Director Risk Management

Job Summary

The Director of Risk Management provides strategic and operational leadership for the hospital’s risk management and patient safety programs. This role is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and mitigating clinical, operational, and regulatory risk to protect patients, visitors, staff, and the organization. The Director partners closely with executive leadership, clinical leaders, legal counsel, and quality teams to drive a proactive culture of safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and support high-reliability healthcare delivery.

$$Competitive sign-on bonuses and relocation assistance available for qualified candidates.

Essential Functions

• Leads and oversees the hospital’s comprehensive risk management and patient safety program, with a strong focus on clinical risk, adverse events, and regulatory compliance.
• Identifies, evaluates, and trends risk related to patient care, operations, and service delivery, implementing corrective actions and sustainable improvements.
• Develops, reviews, and maintains hospital policies and procedures to ensure compliance with CMS, Joint Commission, and other applicable regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Leads Root Cause Analyses (RCA), Failure Modes and Effects Analyses (FMEA), and other patient safety and quality improvement initiatives following adverse events, near misses, and safety concerns.
• Provides education, coaching, and consultation to leaders and frontline staff on risk management practices, event reporting, and mitigation strategies.
• Oversees the occurrence/event reporting system, ensuring timely review, investigation, and data analysis to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Manages professional and general liability claims in collaboration with legal counsel, insurance carriers, and internal stakeholders, ensuring accurate documentation and timely resolution.
• Prepares and presents risk, safety, and claims data to hospital leadership, medical staff, governing boards, and committees.
• Supports a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement aligned with the hospital’s mission and patient safety goals.
• Maintains fiscal accountability for the department, including budgeting, resource allocation, and cost-effective program management.
• Performs other duties as assigned and complies with all hospital policies and standards.

Leadership Responsibilities

People Leadership

• Provides leadership, mentorship, and professional development for risk management staff.
• Conducts performance evaluations, sets goals, and supports staff development and succession planning.
• Ensures appropriate staffing coverage and partners with leadership on workforce planning needs.

Strategic Planning & Financial Oversight

• Collaborates with executive and clinical leadership to define the strategic direction of the risk management and patient safety program.
• Develops and manages the departmental budget, monitoring expenditures and aligning resources with organizational priorities.
• Evaluates and implements tools, technology, and best practices to improve efficiency, reporting, and risk mitigation.

Quality, Patient Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensures ongoing compliance with CMS, Joint Commission, and other regulatory and accrediting bodies.
• Plays a key role in survey readiness, mock surveys, audits, inspections, and corrective action planning.
• Partners with Quality, Infection Prevention, and Clinical Operations to integrate risk management into hospital-wide performance improvement efforts.

Collaboration & Communication

• Serves as a trusted advisor to hospital leadership, medical staff, and department leaders on risk, safety, and compliance matters.
• Maintains awareness of emerging healthcare risk trends, regulatory changes, and industry best practices.
• Communicates complex risk and safety information clearly to diverse audiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, or related healthcare field required OR seven (7)+ years of direct healthcare risk management experience in lieu of a degree.
• Master’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, or related field preferred.
• 3–5 years of healthcare risk management, quality, or patient safety experience required.
• 3–5 years of progressive leadership experience in a hospital or health system setting preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of healthcare risk management, patient safety principles, and regulatory standards (CMS, Joint Commission).
• Demonstrated experience leading RCAs, FMEAs, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate with interdisciplinary clinical and operational teams.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
• Effective communicator with experience presenting to executive leadership and governing bodies.
• Proficient in healthcare information systems, event reporting platforms, data analysis, and Microsoft/Google applications.

Licensure & Certification

• Registered Nurse (RN) with active state or compact licensure strongly preferred.
• Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM) preferred.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and Extended Illness Bank (EIB)
• 401(k) with employer match
• Career advancement and leadership development opportunities
• Rewards, recognition programs, and additional employee perks

At Northwest Medical Center, we are seeking a proactive, strategic risk leader who is passionate about patient safety, regulatory excellence, and continuous improvement. If you are a confident, hands-on healthcare professional ready to lead risk management in a dynamic hospital environment, we invite you to apply.

 

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