Risk Manager

The Job

** THIS IS A CONFIRE POSITION ONLY ** CONFIRE is a separate entity from San Bernardino County and the Fire Protection District. CONFIRE, JPA is seeking a Risk Manager responsible for developing, coordinating, and managing the agency's risk management programs, including organizational risk mitigation, safety practices, regulatory compliance, liability prevention, and strategic risk initiatives. This role leads risk management efforts across a complex regional public safety environment involving emergency communications, EMS transport services, member agencies, subcontracted providers, hospitals, County departments, and communities throughout San Bernardino County, while providing strategic guidance to the Executive Director, leadership staff, and member agencies on risk assessment, insurance and liability matters, workplace safety, contract and vendor risk, and exposure reduction. The Risk Manager also oversees staff responsible for safety programs, compliance monitoring, incident documentation, and risk-related reporting, and must demonstrate strong analytical skills, sound judgment, political awareness, public safety knowledge, and the ability to manage risk effectively during routine operations, sensitive issues, emergency incidents, and periods of heightened organizational scrutiny. The primary work location is CONFIRE's Rialto office, with occasional assignments at the Hesperia or San Bernardino communication centers.

CONFIRE, JPA is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) located in San Bernardino County, California, established to provide regional public safety communications, dispatch, computer information systems (IS), geographic information systems (GIS), and emergency medical services in support of its member and partner agencies. The CONFIRE Communications Center's primary function is to provide 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year fire, EMS, rescue, and other public safety dispatch services to agencies throughout the region. Beyond its direct dispatch responsibilities, the Communications Center also serves as the San Bernardino County (XBO) Operational Area dispatch center, coordinating fire, local government, law enforcement, and emergency medical resources during large-scale incidents. CONFIRE is also preparing to launch a countywide ambulance transport system that will further integrate emergency communications and EMS operations while enhancing regional service delivery.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Work Availability: Must be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to support risk management, safety, compliance, and operational continuity needs. Incumbents must be able to report to CONFIRE facilities or other designated locations to address urgent risk issues, conduct assessments, support investigations, or provide guidance during operational demands.

Emergency Response: May be required to respond outside of normal business hours to assist with emergency incidents, Continuity of Operations activities, safety or liability concerns, critical infrastructure issues, or other urgent operational risks affecting CONFIRE JPA. Responsibilities during such events may include conducting risk assessments, supporting incident documentation, advising leadership on safety and liability considerations, coordinating with partner agencies, and providing analytical or logistical risk-related support.

Travel: Travel between CONFIRE facilities, member and partner agency locations, incident sites, training venues, and other operational or project-related locations may be required to support risk management, safety programs, compliance duties, and investigations. A valid California Driver License and proof of automobile liability insurance must be presented at the time of hire and maintained throughout employment.

Job Description:

Representation Unit: Exempt

Under general direction of the Deputy Executive Director of Administration, the Risk Manager plans, organizes, coordinates, and oversees CONFIRE JPA's risk management, occupational safety, loss prevention, claims coordination, insurance support, workers' compensation coordination, and risk control programs.

The position is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating organizational risks related to personnel, facilities, vehicles, equipment, contracts, vendors, operations, emergency communications, administrative functions, and public safety support activities. The Risk Manager develops and maintains risk management policies, safety programs, reporting systems, corrective action processes, and loss-control strategies to reduce liability exposure, support regulatory compliance, and protect CONFIRE JPA's personnel and assets.

The Risk Manager supervises assigned staff engaged in safety, loss prevention, and risk control activities and works closely with executive leadership, managers, Human Resources, Finance, Contracts and Grants, legal counsel, insurance representatives, third-party administrators, regulatory agencies, member agencies, and other stakeholders on risk management matters.

Performs related duties as assigned.

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

1. Plan, organize, coordinate, and oversee CONFIRE JPA's risk management, occupational safety, loss prevention, claims coordination, insurance support, and risk-control programs.
2. Develop, implement, review, and update risk management policies, safety procedures, loss-control practices, corrective action processes, and related administrative guidelines.
3. Supervise, assign, review, and evaluate the work of assigned staff engaged in safety, loss prevention, incident investigation, occupational safety, regulatory compliance, and risk-control activities.
4. Oversee development, implementation, and maintenance of the Illness and Injury Prevention Program, safety programs, inspection programs, training requirements, documentation practices, and regulatory compliance processes.
5. Monitor compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, standards, and requirements related to occupational safety, risk management, workers' compensation, claims reporting, and workplace safety.
6. Coordinate risk management activities involving workplace injuries, vehicle accidents, property damage, near misses, safety concerns, liability exposures, contractor incidents, and other risk-related matters.
7. Oversee or conduct investigations of workplace injuries, accidents, property damage, safety concerns, and risk-related incidents; review reports, identify root causes, and ensure corrective actions are developed and tracked.
8. Coordinate workers' compensation, liability, property, and other claim-related matters with Human Resources, managers, third-party administrators, insurance representatives, legal counsel, and other appropriate parties.
9. Review incident trends, claims data, workers' compensation information, safety reports, and operational risk data to identify patterns, evaluate exposure, and recommend mitigation strategies.
10. Serve as a liaison with insurance carriers, third-party administrators, legal counsel, regulatory agencies, medical providers, vendors, and other external partners regarding risk, safety, claims, and liability matters.
11. Support insurance administration activities, including renewal coordination, coverage documentation, claims history review, risk exposure analysis, certificates of insurance, and related records as assigned.
12. Coordinate with Contracts and Grants, Finance, Logistics, Human Resources, and other functional areas regarding insurance requirements, indemnification, vendor risk, facility risk, fleet risk, contract compliance, and organizational exposure.
13. Oversee safety inspections, risk assessments, ergonomic reviews, facility reviews, vehicle or equipment-related risk evaluations, and follow-up actions to address identified hazards or exposures.
14. Develop and support safety and risk management training programs related to workplace safety, injury prevention, hazard recognition, claims reporting, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and risk reduction.
15. Prepare reports, analyses, correspondence, briefings, and recommendations related to safety performance, claim trends, incident history, regulatory compliance, corrective actions, and risk mitigation efforts.
16. Advise executive leadership, managers, supervisors, and staff regarding risk management practices, safety concerns, incident response, claims processes, regulatory requirements, and corrective action strategies.
17. Assist in preparing responses to audits, claims, litigation, public records requests, regulatory inquiries, Cal/OSHA matters, and other risk-related proceedings in coordination with appropriate staff and legal counsel.
18. Review plans, specifications, projects, facilities, equipment, operational practices, and vendor activities to identify risk, safety, ergonomic, or liability concerns and recommend corrective actions.
19. Support emergency preparedness, continuity planning, safety committee activities, labor-management safety discussions, post-incident reviews, and organizational risk-reduction initiatives.
20. Maintain required logs, records, files, reports, claim documentation, safety records, insurance records, compliance documentation, and risk management data in accordance with applicable policies and retention requirements.
21. Maintain awareness of public agency risk management practices, insurance trends, occupational safety requirements, workers' compensation processes, claims management practices, and regulatory developments.
22. Provide vacation or temporary relief as required.
23. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Risk Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Occupational Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Management, Human Resources, or a closely related field.

Experience:

Five (5) years of increasingly responsible professional experience involving risk management, occupational safety, claims coordination, workers' compensation, insurance administration, loss prevention, regulatory compliance, or a closely related field.

Experience must include at least two (2) years of supervisory, lead, administrative, or program management responsibility.

Desired Qualifications

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience managing or supporting risk management, safety, claims,