Job Description

SUMMARY: Directs, plans and coordinates a comprehensive risk management program for the Santa Clara County Office of Education; monitors and administers public liability, property insurance, safety and loss prevention, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation programs and claims processing; supervises and monitors contracts program; advises and counsels administration and employees concerning risk avoidance, retention and transfer, and contracts management; serves as the liaison to joint powers insurance authorities and related organizations; supervises support staff; and performs all other related duties as assigned.

40% RISK MANAGEMENT

Plans, develops, organizes and directs the risk management program; analyze the program to identify, evaluate, reduce or eliminate risks and liabilities; evaluates risks and prepares recommendations concerning appropriate insurance/self insurance coverage; establishes and maintains a loss control program with emphasis on accident prevention; develops and implements risk management policies and procedures; analyzes proposed and adopted legislation for impact on the Office; evaluates existing insurance coverage and recommends additional coverage or cost effective changes; monitors insurance programs to ensure effectiveness of brokers or claims administrators; analyzes the worker’s compensation program and associated medical costs and prepares recommendations as necessary; obtains appropriate insurance certificates remains abreast of changes in the field of risk management and incorporates changes as appropriate; ensures compliance with all State, Federal and local laws and regulations; manage all insured claims and lawsuits against the Office and its employees; oversees the unemployment insurance program; administers the risk program and negotiates rates, administrative fee schedules, administrative agreements, premiums, policy terms, and claims processing with insurance brokers, insurance administrators, and the insurance Joint Powers Authority (JPA).

20% SAFETY PROGRAMS/EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Coordinates and analyzes safety programs and implements California Occupational, Safety, and Health Administration (CAL OSHA); Environmental Protection Act (EPA) standards and SB198; the implementation of employee safety and loss prevention programs.

15% CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

Directs, plans, develops and organizes the contract management program; reviews, approves and monitors all contracts; ensures contract management program complies with all local, State and Federal regulations; advises management on contract language and acts as liaison with human resources management and legal counsel on contractual matters.

10% BUDGET

Develops, recommends, and monitors department budget.

10% SUPERVISION

Selects, trains, assigns work to, and evaluates support staff

5% RELATED ACTIVITIES

Performs all other related duties.

DECISION-MAKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING: Makes decisions of critical consequence impacting the administration of risk management and contracts administration; determines program impact of proposed or adopted legislation; makes, interprets, and applies decisions which significantly affect insurance requirements. Participates in forecasting trends and long-term planning; implements long-term plans in division; requires the use of non-traditional approaches to problem-solving; recommends new or revised standards, policies, etc.; uses specialized techniques in analysis of collected data; situations are varied and frequently highly complex; and makes program decisions that frequently have major impact across Office branches.

REQUIRED MINIMUM SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of comprehensive risk management programs including accident prevention, safety and loss control, unemployment insurance, insurance regulations, workers compensation and claims processing and related programs; knowledge of research and analysis techniques; knowledge of contracts management and administration; knowledge of safety laws and regulations including CAL OSHA, EPA and SB198. Ability to design work and programs with some degree of conceptualization and creativity; interpret and make decisions in accordance with appropriate laws, rules, and priorities; analyze problems and recommend and implement effective courses of actions; interpret, analyze, and apply regulations and policies, Mastery skill in communicating in critical situations, both orally and in writing, advanced skill in financial and other statistical analysis; advanced skill in program building, operations, funding, and maintenance; skill in personnel management through coordination and cooperation; and mastery skill in working with others in both authority and non-authority relationships on a routine basis.

REQUIRED MINIMUM TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND LICENSING: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business or risk management, or a related field; and a valid California driver's license.

REQUIRED PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE: Five years of job-related experience with demonstrated competence.

REQUIRED INTERACTION (NON-AUTHORITY): Contacts are usually unstructured, and are primarily with high-level individuals inside and outside the Office, such as JPA members, district board members, industry contacts, and the media. Contacts require decision making and problem solving where office-wide cross divisional concerns are at stake.

SUPERVISION: Directly supervises professionals and/or specialists.

• ENVIRONMENT: Indoor and outdoor environments.
• PHYSICAL ABILITIES: Ability to read small print of code, insurance policies and computer printouts; hear and speak to converse over the telephone and in person with others; manual dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a calculator and computer keyboard; sitting or standing for extended periods of time; hearing and speaking to exchange information and make presentations; move over rough terrain to investigate claims; and seeing to read and write reports.
• OTHER CHARACTERISTIC: Must be willing to work such hours as necessary to accomplish the job requirements; travel locally to attend meetings and to investigate claims; travel further distances to attend seminars and conferences.

Revised: November 1989, August 22, 1995, April 10, 2008
Personnel Commission Approval: 1988
Approved by Board of Education: December 7, 1988