Director, Global Risk and Safety

University of Texas at Austin

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is one of the largest public universities in the United States and the flagship of The University of Texas System. UT Austin enrolls more than 55,000 students in nearly 120 bachelor’s degree programs and more than 220 graduate programs across 19 colleges and schools. UT Austin is steadfastly committed to global engagement and is home to more than 6,100 international students, over 3,400 education abroad students, and 1,500 international scholars from over 130 countries, with more than 530,000 alumni in 176 countries worldwide. About Texas Global Texas Global advances UT Austin’s academic mission by leading, supporting, and coordinating the university’s international engagement efforts, fostering strategic partnerships on campus and abroad, welcoming international students and scholars, and creating opportunities for students and faculty to engage globally. Texas Global comprises nine units, employs over 140 staff members, and continues to grow. The Director of Global Risk & Safety in Texas Global provides university wide leadership and strategic oversight for the health, safety, and security of University travelers abroad (students, faculty, and staff). The role is responsible for establishing and advancing institutional policies, procedures, and training aligned with best practices in international travel risk management. In addition, the position serves as the central coordinator for preparedness and response efforts related to travel related incidents and emergencies abroad, ensuring timely, effective, and coordinated support for travelers and the University.

Requirements

Graduate or professional degree in a relevant field (e.g., higher education, international affairs, public policy, area studies, law, public health, or emergency management) and 10+ years of progressive experience in international health, safety, and security/risk management, including demonstrated leadership in complex organizations. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
Experience with CRM/workflow and collaboration tools (e.g., Microsoft, Asana) and the ability to scale processes through effective systems design.
Meaningful global experience (living, working, and/or studying abroad) and a demonstrated commitment to global engagement.
Demonstrated expertise in international travel risk assessment and crisis response coordination.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief senior leaders and communicate effectively with students, families, faculty, staff, and external partners.
Change management capability—able to build consensus, implement policy/process improvements, and drive adoption across distributed stakeholders.
Working knowledge of duty-of-care considerations for international travel and education abroad.
Demonstrated judgment, discretion, resilience, and the ability to remain calm and decisive during fast-moving, high-stakes situations.
Ability to empathize and respond to the needs of various stakeholders.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Previous work experience associated with essential job functions.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience working in a higher education environment with faculty and university administration.

Responsibilities

Governance, Compliance & Risk Mitigation Ensure compliance with University international travel policies and associated requirements, including travel registration and enrollment with the contracted emergency assistance provider.
Manage and monitor the University travel registration process and related web resources, workflows, and guidance.
Continuously maintain Restricted Regions criteria and the Restricted Regions list; communicate decisions, guidance, and policy updates to relevant stakeholders.
Chair the Restricted Regions Review Team; evaluate high-risk travel and provide timely, well-documented recommendations to the Senior Vice Provost for Global Engagement (SVPGE) and other University leadership as required.
Manage the operational aspects of the International Oversight Committee (IOC).
Lead risk assessment and analysis for proposed international programming and initiatives; deliver clear risk rationales and mitigation requirements that enable informed decision-making.
Adjudicate decisions and recommend modifications to high-risk and group travel requests (faculty-led and student organization travel) as needed, ensuring alignment with policy, mitigation requirements, and duty-of-care standards.
Coordinate with UT System risk and insurance units and collaborate with campus partners and external entities to implement policy, practice, and process changes that strengthen international duty of care.
Oversee and support compliance with laws and regulations related to health and safety abroad (e.g., FERPA, HIPAA, Title IX, Clery Act), partnering with the Office of the Dean of Students and other relevant offices as needed.
Oversee pre-departure health clearance processes and related documentation to support student wellbeing and appropriate risk mitigation.
Crisis Management & Critical Incident Response Establish, maintain, and continuously improve international crisis management protocols and contingency plans for responding to a wide range of situations abroad.
Serve as the primary 24/7/365 crisis manager for traveler emergencies abroad, and coordinate responses inclusive of Texas Global leadership, campus partners, and contracted emergency assistance provider.
Manage incident case reporting and follow-up; collaborate closely with Education Abroad team members and the Office of the Dean of Students on student-facing crises, and with other relevant offices as needed, for all travelers’ acute and post-incident support.
Lead the International Critical Incident Response Team (I-CIRT), providing coordinated assistance, situational awareness, and actionable recommendations to University leadership during crisis events; conduct after-action reviews to drive sustained improvement.
Risk Intelligence, Preparedness & Program Support Monitor global events, prominent health and safety issues, and legal developments affecting international higher education; translate identified issues into actionable guidance for leadership and program stakeholders.
Serve as a subject-matter resource to faculty, staff, and student-facing teams on destination risk, safety planning, and responsible program design in support of global engagement.
Develop and maintain tools and standards that enable preparedness (e.g., pre-departure materials, emergency guidance, and orientation resources) and ensure they remain current and operationally usable.
Conduct and/or commission site- and program-specific risk assessments (including periodic site visits as needed) and define practical mitigation measures that strengthen traveler readiness and program continuity.
Outreach, Training & Strategic Communication Design and deliver risk and safety training for students, faculty, and staff; lead workshops and contribute to pre-departure orientations to build a culture of preparedness.
Synthesize complex information into briefings, analytical reports, procedures, and training documents tailored to varied audiences.
Manage internal and external communications during and after incidents abroad, coordinating with SVPGE leadership and Texas Global’s Marketing and Communications team on media-sensitive matters when appropriate.
Maintain key relationships with national and international education professional organizations (e.g., NAFSA, The Forum on Education Abroad, OSAC, PULSE) to stay current with global health and safety trends, technologies and best practices.
Deliver presentations pertaining to the field at conferences, as appropriate.
Serve on campus committees to represent Texas Global and provide subject matter expertise.
International Insurance Compliance Manage the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) to comply with UT System policy and federal immigration regulations pertaining to health insurance requirements for international students and scholars.
Oversee the integrity of systems and accurate data management in enrollment processes.
Deliver quality support and services to all stakeholders and ensure clear communication through outreach and training.
Leadership & Supervision Lead and cultivate a high-performing team.
Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and annual performance evaluation processes.
Partner with the SVPGE and Texas Global leadership to advance global engagement priorities through risk and safety-informed strategy and operational excellence.
Represent Texas Global with professionalism and credibility to internal and external stakeholders; build trust through clear guidance, responsiveness, and sound judgment.