Assistant Director of Claims Administration

University of Colorado•Denver, CO

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director, Claims Administration, is responsible for the oversight, management, and resolution of all first-party and third-party property, casualty and workers’ compensation claims across the University of Colorado. This role includes interpreting and applying insurance policies, performing complex claim investigations, and managing the financial and strategic elements of litigation involving CU and its employees. The University of Colorado is a leading institution with a diverse portfolio of educational offerings, including engineering, liberal arts, business, architecture, health sciences, and professional programs. The university operates multiple campuses, each with distinct academic and research missions, serving a wide range of student populations, including commuter, residential, graduate, and professional-level learners. The role provides direct supervision of property, casualty and workers’ compensation claim adjusters and leads the development and implementation of claim-handling strategies and practices for CU’s captive and self insurance programs. Serving as a key resource for campus risk management teams, legal counsel, and CU leadership, the Assistant Director provides effective claims adjudication, regulatory compliance, and alignment with institutional risk management goals. The position also plays a proactive role in supporting broader university strategic objectives by guiding claims operations, fostering consistency in risk management practices, and promoting improvement across the system. This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement; however, in office presence and travel are required to meet business needs. Travel includes all CU System campuses and locations, as well as off site locations for mediations and hearings. This position may, at times, be responsible for responding to urgent requests and situations that may fall outside of the standard work week and could include holidays. This exempt professional position reports to the Assistant Vice President and Deputy Chief Risk Officer for University Risk Management (URM) and is exempt from the State of Colorado Classified Staff System. This security-sensitive position requires a criminal and financial background check for initial appointments, or at any time determined by the position’s supervisory authority to be in the best interests of CU.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, risk management, safety, or related field (professional experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis).
Seven (7) years progressively responsible experience in insurance, some combination of property, casualty, and workers’ compensation claims or related field with emphasis on liability claims.
Four (4) years of experience and proficiency in adjudicating litigated, property and casualty claims with emphasis on liability claims.
Three (3) years of leadership experience, which may be in a managerial or supervisory role, leading projects and large initiatives, and/or project management skills, and working with high-level leadership.
Demonstrated success managing and leading in a complex organization.
Demonstrated high level of commitment to customer service and team development.
Current Colorado driver’s license, vehicle, and insurance and ability to travel throughout the area to all CU campuses and locations.
Flexible hours as this position is required to respond to urgent requests and situations that may fall outside of the standard work week and could include holidays.
Ability to learn and understand the business and organizational structure of CU and the individual Campus operations.
Collaboration and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work with others from different areas and backgrounds to reach a common goal, including the ability to facilitate interaction, communication, and teamwork.
Oral, written, and listening communication skills, including the ability to accurately interpret what others are saying and convey messages, information, concepts, and details accurately and clearly.
Ability to communicate and work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and ages - understanding the importance of creating and maintaining an inclusive environment.
Customer service skills, including the ability to actively listen, address customer needs, defuse tense situations, and maintain an open, flexible, and friendly demeanor.
Ability to deliver a high level of commitment to customer service.
Employee management, supervision, and team building skills, including the ability to train and coach others, communicate effectively, manage conflict, reward good behavior, and establish and maintain accountability.
Leadership skills, including the ability to effectively manage various personalities and persuade others to take particular courses of action, including those outside your immediate sphere of influence.
Conflict management skills, including the ability to remain impartial, get disparate and adverse parties to reach consensus, and negotiate amicable resolutions to maintain cohesion and cooperation.
Ability to demonstrate and maintain ethical behavior in complicated and convoluted situations.
Ability to maintain a strong work ethic, positive problem-solving attitude, and enthusiasm for the work performed.
Critical thinking skills, including the ability to identify problems, questions, and assumptions; establish significance; and understand logical connections between ideas to solve problems and produce results.
Research skills, including the ability to utilize a variety of tools to ask questions, gather information, and review, analyze, and interpret data.
Project management skills, including the ability to organize data and materials, solve problems, negotiate with others to reach a common objective, communicate information and changes, adapt to shifting priorities, manage conflict, and meet deadlines.
Knowledge of contractual concepts, terms, and conditions.
Negotiation skills, including the ability to listen, build rapport, solve problems, make decisions, be assertive, and deal with difficult situations.
Computer skills, including the ability to utilize Microsoft Office programs (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) and learn and experiment with new software and systems.
Organizational skills, including the ability to set and meet goals and deadlines, manage appointments, create schedules, coordinate and facilitate meetings, and make decisions.
Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple concurrent and competing tasks and responsibilities, and adapt to changing priorities while maintaining personal effectiveness.
Ability to work independently without supervision and with reliable professional judgment, as well as collaboratively with a team to achieve desired results.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s or post-baccalaureate degree in business, risk management, safety, legal or related field.
Three (3) years of experience in higher education and/or Colorado public entity claims or risk management.
Ten (10) years progressively responsible experience in insurance, all lines property, casualty and workers’ compensation claims, or related field with emphasis on liability claims.
Seven (7) years of experience and proficiency in adjudicating litigated, property and casualty claims, with emphasis on liability claims.
Five (5) years of management/supervisory experience of one or more employees.
Professional claims, insurance or risk management designation (ARM, AIC, SCLA, CCP, CRM or CPCU or similar).

