws, regulations, and internal standards. The role focuses on preventing misconduct, reducing risk, supporting a speak up culture, and making sure policies are understood and applied consistently.

Browse All Roles

Key Responsibilities

Maintain and update ethics and compliance policies
Support compliance training and awareness programs
Review and route reports from whistleblower channels
Support investigations and document outcomes
Track corrective actions and confirm closure
Perform compliance risk assessments
Monitor regulatory changes and assess business impact
Assist with third party due diligence
Support audits and regulatory exams
Create clear guidance for employees and managers
Analyze compliance metrics and prepare reports for leadership
Partner with legal, human resources, security, and finance on compliance topics

Top Skills for Success

Written Communication

Stakeholder Management

Training Facilitation

Problem Solving

Confidentiality

Policy Writing

Compliance Risk Assessment

Investigation Support

Case Management

Regulatory Research

Audit Readiness

Third Party Due Diligence

Ethics Program Management

Anti Bribery Compliance

Data Privacy Compliance

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Ethics and Compliance Specialist

Compliance Manager

Ethics Program Manager

Compliance Risk Manager

Third Party Risk Manager

Internal Audit Manager

Transition Opportunities

Corporate Counsel

Privacy Officer

Security Governance Manager

Fraud Risk Manager

Regulatory Affairs Manager

Enterprise Risk Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Investigation InterviewingRoot Cause AnalysisControls TestingThird Party Risk AssessmentData AnalysisPolicy Implementation

Development SuggestionsAsk to shadow investigations and training sessions, complete a basic compliance investigations course, practice writing short policy guidance notes, learn how your company documents controls, and build comfort with spreadsheets and simple reporting dashboards.

Market Intelligence Report

Ethics and Compliance Specialist is part of the Compliance category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

See the market intelligence report

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 55,000 to 80,000

Mid LevelUSD 80,000 to 115,000

Senior LevelUSD 115,000 to 160,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand. Hiring remains strong in regulated industries and for roles supporting privacy, anti bribery, and third party risk.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

JPMorgan ChaseBank of AmericaWells FargoCitigroupUnitedHealth GroupCVS HealthPfizerJohnson and JohnsonBoeingLockheed MartinAmazonMicrosoft

Industry Sectors

Financial ServicesHealthcarePharmaceuticalsMedical DevicesTechnologyDefense and AerospaceEnergyManufacturingRetailInsurance

Recommended Next Steps

Review common regulations in your industry and summarize key obligations

Build a portfolio of policy updates, training materials, and reports you contributed to

Volunteer to own a small compliance project with a clear timeline and metrics

Practice concise case notes and documentation standards

Learn your organization’s reporting channel process and escalation rules

Request informational interviews with compliance, audit, privacy, and legal leaders

Pursue a widely recognized compliance certification once you have role experience