POSITION SUMMARY :
The Senior Director for Risk Management is a senior system leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational oversight, and continuous improvement of the Risk Management function across a three-hospital system including an academic medical center and other affiliates. This role leads the development and implementation of a comprehensive Boston Medical Center (BMC) health system risk management program designed to reduce harm, minimize organizational liability, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote a culture of safety and accountability. This role partners closely with senior quality/patient safety, clinical, operation, legal, and administrative leaders to proactively identify and mitigate risk, strengthen organizational learning from safety events and claims, and ensure consistent risk management practices across hospitals. The role requires strong leadership, sound judgement, and the ability to influence decision-making across complex organizational structures.
Position: Senior Director of Risk Management
Department: Chief Quality Officer
Schedule: Full Time
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES
Enterprise Risk Management Strategy and Leadership
- Develop and lead the strategic vision and operational plan for Risk Management across three hospitals and other BMC affiliates
- Establish a standardized, system-wide risk management framework aligned with quality and safety goals, including robust Collaborative Case Review processes, action item tracking and closed loop follow-up
- Identify enterprise-level risk priorities using data from safety events, claims, litigation, regulatory findings, and operational performance
Risk Governance and Accountability
- Create clear accountability for clinical leaders, operational leaders, and quality leaders for escalation pathways for high-risk events and emerging risks
- Present risk trends identified through quality/ patient safety and claims with mitigration approaches to executive leadership
- Monitor execution of risk mitigation plans across all three hospitals and BMC affiliates
Partnership with Claims and Risk Captive
- Work in close partnership with Claims and Risk Captive colleagues to promote pro-active risk mitigation programs
- Oversee successful development and execution of the CARE (Communication, Apology and Resolution)
- Align current quality/patient safety risks with data emerging from claims data to synthesize a cohesive approach across the system to risk mitigation
Collaboration with Quality & Patient Safety
- Collaborate with quality/patient safety leaders and staff to ensure synergy with process improvement efforts stemming from safety events
- Partner with quality/patient safety leaders to develop system priorities for risk mitigation
Collaboration with Accreditation/ Regulatory
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and accreditation requirements related to risk management including reporting to external agencies (i.e. DPH, BORIM, CMS)
- Align risk management strategies with key policies and procedures across the system
Standardization Across Hospitals
- Reduce unwarranted variation in risk management practices across the three hospitals
- Ensure consistent implementation of shared tools, dashboards, and reporting structures
- Facilitate cross-hospital learning and dissemination of best practices
High-Reliability Organizational Framework
- Promote a strong culture of safety including psychological safety and transparency
- Support leaders in responding and managing complex and/or sensitive events
- Balance learning and accountability in the advancing of a high-reliability organizational framework focusing on systems, human performance and human behaviors
Leadership and Talent Development
- Lead and mentor risk management staff across the system
- Establish clear role expectations and performance standards
- Foster collaboration between risk management and quality/patient safety, legal, clinical, and operational teams.
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s degree required (e.g., MPH, MHA, MBA, Pharm D, etc.)
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive professional experience in risk management, patient safety and/or health care quality
- Demonstrated experience leading multifaceted risk and patient safety/quality initiatives, influencing senior leaders, and managing complex stakeholder environments.
PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Clinical background not required, but is strongly preferred
- Experience working closely with executive leadership
- Experience working in complex academic or multi-hospital system strongly preferred.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (KSAs)
- Strategic thinker with system-level perspective
- Trusted advisor to senior leadership
- Collaborative and system-oriented
- Skilled in navigating complex organizational structures.
- Critical thinking abilities
- Robust data analysis and strategic insight development
- Adaptability to evolving healthcare