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The Complete Guide to Becoming A Compliance Manager
Know what compliance managers really do all day, what they earn at every level, and whether you have the temperament to thrive in the role before you invest a dollar in a degree or certification.
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Does a Compliance Manager Actually Do?
Let's clear something up right away: a Compliance Manager is not the person who writes the rules. That's the regulator. A Compliance Manager is the person who makes sure the company actually follows those rules, every day, not just when someone is watching. If a regulator like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says a company must file a report by a certain date, the Compliance Manager is the one who makes sure it happens. If the company fails to do it, the fine is often six figures or worse, and the Compliance Manager is the one who has to explain why.
Think of the job as the company's professional worrier. You are paid to think about everything that could go wrong, from a data breach to a missed filing deadline to a factory safety violation, and then build systems to make sure it doesn't. You are not the police officer who arrests people; you are the architect who installs the security cameras, writes the policy manual, and reminds everyone which hallways have blind spots.
Your Core Responsibilities
Walk into any compliance department, and you will find the same four buckets of work. First, there is the reading and interpreting. New regulations come out constantly. In the financial sector, for example, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued over 400 rules in the past decade. Your job