Director, Risk Management

Vanderbilt University•Nashville, TN

7h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Risk and Insurance Management is a key leader, responsible for building and overseeing the university’s comprehensive risk and insurance programs. The Director develops strategy, goals, policies, and procedures for the RIM function; supervises risk identification, evaluation, mitigation, financing, and claims management; and serves as an expert advisor across campus on risk and insurance matters. In close collaboration with the Office of the General Counsel legal team, Procurement Services and space use partners, the Director advises on insurance-related contract provisions to ensure appropriate risk transfer and protection of university assets and operations. This role collaborates extensively with Compliance, Internal Audit, and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) teams to align operational risk management activities, controls, and reporting. About the Work Unit RIM is an integral part of University Compliance Services under the Office of the General Counsel. UCS is a growing collaborative team with specialized compliance programs and general compliance oversight and services for Vanderbilt University. This includes the University Policy office, Clery office, University Conflicts of Interest, Records Retention, Compliance Hotline and Youth Protection. The RIM team supports Vanderbilt’s mission through: Understanding educational, research, service, and business goals across campus departments and locations. Using internal data, peer, and higher education market insights to drive strategy, risk appetite, and controls. Evaluating, advising, and procuring insurance coverages, limits and retentions aligned with the university’s risk tolerance. Partnering with departments to build risk-aware capabilities for informed decision-making on assume/mitigate/transfer/eliminate strategies. Advising on insurance requirements for contracts with vendors, contractors, and third parties. Managing incidents and claims with root cause analysis, applying policy, process, and regulatory compliance. Being a partner in workplace and campus safety efforts. Upholding ethical, just practices in claims resolution. Coordinating with Compliance, Internal Audit, and ERM to integrate risk assessments, control testing, remediation plans, and risk reporting. Articulating and collecting risk mitigation activities and proof of controls to communicate effectively within the insurance procurement and coverage processes. Setting and communicating processes across the university on risk incident reporting through the university risk management information system (RMIS).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 5–7 years of experience in risk management, insurance, legal, and/or business management; OR 10+ years of relevant experience.
Strong quantitative, analytical, and financial management skills; demonstrated fiscal responsibility and budget management.
Proven ability to develop and implement risk mitigation, risk transfer, and insurance strategies.
Evidence of successfully managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines in a dynamic environment.
High level of integrity and professionalism
Effective communication skills
Risk assessment/problem solving skills
Relationship and trust building skills
Organization and project management skills

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or professional designation preferred (e.g., ARM, CPCU, CRM, CRMA).

Responsibilities

Lead the RIM function, ensuring effective operations through program development, process improvement, and integration with other departments.
Recommend, structure, and manage all university risk financing arrangements (insurance and self-insurance), including budgeting and placement of coverages over an estimated 25 insurance lines.
Coordinate a comprehensive insurance program and deliver risk management initiatives for diverse risk exposures across the institution.
Provide leadership and advisory services to distributed risk owners, including faculty, staff, and students, on risk mitigation and loss prevention.
Oversee incident reporting, claims management, and advocacy; manage claims against the university for self-insured risks.
Collaborate with the Office of the General Counsel on litigation-related claims; ensure timely carrier notification and coordination.
Advise Procurement and campus departments on contract language to ensure adequate insurance and risk transfer.
Support insurance budgeting, forecasting, and financial stewardship; define and achieve financial targets aligned with institutional goals.
Support Student Affairs in the procurement and management of the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP).
Participate in institutional committees and cross-functional projects to reduce risk and improve safety for employees, students, and visitors.
Promote risk management education and best practices in higher education risk management.
Partner closely with Compliance, Internal Audit, and ERM to align operational risk management, coordinate risk assessments, share insights on controls and trends, and support enterprise risk reporting and governance.
Strategic leadership with experience setting direction, leading change, establishing SOPs, and documenting policies and procedures.
Ethical decision-maker able to evaluate and explain novel and traditional risk management and transfer approaches.
Agile advisor capable of delivering timely, practical guidance in fast-moving situations.
Skilled collaborator with excellent communication and stakeholder engagement across diverse academic and administrative units, including Compliance, Internal Audit, and ERM.