Enterprise Risk Manager- Lacey, WA (WMS 03)

State of Washington • Thurston County – Lacey, WA

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking an experienced Enterprise Risk Manager. In this role, you will direct agency-wide efforts to identify, assess, and reduce risk in accordance with statute. The Enterprise Risk Manager also provides consultation and recommendations to executive leadership, managers, and other staff about issues relating to risk. This position is responsible for collaborating with executive leadership, managers, attorneys, staff, other agencies, private organizations, and the public to perform the role of this position. The Enterprise Risk Manager is also responsible for leading agency efforts in resolving tort claims and lawsuits, by working with the Department of Enterprise Services Risk Office and the Attorney General's Office. This position is the agency's designated lead for identifying, coordinating, and implementing agency-wide process efficiencies. This position is responsible for working with leadership and division staff to achieve continuous improvement in work processes to reduce risk and loss. We are seeking someone who prioritizes collaborative relationship-building, is passionate about making a meaningful impact, is systems focused, and sees the value in turning risk into opportunity. The Business Support Services Division serves internal and external customers through agency core functions that maintain compliance, promote transparency, improve efficiency, and provide business solutions for State Parks. You’ll be joining a collaborative team of professionals who value partnership, innovation, and serving with excellence. Are you an experienced Risk Program Manager who would like to lead this challenging but interesting work in an organization full of passionate, committed professionals? Consider coming to work for Washington State Parks.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, or related field.
• 3 years’ professional experience in risk management and risk mitigation activities.
• Valid unrestricted with exception of corrective lenses drivers' license and the ability to travel statewide as needed for investigative or training activities.
• (Additional professional level experience in risk management and risk mitigation may substitute year for year for education).
• Enterprise Risk Management – Provides strategic direction, executive consultation, and guidance to establish agency-wide risk frameworks, policies, and mitigation registers.
• Legal & Regulatory Compliance – Assures strict adherence to state laws, statutory requirements (RCW), executive orders, and administrative codes (WAC) governing risk and liability.
• Process Efficiency & Risk Reduction – Integrates lean philosophy and strategic planning to consult on and optimize organizational workflows to minimize risk exposure.
• Loss Control & Mitigation Strategy – Designs and deploys operational control mechanisms, safeguarding agency assets and financial systems from severe or frequent losses.
• Financial Risk Financing & Insurance – Evaluates, selects, and manages commercial insurance policies and alternative financing structures to fund claims cost-effectively.
• Contractual Risk Transfer – Analyzes, structures, and enforces contract specifications, certificates of insurance, and indemnity provisions to safely shift liability.
• Litigation & Claim Management – Investigates tort claims, coordinates defense strategies with legal counsel, monitors settlement reserves, and represents the agency in legal proceedings.
• Strategic Communication & Advisory – Delivers professional training, consultative guidance, and data-driven recommendations to executive leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Interagency Collaboration & Liaison – Builds and manages critical working relationships with external state offices, legal departments, and oversight agencies to resolve disputes.
• Commitment to learning and growth: Experience considering and incorporating new information and different perspective; and practicing self-awareness by reflecting on personal strengths, growth areas, and biases.
• Takes action to meet the needs of others: Experience adapting communication and approaches to different communities and individuals, welcoming and valuing different identities and perspectives and experience increasing access, opportunities, and positive outcomes for others.

Nice To Haves

• Juris doctorate or master’s degree in business or public administration, or related field.
• Professional designation as a Risk Manager.
• Certified in Six Sigma Black Belt.
• Knowledge of state tort law and judicial practices, including participating in the settlement of claims against public entities in Washington.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for successful service delivery and adherence to state law, policies, and procedures.
• Oversee the establishment of program guidelines and internal procedures, ensuring agency policies and WACs are current and relevant.
• Lead process efficiency efforts to reduce risk across the agency.
• Provides leadership with strategies and plans to achieve results.
• Promotes lean philosophy and acts as an advisor and consultant on process efficiency efforts that improve work processes and reduce agency risk.
• Develop risk management program, policies, procedures, and guidelines following the risk management principles in RCW 43.19.760 and Governor's Executive Order 16-06.
• Ensure compliance with state risk management policy.
• Provide risk management consultation and professional guidance and training to executive, region, program and other staff in the areas of risk recognition, evaluation measures, loss control activities, litigation strategies, and resolution of all tort claims made against Parks.
• Travel for investigative, coordination, or training activities as needed.
• Annually, leads agency wide efforts to identify, assess, and develop mitigation strategies on the agency’s Risk Register.
• Responsible for providing DES Office of Risk Management the updated Risk Register and consulting with them on risk issues.
• Select and purchase commercial insurance policies for exposures not covered by state's self-insurance liability program. This includes exposures for marine vessels (property, liability), aviation (casualty, liability), buildings, furnishings, IT equipment and fine arts (property), employee theft and fraud (fidelity bond).
• Manage financial recovery from insurance carriers/individuals when agency assets (facilities, vehicles, or equipment) have been damaged.
• Develop and implement methods to review certificates of insurance to verify that insurance of contractors, vendors, lessees, and others meet agency contract specifications.
• Review and analyze tort claims filed against the agency and monitor claim activity, including the defense and settlement of lawsuits, the adequacy of settlement reserves, the findings of investigations, exposures of liability, and to determine any information in agency records that may be applicable to the defense or settlement of a claim or lawsuit.
• Coordinate litigation discovery responses between Parks staff and the AGO.
• Propose and implement corrective actions.
• Develops loss prevention report and serve as the agency's loss prevention appointee under RCW 43.19.782.
• Serve as the agency liaison with the Attorney General's Office and the DES Office of Risk Management to develop negotiation and litigation strategies.
• Provide oversight of tort claims and resolution of tort claims and resulting lawsuits.
• Actively participates in case evaluations and negotiates settlements on behalf of the agency for tort liability claims and lawsuits.
• Monitor expenditures from the state's self-insurance liability account on behalf of the agency.

Benefits

• The annual range of compensation is between $106,524 - $133,152 depending upon qualifications, although the expected hiring salary will typically be less than the top of the range, to allow for growth and development movement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager