Chief Risk Officer

Chief Risk Officer

The Chief Risk Officer (CRO) serves as the university administrator with responsibility for strategic oversight and leadership of risk management programs and services:
The CRO directs University-wide enterprise risk management efforts, designs and executes risk financing and insurance strategies, and drives continuous improvement in loss prevention, and in health and safety performance. This position advises university leadership - and the Arizona Board of Regents - on institutional loss exposures, emerging risks, and cost-of-risk trends, and recommends and implements mitigation measures to reduce losses and the cost of risk.

The CRO also serves as head for Risk Management Services (RMS) with oversight over the insurance, workers compensation, and enterprise risk teams.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please .

• Lead the university's enterprise risk management framework - bringing together leaders from across the university and ensuring systematic identification, assessment, and prioritization of high-level institutional risks.
• Direct risk owners in developing and implementing mitigation strategies, and hold them accountable for progress.
• Deliver comprehensive risk analyses, dashboards, and progress reports to senior leadership and the Arizona Board of Regents, supporting informed, strategic decision-making.

• Design, develop, and execute the University's insurance and risk financing strategy to ensure robust protection of institutional assets and operations.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) for state-provided insurance plans, ensuring the university's compliance and effective utilization of these programs.
• Lead the negotiation, procurement, and renewal of all local insurance policies, including but not limited to: property, liability, professional, cyber, international programs, and unique university assets.
• Continuously evaluate insurance needs and market conditions, recommending adjustments to deductibles, limits, and retentions to optimize the university's cost of risk.

• Oversee the entire incident reporting, claims management, and litigation response, setting institutional standards for timeliness, and compliance.
• Strategically manage the University's workers' compensation program, overseeing investigations, claims submission, and employee return-to-work processes.
• Analyze claims data to identify patterns, recommend loss prevention strategies, and reduce future exposures.
• Act as senior point of contact for complex claims, working with legal counsel, state officials, and external parties.

• Provide Strategic Direction and Vision:
  Lead the enterprise risk management, claims, insurance administration, and workers' compensation teams by translating the university's financial and risk management goals into clear, actionable operational objectives.
• Develop and Mentor Staff Expertise:
  Oversee the professional development of the team, ensuring staff possess the technical certifications, analytical skills, and regulatory knowledge necessary to handle complex insurance programs and high-exposure claims.
• Foster a Proactive Risk Culture:
  Direct staff to transition from reactive claims processing to proactive loss prevention and data-driven analysis, using claims history to recommend systemic safety improvements and influence processes across the university community.
• Manage Performance and Resource Allocation:
  Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for claims resolution time, loss ratio, and service delivery; manage the departmental budget, ensuring proper resource allocation for internal operations, third-party insurance needs, and risk systems/technology.
• Ensure Seamless
  
  Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  
  Serve as the exemplar for partnership between the risk management team and key partners across the university (e.g., Finance & Budget, Office of the General Counsel, Human Resources, Safety, etc.), ensuring staff collaborate effectively on injury investigation, contract review, and litigation support.

• Establish and enforce University-wide risk management policies, procedures, and compliance standards.
• Lead University efforts in business continuity and crisis response planning, coordinating with senior leadership, Emergency Management, and external partners to ensure readiness for major incidents.
• Advise executive leadership during emergencies, ensuring rapid, coordinated response that protects University…