Sr. Director Risk Management, YMCA of DE Association Resource Center

Safeguard our communities, strengthen our mission by driving proactive risk management and organizational safety.
Job Description

The Director of Risk Management is responsible for identifying, mitigating, and managing organizational risk across all YMCA programs, facilities, and operations. This role leads the organization’s incident reporting and resolution process, supports safety and compliance initiatives, and partners with operational leaders to reduce exposure while strengthening a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. The position serves as a key liaison to insurance carriers, legal counsel, and internal stakeholders.

Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in risk management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Safety Management, Criminal Justice, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience in business administration, information technology, or a related field.
  • Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in risk management, safety, compliance, insurance, operations, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated experience managing or supporting incident reporting, investigation, and follow-up processes.
  • Working knowledge of insurance concepts, including general liability, workers’ compensation, property, and claims processes.
  • Strong analytical and organizational skills with the ability to identify trends, assess risk, and recommend mitigation strategies.
  • Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with program teams, administrative staff, management, and external partners.
  • Experience developing or supporting policies, procedures, and training related to safety, risk, or compliance.
  • High level of discretion and professionalism when handling confidential, sensitive, or legally significant matters.
  • Proficiency with standard business software (Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and incident tracking or reporting systems).
  • Ability to travel locally between YMCA branches, program sites, and facilities as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

  • 5+ years of experience in risk management, safety, compliance, or insurance within a nonprofit, healthcare, education, recreation, or youth-serving organization.
    Experience working in a YMCA or similar mission-driven, community-based organization with diverse programming (aquatics, childcare, camps, sports, facilities).
  • Prior responsibility for enterprise risk management or organization-wide risk frameworks.
  • Direct experience serving as a liaison to insurance carriers, brokers, legal counsel, and third-party administrators.
  • Experience preparing risk, safety, or incident reports for senior leadership and/or Board committees.
  • Professional certifications such as:
  • ARM (Associate in Risk Management)
  • RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional
  • CRM (Certified Risk Manager)
  • Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary Credential (CERA)
  • Knowledge of regulatory and compliance environments relevant to youth-serving organizations (e.g., OSHA, licensing, child protection, mandated reporting, safety standards).
  • Experience delivering training or education to operational teams on safety, risk awareness, and incident response.
  • Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and build trust across departments and levels of the organization.
  • Project management experience.
Essential Functions

Risk Mitigation

Develop, implement, and maintain an enterprise risk management framework across programs, facilities, and operations.
Identify operational, safety, and reputational risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
Support leadership in proactively addressing emerging risks related to youth programming, facilities, transportation, aquatics, childcare, and camps.
Partner with program and branch leaders to embed risk awareness into day-to-day operations.

Incident Reporting & Resolution

Own the end-to-end incident reporting process, including documentation, investigation support, follow-up, and resolution.
Ensure timely, accurate, and consistent reporting of incidents across all branches and program areas.
Track trends, root causes, and repeat incidents; prepare summary reports and recommendations for leadership.
Coordinate corrective action plans and follow-up to reduce recurrence.

Insurance & Claims Coordination

Manage claims reporting, documentation, and communication
Support insurance renewals by providing loss runs, narratives, and risk mitigation updates.
Assist with policy interpretation and education for operational leaders.

Safety, Compliance, & Training

Support the development and implementation of safety policies, procedures, and best practices.
Lead and maintain the Praesidium accreditation process. 
Partner with Human Resources and Operations on safety training, incident response protocols, and compliance initiatives.
Monitor regulatory and insurance-driven requirements impacting YMCA operations.
Support audits, inspections, and internal reviews related to safety and risk.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

Maintain dashboards and metrics related to incidents, claims, and risk exposure.
Prepare regular reports for senior leadership and, as appropriate, Board committees.
Use data and trends to recommend operational improvements and policy updates.
Promote a culture of learning, transparency, and accountability around safety and risk.
Performs other duties as assigned