Vanderbilt University · 3 weeks ago
Director, Risk Management
Nashville, TN
Contract
Hybrid
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
5+ years expVanderbilt University is seeking a Director of Risk and Insurance Management to lead their comprehensive risk and insurance programs. This role involves developing strategies, policies, and procedures for risk management, while collaborating with various departments to ensure effective risk mitigation and compliance.
E-LearningEducationHigher Education
Responsibilities
Building and overseeing the university’s comprehensive risk and insurance programs
Developing strategy, goals, policies, and procedures for the RIM function
Supervising risk identification, evaluation, mitigation, financing, and claims management
Serving as an expert advisor across campus on risk and insurance matters
Collaborating with the Office of the General Counsel legal team, Procurement Services and space use partners
Advising on insurance-related contract provisions to ensure appropriate risk transfer and protection of university assets and operations
Collaborating extensively with Compliance, Internal Audit, and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) teams
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)
Leading the RIM function, ensuring effective operations through program development, process improvement, and integration with other departments
Recommending, structuring, and managing all university risk financing arrangements (insurance and self-insurance), including budgeting and placement of coverages over an estimated 25 insurance lines
Coordinating a comprehensive insurance program and delivering risk management initiatives for diverse risk exposures across the institution
Providing leadership and advisory services to distributed risk owners, including faculty, staff, and students, on risk mitigation and loss prevention
Overseeing incident reporting, claims management, and advocacy; managing claims against the university for self-insured risks
Collaborating with the Office of the General Counsel on litigation-related claims; ensuring timely carrier notification and coordination
Advising Procurement and campus departments on contract language to ensure adequate insurance and risk transfer
Supporting insurance budgeting, forecasting, and financial stewardship; defining and achieving financial targets aligned with institutional goals
Supporting Student Affairs in the procurement and management of the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP)
Participating in institutional committees and cross-functional projects to reduce risk and improve safety for employees, students, and visitors
Promoting risk management education and best practices in higher education risk management
Partnering 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
Providing strategic leadership with experience setting direction, leading change, establishing SOPs, and documenting policies and procedures
Being an ethical decision-maker able to evaluate and explain novel and traditional risk management and transfer approaches
Being an agile advisor capable of delivering timely, practical guidance in fast-moving situations
Being a skilled collaborator with excellent communication and stakeholder engagement across diverse academic and administrative units, including Compliance, Internal Audit, and ERM
Qualification
Required
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
Preferred
Advanced degree or professional designation preferred (e.g., ARM, CPCU, CRM, CRMA)
Company
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Vanderbilt University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (90)
2024 (91)
2023 (87)
2022 (58)
2021 (62)
2020 (65)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$28.55MKey Investors
Mark AbkowitzNational Science Foundation
2018-11-07Grant· $4.5M
2018-04-18Grant· $0.55M
2015-07-10Grant· $12.8M
Leadership Team
B
Bharat Bhuva
Professor
Bill Blot
Professor
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