Director of Insurance and Risk Management

About the role

The Director, Insurance & Risk Management leads the design, implementation, and governance of Danone North America's insurance and risk management programs. This role reports directly to the Senior Director of Tax and Risk Management for NORAM, with a dotted line to the Corporate Director, Global Risk & Insurance in Paris. The position is responsible for safeguarding the organization through effective risk identification, assessment, mitigation, financing, and transfer strategies.

The Director oversees commercial insurance programs, claims management, broker and insurer relationships, and insurance-related support for strategic initiatives, including acquisitions, divestitures, major capital projects, contractual risk assessments, and other significant business events. The role partners closely with Legal, Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, IT Security, HR, Procurement, Employee Health & Safety, Marketing/Sales, Global Risk teams, and other stakeholders to ensure comprehensive risk oversight and alignment with Danone's global standards.

Responsibilities

• Insurance Strategy & Program Management
  • Develop and execute Danone North America’s insurance strategy, ensuring appropriate protection of company people, assets, operations, and financial strength.
  • Lead the design, placement, administration, and ongoing management of insurance and risk transfer programs across multiple business units.
  • Manage insurance programs including Property; Commercial General Liability / Excess Umbrella; Product Liability; Auto Liability; Workers’ Compensation; Directors & Officers (D&O); Employment Practices Liability (EPL); Fiduciary Liability; Cyber Insurance; Crime/Fidelity; Environmental Impairment Liability; Marine/Cargo; Product Contamination/Recall; and other specialty coverages.
  • Lead local and annual insurance renewals, underwriting submissions, market negotiations, and policy wording reviews; negotiate coverage, pricing, and policy terms with insurers and brokers.
  • Work closely with global insurance teams to optimize coverage structure, limits, deductibles, and total cost of risk.
  • Develop and manage the insurance budget, including premium projections, retained claims / self-insured fund contributions, and total cost of risk analysis.
  • Analyze market trends and develop renewal strategies that balance risk protection, cost, and business priorities.
• Operational Risk Management
  • Identify, assess, and prioritize operational and strategic risks with potential insurance, financial, reputational, or business continuity impacts.
  • Support enterprise risk management activities as needed, including risk assessments, risk mitigation planning, and leadership reporting.
  • Promote a risk-management culture and ensure the business involves Insurance & Risk Management in significant events, crises, transactions, projects, and organizational changes.
  • Develop risk policies, insurance-related processes, and claims procedures to support consistent governance across the organization.
• Claims & Loss Management
  • Oversee major insurance claims, including property, casualty, workers’ compensation, and litigation-related insurance matters.
  • Coordinate with brokers, carriers, legal counsel, business leaders, operational stakeholders, and other relevant partners to support timely claim resolution.
  • Drive loss-prevention initiatives for insurable risks, including property engineering inspections, risk recommendations, and related follow-up actions.
  • Coordinate property risk engineering recommendations and support business continuity and operational risk initiatives.
  • Monitor claims performance and identify opportunities to reduce frequency, severity, and total cost of risk.
• Contractual Risk Management
  • Review customer, supplier, co-manufacturer, transportation, real estate, commercial, and other third-party agreements for insurance, indemnification, and risk transfer provisions.
  • Advise business partners on risk allocation, contractual protections, indemnification, and insurance requirements.
  • Provide advice to Procurement, Legal, Sales/Marketing, Logistics, and other internal stakeholders during contract negotiations.
• Cyber & Emerging Risk Oversight
  • Partner with Cyber Security and Digital teams to evaluate cyber risk exposures for insurance renewals and broader risk oversight.
  • Assess evolving regulatory, operational, technological, and emerging risks that may affect Danone North America.
  • Develop insurance and risk solutions for emerging threats in coordination with internal stakeholders and external advisors.
• Mergers, Acquisitions & Strategic Projects
  • Support acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, integrations, major capital projects, and other strategic initiatives.
  • Conduct insurance and risk due diligence and evaluate transaction-specific liabilities and insurance requirements.
  • Coordinate warranty and indemnity insurance or other transaction-specific insurance solutions when appropriate.
• Compliance & Governance
  • Ensure compliance with insurance regulations and internal governance standards.
  • Maintain accurate insurance records, certificates, filings, and reporting.
  • Prepare management presentations and reports for leadership and global stakeholders.
  • Support internal and external audits related to insurance and risk management activities.
• Stakeholder, Broker & Insurer Management
  • Lead relationships with brokers, carriers, insurers, consultants, and third-party vendors.
  • Establish performance expectations and service-level objectives for external partners.
  • Collaborate with global Danone teams to leverage best practices, market intelligence, and global standards.

Requirements

• Education & Experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management, Finance, Business, Accounting, Law, Insurance, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
  • Professional insurance designations preferred, such as ARM (Associate in Risk Management) or CPCU; CRM, RIMS-CRMP, or equivalent designation a plus.
  • 10–15 years of progressive insurance and risk management experience in the U.S. and Canada, ideally including experience with global coverages placed outside of the U.S.
  • Experience with a multinational company and multi-cultural environment, preferably in a consumer products company.
  • Demonstrated experience managing multimillion-dollar insurance programs.
  • Strong experience with insurance renewals, policy wording and coverage reviews, claims management, and broker / insurer negotiations.
  • Experience supporting M&A transactions and contractual risk management.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
  • Leadership
    • Strategic thinker capable of balancing risk mitigation with business objectives.
    • Effective communicator with proven ability to build and maintain stakeholder relationships.
    • Strong executive presence and influencing skills.
    • Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives across multiple functions and geographies.
  • Deep Insurance & Risk Management Expertise
    • Property & Casualty insurance, Cyber insurance, D&O, Fiduciary and EPL liability, and other financial lines.
    • Environmental Impairment Liability, claims management, risk financing structures, business continuity and crisis management, contractual risk transfer, insurance budget / forecast planning, and property loss control.
  • Business Partnership
    • Strong collaboration skills with internal stakeholders across multiple business units, including Finance, Legal, Operations, HR, IT, Procurement, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Employee Health & Safety, Sales/Marketing, and Logistics leaders.
    • Ability to translate complex risk issues into actionable business recommendations.
  • Analytical Skills
    • Strong quantitative and financial analysis capabilities.
    • Experience evaluating total cost of risk and developing risk mitigation strategies.

Benefits

• Physical Wellbeing
  • Competitive 80%/20% cost-sharing model for medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Mental Wellbeing
  • Fitness discounts, unlimited flexible time off, and hybrid work schedules.
  • Programs supporting mental health and substance abuse.
• Financial Support
  • Performance-based bonus.
  • 401(k) plan.
  • Tuition reimbursement and employee discount programs.
  • Voluntary perks.
• Family Care
  • Caretaker benefits.
  • 18 weeks of paid parental bonding leave.
  • Fertility, surrogacy, and adoption benefits.
  • Pet insurance.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $150,000 – $180,000 USD. The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate’s relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions.

Schedule

This is a hybrid position that allows for flexible work, with an expectation to regularly report to the assigned office location at least 3 days per week.