The importance of compliance officers

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In this video, TechTarget editor Tommy Everson discusses the role of compliance officers.

If HIPAA, GDPR or CCPA ring a bell, you may be familiar with the importance of data compliance and security. The person behind the success of a company's compliance success is likely a compliance officer -- an employee tasked with following both a company's internal rules and policies, as well as external laws and government regulations.

A compliance officer's responsibilities are vital to both workplace cohesion and minimizing business risk, including [the following]:

  • Liaising between department supervisors and senior management.
  • Training and educating staff on compliance policies.
  • Administering compliance assessments to stakeholders.
  • Monitoring the flow of data and sensitive information.
  • Tracking operations using a compliance management platform.
  • And reviewing company marketing material for regulatory and ethical compliance.

Compliance officers usually have a bachelor's degree in a related field, like business, finance or criminal justice, but often also have a master's degree in legal studies or business. At any rate, tech savviness and legal knowledge are paramount in a compliance officer, especially as easily manipulated markets like crypto and blockchain garner more critical attention.

Sabrina Polin is a managing editor of video content for the Learning Content team. She plans and develops video content for TechTarget's editorial YouTube channel, Eye on Tech. Previously, Sabrina was a reporter for the Products Content team.