Director of Risk and Emergency Management (ENTERPRISE RISK MGR 2)

Under the direction of the Safety Services Associate Vice Chancellor, the Risk Director provides strategic leadership for campus Risk Management, including Insurance and Claims Administration, Worker's Compensation, Emergency Management, Mission Continuity, and Youth Protection. This role advances a comprehensive enterprise approach to identifying, assessing, and managing risk in support of the University's teaching, research, and public service missions. The Director works closely with senior leadership to guide institutional strategies related to enterprise risk exposure, regulatory compliance, crisis management, and loss mitigation. The Director builds cross-functional partnerships to elevate risk awareness and embed enterprise risk management principles into campus decision-making.

Apply By Date

Sunday, May 3, 2026 by 11:59pm Pacific; screening and selection can begin any time.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors' degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Experience in developing and implementing complex risk management programs, self- insurance programs, and Workers' Compensation programs.
• Experience in forecasting and analysis of risk metrics.
• Experience working with highly complex litigated claims, attorneys, third party administrators and other parties involved in the process.
• Experience in strong leadership and management skills to provide direction to staff and to create work efficiencies
• Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and Word with the ability to use data tracking tools and systems.
• Interpersonal communication skills to present complex risk findings and make recommendations in a clear concise manner both in writing and verbally.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification in the field of Risk Management and Workers' Compensation.
• Direct experience in claims property, casualty, or workers' compensation claims handling
• Professional certification in the field of Risk Management and Workers' Compensation.
• Knowledge of campus processes and procedures; understanding of campus rules and regulations.
• Negotiation and problem-solving skills.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Risk & Strategic Leadership (20%)

• Establishes strategic direction and long-range planning for enterprise risk, resilience, and institutional risk tolerance.
• Advises senior leadership on emerging and evolving risks, including reputational, operational, financial, compliance, safety, and crisis-related exposures.
• Leads enterprise-wide risk identification, assessment, mitigation, reporting, and governance initiatives.
• Represents the campus in systemwide Risk Management forums and collaborates with UCOP and external partners on policy development, insurance strategy, and risk initiatives.
• Promotes integration of risk-informed decision-making into institutional planning and operations.

Insurance, Claims & Self-Insurance Program Oversight (30%)

• Provides executive oversight of campus insured and self-insured programs, including General Liability, Auto Liability, Employment Practices Liability, Property, Professional Liability, Travel, Fine Arts, Marine, Workers' Compensation, and specialty coverages.
• Provides executive oversight of the Workers' Compensation program, including claims administration, supplemental benefits, OSHA compliance, regulatory reporting, and strategic loss prevention initiatives.
• Directs and participates in campus claims and litigation strategy in coordination with defense counsel, UCOP, Third Party Administrators (TPAs), brokers, and campus leadership to ensure timely, compliant, and fiscally responsible resolution of matters.
• Oversees and ensures timely underwriting submissions, broker negotiations, coverage analysis, and insurance placement to optimize protection of institutional assets and financial resources.
• Reviews complex, high-exposure, or sensitive claims and participates in settlement strategy and risk mitigation planning.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and University policies, statutory requirements, and systemwide insurance guidelines.
• Monitors loss trends, benchmarking data, and financial exposure to inform strategic risk mitigation initiatives and reduce claim frequency and severity.
• Builds reports and presents outcomes to leadership as needed.

Emergency Management & Business Continuity (25%)

• Provides executive oversight of campus emergency preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery programs. Includes strategic support, investment and policies around ongoing training and institutional capacity building.
• Ensures compliance with NIMS/SEMS and regulatory emergency planning requirements.
• Coordinates, integrates, and aligns emergency management and mission continuity efforts with campus programs, leadership, and safety governance structures.
• Provides strategic guidance to campus leadership, committees, departments, and safety partners to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities.
• Directs enterprise-wide Business Impact Analysis and continuity planning efforts to strengthen institutional resilience.
• Advises senior leadership during Emergency Operations Center activations and crisis response efforts. Will serve as EOC Director for situation dependent issues and events.

Youth Protection & Compliance Leadership (5%)

• Provides oversight and strategic direction for campus youth protection initiatives, ensuring compliance with Protection of Minors policies and regulatory requirements
• Ensures development of training programs, compliance monitoring, risk mitigation strategies, and reporting mechanisms to safeguard minors participating in university programs.
• Advises campus leadership on youth safety risk exposures and oversees corrective actions related to non-compliance or emerging risk trends.
• Provides strategic guidance to campus leadership, committees, departments, and safety partners to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities.

Data Analytics & Reporting (5%)

• Directs development of dashboards, benchmarking, and risk analytics to inform leadership decisions.
• Ensures regulatory compliance reporting including OSHA recordkeeping, Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting, and systemwide risk reporting requirements. Utilizes trend analysis to guide loss prevention and strategic risk reduction.

