Director of Risk Management

Oberlin College & Conservatory; Oberlin (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Oberlin College seeks a Director of Risk Management reporting to the Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary. The role leads risk management strategy, develops processes and policies to identify, analyze, manage, monitor and report key risks, and oversees cost-effective mitigation to protect college assets and integrity.

The position collaborates with senior leadership and external stakeholders to advance institutional practices, ensure compliance, and support the College’s mission.

Responsibilities

• Support risk management identification and prioritization to insulate the college from loss and pursue opportunities.
• Recommend improvements for risk reporting to be accurate, relevant, and timely.
• Collaborate with Executive Leadership to set and maintain risk tolerance.
• Monitor risk identification, assessment, and reporting across the college to engage risk strategies.
• Develop and implement policies for claim management, loss prevention, risk transfer, and safety/compliance programs.
• Lead risk management committee meetings and work on remediation plans with stakeholders.
• Integrate risk management policy into all business activities and influence financial/operational decisions.
• Provide internal investigation and fact-finding support for civil rights processes as needed.

Job description

Director of Risk Management (“Position”), reporting directly to Oberlin College's Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary (“VPGC&S”), has responsibilities for the college’s risk managementprogram. The Position works closely with senior leadership to develop a sustainable framework, tools, practices, and policies to identify, analyze, manage, monitor, and report key risk management issues. The Position provides oversight for implementing cost-effective strategies to mitigate exposure and efficiently protect the college’s assets and integrity. This Position involves significant discretion and involvement with internal and external stakeholders to advance institutional practices, promote compliance, and support the College’s mission.

Risk Management

• Support the identification and prioritization of pertinent risks affecting the college to determine the most effective methodology for insulating the college from risk of loss and enhancing the college’s ability to weigh and pursue opportunities.
• Recommend process improvements to support accurate, relevant, and timely risk management reporting.
• Collaborates with the Executive Leadership Team and institutional constituents at all levels to determine and maintain an appropriate tolerance for risk.
• Support the establishment and monitoring of risk identification, assessment, and reporting across the college to ensure full engagement of the college’s risk strategies, report key risks, and support the development of risk treatments in collaboration with risk owners and stakeholders. Understand the alignment between effective risk treatment and the successful execution of organizational priorities.
• Develop and implement college risk management policies and procedures designed to mitigate risk and support college strategies around claim management, loss prevention and control, risk transfer, and monitoring the effectiveness of safety and compliance programs.
• Lead risk management committee meetings, govern or serve on working groups for focused analysis and development of risk management/remediation plans.
• Facilitate the integration of risk management policy and strategy into all business activities across the college, including encouraging and elevating the consideration of risk management in key financial and operational decisions.
• As needed, provide internal investigation and fact-finding support for civil rights-related processes.

Insurance (in close collaboration with the Department of Finance & Administration)

• Support various Department of Finance & Administration activities related to the college’s property and casualty (P&C) and liability insurance programs.
• Review property and casualty liability risk exposures relative to existing insurance and coverages available. Recommends changes where appropriate.
• In close collaboration with the Department of Finance & Administration, develop guidelines that address minimum insurance requirements for vendor contracts; and establish contractual risk transfer guidelines. Support the review of major contracts for risk language and negotiate changes as needed.

Board of Trustees Support

• Provide support to the Board of Trustees, including the Risk Management & Audit Committee.
• Coordinate the periodic review of and recommend modifications to board-approved business and risk-related policies.
• Prepare and present materials to the Board of Trustees, and at the direction of the VPGC&S, effectively communicate and present critical risk management matters.

Office of the VP, General Counsel & Secretary Support

• Provide advice and strategic response to ongoing compliance and risk management issues.
• Assist with the management and completion of OGC and Board projects, as necessary.
• Assist with the development and preparation of information and materials for meetings and presentations.
• Provide support for Title IX, Title VI, and other civil rights investigations.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned.