Director of Risk Management

At Blain’s Farm & Fleet we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to have a job they love, work in a great environment, grow their career, and enjoy a positive balance.

As a family-owned retailer we take pride in offering a competitive benefit package designed to support you & your life. It is one of the reasons we have been named a Forbes Best Employer for five consecutive years!

• All major Holidays & Birthday off
• Advanced Leadership Training Programs: build the skills to grow your career
• Associate discount on name brands like Carhartt, Under Armour, STIHL, Milwaukee Tool, DeWalt & much more!
• Internal recognition programs that support an engaged workplace
• Profit Sharing
• 401(K) with company match

• Management of all business insurance;
• Management of all claims, including but not limited to property, worker’s compensation, general liability, excess/umbrella coverage, and cyber;
• Management of all insurance claims;
• Communication with all insurance companies and brokers as well as all attorneys;
• Negotiation of settlements, including civil litigation and worker’s compensation;
• Negotiation of coverages and all premiums.

• Develop risk review processes for new product development, new business development, and corporate development activities;
• Develop policies, procedures, limits or thresholds (as required), escalation protocols, etc.; review all policy language and be a risk advisor and facilitator to all functional leadership and associates as needed;
• Manage the Risk department, holding budget, administrative, and supervisory responsibility;
• Handle all issues escalated from within the Risk department (e.g., complex insurance matters, contract language, insurance waiver requests, customer/vendor/terminal inquiries, etc.);
• Oversee broker on all insurance matters, including strategic or complex program design and structure, analysis of insurance limits and deductibles, coverage questions, etc.;
• Own self-assessment of enterprise risks, with output providing risk prioritization and ownership by the executive team;
• Be accountable for insurance renewal, including budget development; review all insurance quotes for appropriate coverage and pricing;
• Review contracts, including complex contract requirements escalated from Legal or Risk; partner with Legal to determine other insurance requirements based on scope of work, negotiating with vendors and their brokers on contract requirements, acceptable endorsements, etc.;
• Oversee insurance coverage review, including the review of policies for coverage gaps and uninsured exposures, interpreting current policy language to identify areas for coverage improvement;
• Be accountable for claims management:
  • Manage all insurance-related litigation; oversee the discovery process, evaluate exposure, and develop a resolution strategy:
  • Develop policy in a proactive and timely manner, particularly in regard to environmental, safety, and health.
• Conduct regular claim reviews with adjusters to ensure claim resolution strategies remain appropriate;
• Work with Accounting to ensure appropriate claim accruals and expected reimbursements.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive risk management strategy tailored to the retail industry, addressing operational and strategic risks;
• Manage insurance procurement; develop and implement risk management and compliance policies/procedures and manage claims and litigation; coordinate and/or manage all vendor contracts and the vendor approval process;
• Lead a team of two associates (Environmental Health & Safety Manager and WCGL Claims Analyst), ensuring the effective execution of the overall strategies through appropriate guidance and oversight;
• Conduct thorough risk assessments across various business functions, identifying potential vulnerabilities and proposing proactive measures to mitigate those risks;
• Provide objective assurance and advisory to management, identifying significant risks and proposing risk response strategies;
• Collaborate and cultivate cross-functional teams to integrate risk management principles into business processes and decision-making;
• Develop and maintain relationships with external partners, regulators, and industry experts to stay informed of best practices and industry standards;
• Stay abreast of industry trends, regulations, and emerging risks to continuously enhance the risk management framework;
• Ensure compliance in regard to the following:
  • OSHA
  • EPA
  • DNR
  • Product Safety
  • FDA
  • DOT (Dept of Transportation
• Develop all business continuity plans and all enterprise-level risk management planning:
  • Create and implement crisis management plans to ensure the organization is well-prepared to respond to unforeseen events;
  • Establish risk identification and controls;
  • Develop mitigation practices.
• Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of risk management initiatives and report regularly to senior leadership;
• Develop processes to minimize pest populations, damage from pests, or harm from pest methods.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or Risk Management, or 10 to 12 years of related experience;
• Professional certification (e.g., CRM, ARM, IPM, or CERM) highly desirable;
• Eight to 10 years of proven experience in a risk management leadership role;
• Excellent leadership, communication, and presentation skills, with proven decision-making capabilities and the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels of the organization;
• Track record of successfully leading teams and driving a culture of risk awareness and compliance;
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing risk management frameworks and strategies;
• Analytical mindset, with the ability to assess complex situations and make informed decisions quickly;
• Systems familiarity (e.g., FUSION Framework or similar program).