Head of Risk Management

Risk Manager
The City of Asheville is pleased to accept qualified candidates for the position of Risk Manager for the Finance Department. The purpose of this position is to manage operations and staff involved in developing and administering a comprehensive risk mitigation, safety, and insurance programs to maximize the City's effectiveness to deliver services efficiently and safely.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Personnel Management: Supervises, trains, and evaluates division staff; handles employee concerns and performance appraisals; recommends hiring, promotions, and disciplinary actions; and acts as a liaison between staff and leadership.
Workload & Resource Allocation: Schedules, prioritizes, and assigns work to ensure operational coverage; provides technical guidance on complex issues; monitors project progress; and delivers status reports to the CFO, City Manager, Mayor, and City Council.
Risk Program Leadership & Compliance: Directs the City's comprehensive risk management program, including liability, workers' compensation, occupational safety, loss prevention, and self-insurance funds; coordinates third-party vendors, brokers, and actuaries; and serves as Title II ADA Coordinator.
Enterprise Risk Advisory: Identifies organizational risk exposures for City operations and initiatives; establishes risk treatment and mitigation strategies; and provides enterprise-wide guidance to City Council, Executive Management, and municipal departments.
Claims & Litigation Management: Oversees and processes self-insured liability and workers' compensation claims; authorizes medical care, settlements, and payments within approved limits; and manages legal defense and litigation to protect City assets and ensure regulatory compliance.
Insurance Portfolio Management: Administers property, casualty, excess workers' compensation, and specialized insurance policies; conducts loss reserve forecasting and claims analysis; establishes premium budgets; and secures builder's risk and liability coverages.
Contractual Risk & COI Review: Drafts standard risk-transfer provisions, waivers, and hold-harmless agreements for City contracts, RFPs, and MOUs; reviews third-party Certificates of Insurance (COIs) to verify compliance with departmental standards.
Special Event Risk Evaluation: Reviews outdoor special event permit applications; assesses liability exposures; determines required insurance coverages; and issues approvals or policy waivers for applicants.
Safety & Risk Training: Designs and conducts training programs on risk management, OSHA policies, workplace violence prevention, modified duty assignments, emergency evacuations, and general employee safety.
Budget & Financial Administration: Develops and oversees the Risk Management Division budget; forecasts staffing, supply, and capital expenditures; processes purchase requisitions; and maintains financial records.
Regulatory Monitoring & Professional Development: Tracks local, state, and federal legal developments affecting municipal risk programs; maintains professional certifications and affiliations; and attends relevant industry training.
Stakeholder & Interagency Communication: Collaborates with City officials, staff, external legal counsel, insurance brokers, third-party administrators, regulatory agencies, and the public to resolve issues and coordinate operations.
Additional Functions:

~ Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements: Master's Degree in Public Administration, Risk Management, or a related field required; supplemented by five years of experience in risk management, safety compliance, insurance purchasing, and/or claims processing in a government setting, to include lead or supervisory experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. Specific License or Certification required: Must possess and maintain a valid North Carolina driver's license. Must possess and maintain the following additional certifications or licensure: Associate in Risk Management (ARM), Associate in Claims (AIC), Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), and Certified Risk Manager (CRM).
Performance Aptitudes: Data Utilization, Human Interaction, Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization, Verbal Aptitude, Mathematical Aptitude, Functional Reasoning, Situational Reasoning, ADA Compliance, Physical Ability, Sensory Requirements, Environmental Factors.