Claims Manager

Summary

King County's Office of Risk Management Services is seeking an exceptional people leader to become our new Claims Manager. This person will manage a team of Claims Investigators who are responsible for providing coordination of all tort claims made against King County and its officials, officers and employees.

This position functions with a considerable degree of independence and judgment, and interfaces with the County’s attorneys, and departmental management and staff. The position requires a working knowledge of the principles of risk management as they relate to public entity exposures, commercial insurance, and loss control.

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The Office of Risk Management Services provides external services to the community as well as internal services to King County agencies, including:

• Claims: King County investigates, evaluates, and resolves claims made against the county in a fair and expeditious manner.
• Insurance: King County administers a self-insurance program and purchases a variety of other insurance policies and related services consistent with sound risk management practices and the needs of the County.
• Contracts: Risk Management advises King County agencies on insurance requirements in all types of contracts. Risk Management actively negotiates and, together with the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, assists agencies in pursuing and tendering claims arising out of contractual relations.
• Recovery Services: Risk Management is charged with seeking compensation for damages caused to King County property or injury to King County employees by negligent third parties.
• Enterprise Risk Management Program (ERM): ERM works to proactively identify and assess high priority risks King County owns and improve controls for those risks. The program provides King County departments with consultation, data, and direct support to improve decision making and action planning.
• Finance & Administration: provides a wide range of financial and administrative support services to the division including budget, accounting, and general office support.
• Open Government: Seeks to deliver government transparency, accountability, and accessibility through administration of the Public Records (Disclosure) Program, Ethics Program, Financial Disclosure Program, and Lobbyist Disclosure Program.

Job Duties

SCOPE OF JOB DUTIES: In order to be considered for this opportunity, you must at a minimum, demonstrate skill and ability to:

• Review, evaluate and monitor claims made against the County.
• Plan and coordinate investigative activities on claims with claims officers and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
• Advise County officials, officers, employees, agents and managers on financially serious or sensitive matters.
• Review and evaluate all file materials and recommendations prepared by Claims Officers for accuracy and thoroughness in making final disposition on claim.
• Represent the County at mediations, settlement conferences, arbitrations and briefings to King County Executive on claims settlements.
• Make policy decisions and recommendations on office operations and procedures.
• Identify and coordinate loss control projects with the Enterprise Risk Manager and claims officers.
• Look for efficiencies and identify areas for improvement of service.
• Serves as a member of the ORMS Management Team.
• Supervise the work of team members. Hire, assign and schedule work, evaluate performance, train, coach and initiate disciplinary action when appropriate.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO:

• Have a strong background with managing a range of Tort Claims for a large multifaceted organization.
• Are an effective manager who can operate within a complex multicultural and diverse environment, government, communications, public relations and/or related environment.
• Are comfortable handling difficult situations and having crucial conversations with external customers and staff.
• Have a continuous improvement mindset. Update standard work and create new processes when necessary.
• Is organizationally and politically savvy. Able to manage highly visible, complex, and sensitive projects and programs involving multiple and diverse partners with conflicting priorities and political considerations.
• Is a champion for Equity & Social Justice. Understands that systematic racism and its long-term effects are pervasive in our society. Are comfortable having candid and sincere conversations with all employees about race and equity in the workplace.
• Can create initiatives necessary to develop, coach, and mentor a culturally and generationally diverse staff in a collaborative manner that focuses on employee engagement, good communication, and teambuilding.
• Can persevere and adapt as required ,while working in a multi-faceted and sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Have any combination of education and experience necessary to perform the job duties.

Supplemental Information