The Risk Manager coordinates day-to-day risk management and patient safety activities across RiverValley facilities and programs. Under the direction of the Vice President of Medical Services and Compliance, this position reviews incidents, conducts assigned investigations, identifies recurring risks, and tracks corrective actions to help protect individuals served, employees, visitors, and the organization.
The Risk Manager supports privacy, compliance, and regulatory readiness activities as assigned. The position provides operational coordination and recommendations; the Director/VP retains program oversight, policy approval responsibilities within assigned authority, and executive reporting.
Why Choose RiverValley?
RiverValley is now a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), expanding access to high-quality, integrated care in the communities we serve. Join a mission-driven organization committed to clinical excellence, professional growth, and meaningful impact.
We offer:
• Competitive pay
• Comprehensive benefits (health, dental, vision, Telehealth)
• Paid time off + 9 holidays
• Retirement plan options
• Tuition reimbursement + free CEUs
• Clinical supervision
• Wellness & employee assistance programs
• Mileage reimbursement for work related travel
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) - eligible employer
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Risk Assessment
- Conduct structured reviews of clinical, operational, and environmental risks with program leaders; assess likelihood, potential harm, and existing controls to prioritize follow-up.
- Observe service delivery and daily operations to identify safety concerns and gaps in practice.
- Review existing safeguards and recommend improvements to reduce risk.
Incident Reporting and Investigation
- Coordinate daily operation of the incident reporting system; review reports for completeness, accuracy, severity, and timely follow-up.
- Promptly escalate serious events, suspected abuse or neglect, immediate safety threats, and other significant concerns through established reporting procedures.
- Conduct assigned investigations by gathering records, interviewing involved parties, documenting findings objectively, and maintaining secure investigation files.
- Track reporting deadlines and coordinate required submissions with the Director/VP and designated program leaders.
Patient Safety and Risk Reduction
- Coordinate incident review meetings and assigned root cause or apparent cause analyses; document contributing factors and recommended improvements.
- Work with clinical and operational leaders to develop corrective action plans with clear owners and deadlines; monitor completion and effectiveness.
- Conduct assigned safety rounds and focused risk reviews across facilities and programs, including behavioral health settings.
- Promote a Just Culture that encourages reporting of hazards and near misses without fear of retaliation, supports fair accountability, and uses events to improve systems and care.
Risk Tracking and Reporting
- Maintain incident, investigation, complaint, and corrective action logs; analyze recurring events, near misses, and areas of elevated risk.
- Maintain the operational risk register under the Director’s oversight, documenting identified risks, assigned owners, mitigation plans, target dates, and status.
- Use incident logs, audits, patient feedback, and approved electronic health record and business intelligence tools to identify emerging risks and guide preventive action.
- Track repeat incident rates, time to implement mitigations, protocol adherence, and corrective action effectiveness. Use available alerts, real-time monitoring, and validated predictive tools when approved; coordinate interpretation with clinical, quality, and information technology staff.
- Prepare summaries and trend reports for the Director and assigned committees; coordinate with Director of Continuous Quality Improvement on related improvement work.
- Assist with gathering records and tracking information for claims or insurance matters at the direction of the Director and legal counsel.
Documentation and Safety Protocols
- Conduct assigned documentation reviews with clinical and quality leaders, focusing on informed consent, risk assessments, treatment decisions, safety planning, care transitions, and follow-up.
- Recommend practical safety protocols, checklists, reporting triggers, and escalation pathways based on identified risks; submit revisions for review and approval.
- Assist designated leaders in reviewing telehealth workflows for consent, patient location, emergency response, privacy, and applicable licensure requirements; escalate gaps for resolution.
Privacy and Corporate Compliance Support
- Assist the Director or designated Privacy Officer with assigned privacy complaints, compliance concerns, record reviews, and investigation follow-up.
- Gather information for privacy incident assessments and coordinate assigned follow-up; refer breach determinations and notification decisions to authorized leadership.
- Support compliance monitoring, internal audits, and corrective action tracking in collaboration with responsible departments.
- Handle confidential information and patient safety materials according to approved procedures. Support Patient Safety Evaluation System (PSES) and Patient Safety Organization (PSO) activities when applicable and directed by the Director.
Education and Regulatory Readiness
- Provide staff guidance and training on risk recognition, incident reporting, crisis response, de-escalation, patient safety, and assigned privacy or compliance topics; coordinate clinical training with designated clinical leaders.
- Assist with policy and procedure updates; compile evidence for licensing, accreditation, and CCBHC reviews as assigned.
- Collaborate with clinical services, nursing, Human Resources, Information Technology, facilities, and quality staff to address identified risks.
- Perform other duties consistent with the position’s scope and organizational needs.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, nursing, social work, behavioral health, public health, risk management, or a related field.
- Three years of relevant experience in healthcare risk management, patient safety, quality improvement, compliance, clinical operations, or a related area.
- Experience reviewing incidents, conducting investigations or record reviews, and coordinating corrective actions.
- Ability to travel between RiverValley locations as needed.
Preferred Qualifications
Behavioral healthcare and multi-site experience; familiarity with CARF, CCBHC, licensing, and healthcare privacy requirements; and experience with electronic health records and incident reporting systems. CPHRM, CPPS, CHC, or a related certification is preferred but not required. Clinical licensure is beneficial but not required.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities
Working knowledge of behavioral health risks, healthcare risk management, patient safety, confidentiality, investigation methods, and proactive risk assessment. Strong analytical, organizational, interviewing, and written communication skills. Ability to interpret trends and dashboards, prepare clear reports, manage competing deadlines, handle sensitive information with discretion, collaborate across departments, and recognize concerns requiring immediate escalation.
Physical and Environmental Requirements
Work is primarily performed in office and clinical settings with periodic travel to RiverValley facilities. Essential functions include reviewing records, using computer systems, communicating with staff, and participating in site reviews and investigations, with reasonable accommodation as applicable.