Responsibilities

Maintain an active property and casualty claims inventory in addition to oversight of multi-line property, casualty and workers’ compensation claims operations and staff performance.
Strategically serve as backup for property, casualty, and workers‘ compensation claims team members to support workload management and coverage needs.
Provide direct claims and litigation management, including insurance coverage application for all liability lines of coverage (including but not limited to, general liability, international, property, cyber, and life sciences).
Coordinate and assist university legal counsel in assessing coverage application and campus financial participation when applicable. Includes collaboration, communication, and negotiation of payment and denial of claims with campus leadership.
Continually identify claim coverage gaps and provide information to URM leadership for assessment of coverage lines.
Provide analysis of insurance policies for the determination of coverage for losses sustained.
Direct and participate in the claim’s investigation process for all lines of coverage, when needed, including on-site activities with university campus personnel.
Analyze exposures, establishes claim reserve funding requirements, and manages appropriate reserve funding levels consistent with insurance industry best practices.
Overall coordination of claims investigation, reviews, diaries, reporting, analysis, and closure of claims for self and other staff, as needed.
Ensure quality and accuracy of the claim unit’s work product, including audit of claim files for compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and claim management guidelines, adjusting processes as necessary.
Develop claim status communication (denial, payment, settlement) for URM-directed claims, including CGIA and liability analysis, to stakeholders and counsel.
Assist and report claims appropriately to federal and state agencies when applicable (SSI, Medicare/Medicaid).
Understand applicable laws and regulations as they relate to various claims and insurance triggers for coverage - including privacy laws.
Review contracts and recommend language designed to mitigate claims and insurance risk exposure.
Evaluate and direct outside law firm representation in coordination with assigned university legal counsel to obtain maximum services while managing cost and to ensure continuity with developed loss control plans.
Administer the interactive relationship with excess insurance carriers to guarantee coordination and commitment to losses, exposure control, and to comply with contractual obligations - including timely reporting of claims.
Represent CU’s captive and self-insurance program at mediation meetings, State and Federal court dispute resolution hearings, and Judge Advocate General Hearings, with the appropriate authority to settle claims.
Develop and recommend claim management policies and procedures in support of university objectives and goals to strategically manage costs.
Assists in the evaluation of the claims management system and guides the use of the system, as well as recommending additions and changes to functionality based on the changing claims environment.
Supports claims staff in developing claims strategies and execution.
Develop a continuing education program for claims staff, providing opportunity for them to become multi-line proficient claims professionals.
Create and integrate cross-training opportunities for claims staff across coverage lines to strengthen continuity of operations, maintain service levels and responsiveness, and support the development of technical skills needed for career advancement.
Provides expertise to campus URM Directors in the interpretation of insurance policy coverages as relates to claims.
Aids campus URM Directors in the reporting and evaluation of claims trends and opportunities for loss prevention or training.
Represents URM to campus personnel and provides claims overviews to stakeholders on claims trends and metrics.
Participate in committees to provide technical risk management expertise directly related to claims when requested.
Counsel and provide support to campus personnel regarding post- incident control and advise on the restoration to normal activities.
Provide support to the risk management professionals at each of the system campuses, including exposure identification, training, contract review, outreach programs, and other strategies to minimize risk.

Benefits

No-cost or low-cost medical & dental plan options, some inclusive of IVF assistance.
Disability, Life, Vision Insurance options.
Multiple retirement planning options including a mandatory 401(a) plan where CU contributes 10%25 of your gross pay, a 401k or 403b plan and a 457 deferred compensation plan.
Pre-tax savings plans, such as Health care and Dependent care flexible spending accounts.
Ample sick and vacation leave, along with at least 12 paid holidays. This includes a dedicated week off for winter break.
6 weeks of parental leave to adjust to the joys of parenthood.
A tuition benefit program for you and/or your dependents.
Free RTD EcoPass and free onsite parking at our 1800 Grant Street Office.
Many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.
Additional taxable fringe benefits may be available.