Be Smart About Safety Program Oversight (5%)

• Provides executive oversight of the campus Be Smart About Safety (BSAS) program, ensuring strategic allocation of funds to support loss prevention, loss control, and safety enhancement initiatives.
• Establishes campus processes for identifying risk priorities, soliciting proposals, coordinating review and approval, and tracking measurable outcomes.
• Maintains accurate records of submissions, decisions, and outcomes.
• Ensures BSAS funding aligns with eligible risk categories and supports
• measurable reductions in frequency and severity of losses, including workers' compensation, liability, property, auto, and employment-related exposures.
• Partners with campus stakeholders to promote awareness, implementation, and accountability for BSAS-funded initiatives.

Supervision & Organizational Leadership (10%)

• Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with exterior partners across the enterprise to inform and affect risk-based policy and decision making.
• Provides leadership and oversight to professional staff across specialized risk disciplines.
• Exercises authority to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees, or responsibility to direct them, or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend this action.
• Establishes performance expectations, promotes professional development, and ensures operational excellence and accountability.
• Fosters a culture of compliance, collaboration, service excellence, and continuous improvement.

Department Overview

The position directly supervises the Campus Emergency Manager, Mission Continuity Planner, Risk Analysts, Workers' Compensation Analysts, and the Youth Protection Specialist, providing strategic direction and accountability across all functional areas.

Position Information

• Full Salary Grade Range: $111,400.00 - $229,800.00
• Salary Frequency: Annually, paid monthly
• Salary Grade: Grade 26
• UC Job Title: ENTERPRISE RISK MGR 2
• UC Job Code: 000328
• Number of Positions: 1
• Appointment Type: Staff: Career
• Percentage of Time: 100
• Shift (Work Schedule): TBD
• Location: Hoagland (HOAGLD)
• Union Representation: 99 - Non-Represented (PPSM)
• Benefits Eligible: Yes
• This position is hybrid (mix of on-site and remote work)

Benefits

Outstanding benefits and perks are among the many rewards of working for the University of California. UC Davis offers a full range of benefits, resources and programs to help you bring your best self to work, as well as to help you and your family achieve your health, wellness, financial and career goals. Learn more about the benefits below and eligibility rules by visiting either our handy Benefits Summary for UC Davis Health Employees or Benefits Summary for UC Davis Employees and our Benefits Page.

• High quality and low-cost medical plans to choose from to fit your family's needs
• UC pays for Dental and Vision insurance premiums for you and your family
• Extensive leave benefits including Pregnancy and Parental Leave, Family & Medical Leave
• Paid Holidays annually as stipulated in the UC Davis Health Policies or Collective Bargaining Agreement
• Paid Time Off/Vacation/Sick Time as stipulated in the UC Davis Health Policies or Collective Bargaining Agreement
• Continuing Education (CE) allowance and Education Reimbursement Program as stipulated in the UC Davis Health Policies or Collective Bargaining Agreement
• Access to free professional development courses and learning opportunities for personal and professional growth
• WorkLife and Wellness programs and resources
• On-site Employee Assistance Program including access to free mental health services
• Supplemental insurance offered including additional life, short/long term disability, pet insurance and legal coverage
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSFL) Qualified Employer & Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program for qualified roles
• Retirement benefit options for eligible roles including Pension and other Retirement Saving Plans. More information on our retirement benefits can be found here

Physical Demands

• Standing - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Walking - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Sitting - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours
• Lifting/Carrying 0-25 Lbs - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Pushing/Pulling 0-25 Lbs - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Bending/Stooping - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Squatting/Kneeling - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Twisting - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Reaching overhead - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Keyboard use/repetitive motion - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours

Mental Demands

• Sustained attention and concentration - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours
• Complex problem solving/reasoning - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Ability to organize & prioritize - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours
• Communication skills - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours
• Numerical skills - Occasional Up to 3 Hours
• Constant Interaction - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours
• Customer/Patient Contact - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours
• Multiple Concurrent Tasks - Frequent 3 to 6 Hours

Work Environment

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco free campus effective January 1, 2014. Smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes) will be strictly prohibited on any UC Davis owned or leased property, indoors and outdoors, including parking lots and residential space.

Work hours based on business need. Work flexible schedule. Work occasional weekends and holidays. On call 24/7. Must be able to respond to emergency situations.

Special Requirements

• This is a critical position, as defined by UC Policy and local procedures, and as such, employment is contingent upon clearing a criminal background check(s) and may include drug screening, medical evaluation clearance and functional capacity assessment

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

A Culture of Opportunity and Belonging

At UC Davis, we're committed to solving life's most urgent challenges and building a healthier, more resilient world. We believe in growing through every challenge, continually striving to improve, and welcoming new perspectives that strengthen our community. We recognize that a vibrant and innovative organization values both individual strengths and shared purpose. The best ideas often emerge when people with different experiences come together.

As you consider joining UC Davis, we invite you to explore our Principles of Community, our Clinical Strategic Plan and strategic vision for research and education. We believe you belong here. The University of California, Davis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

To view the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

Because we want you to feel seen and valued, our recruitment process at UC Davis supports openness and authenticity. Research shows that some individuals hesitate to apply unless they meet every qualification. You may be an excellent fit for this role-or the next one. We encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't match every listed requirement. #YouBelongHere

To learn more about our background check program, please visit: https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/recruitment/ucd/selection/background-checks

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