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Executive Director, Ethics & Compliance

Synopsys

Synopsys

Compliance / Regulatory
Multiple locations
Posted on Mar 8, 2026

The Executive Director, Ethics & Compliance is accountable for translating enterprise strategy into a practical, scalable global compliance program and ensuring it operates effectively across the business. This role requires a seasoned leader who sets direction and owns execution—driving a best-in-class program through complex regulatory, geopolitical, and high-growth environments.

Reporting to the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, the Executive Director is a highly visible leader who partners closely with cross-functional leaders and business teams worldwide. The ideal candidate brings deep compliance and investigations expertise with strong operational leadership and a global perspective, enabling the company to operate responsibly and decisively by embedding integrity, sound judgment, and ethical decision-making into day-to-day operations at scale.

Key Responsibilities

Global Ethics & Compliance Leadership

· Lead the execution and continuous improvement of the global ethics and compliance program, ensuring consistent, risk-based application across regions, business models, and growth environments.

· Own the Code of Ethics & Business Conduct and the global policy framework, ensuring policies, procedures, and governance mechanisms remain current, effective, and aligned with regulatory expectations.

· Design and oversee global compliance risk assessment, monitoring, and reporting to strengthen controls, measure program effectiveness, and drive continuous improvement.

· Partner with the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer to support executive and Board-level oversight, including reporting to the Audit Committee and engagement with external auditors.

International and Regulatory Risk Governance

· Apply the global risk framework to cross-border, geopolitical, and regulatory risks affecting international operations and global business activities.

· Monitor regulatory and enforcement developments in key jurisdictions and adapt compliance strategies and program requirements accordingly.

· Lead global oversight of anti-corruption, anti-bribery, competition, and related regulatory compliance programs.

· Advise on cross-border business transactions, third-party relationships, and international market expansion to proactively identify and mitigate compliance risk.

· Coordinate with Trade Compliance on sanctions and export-related risk escalation, governance, and investigations.

Culture, Speak-Up, Investigations & Enforcement

· Advance a strong global culture of integrity globally through training, awareness, communications, and leadership engagement.

· Oversee the company’s speak-up and anti-retaliation framework, including confidential reporting mechanisms and issue escalation.

· Direct the global investigations function, including hotline operations, internal investigations, and regulatory inquiries and enforcement matters, ensuring consistent, timely, and fair resolution.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

· Lead and develop a high-performing, globally distributed team of ethics and compliance professionals across the U.S., EMEA, and APAC.

· Partner with Finance, Internal Audit, HR, Sales, and global business leaders and teams to embed ethics and compliance into core processes, strategic initiatives, and business operations.

· Support complex business transformations, including post-acquisition integration, to ensure compliance standards are consistently implemented across newly acquired entities.

Qualifications

· Legal Credentials: J.D. from an accredited law school and active U.S. bar membership.

· Experience: 15+ years of legal and compliance experience, including at least 7+ years in a senior in-house leadership role within a large, publicly traded multinational technology company.

· Global Expertise: Proven track record of managing compliance across multiple jurisdictions (US, EMEA, APAC) and navigating international enforcement landscapes.

· Leadership: Experience building and leading high-performing, multidisciplinary teams of attorneys and compliance professionals.

· Executive Presence: Demonstrated ability to influence executives and communicate complex risk profiles to Board-level committees.

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