Manager Insurance

FLSA Status: Exempt

About the Role

This position manages and supports the establishment and maintenance of agreements with best-in-class insurance brokers, consultants, actuaries, and insurance companies. The Manager Insurance oversees risk exposure programs and transfer vehicles, identifies loss exposures, and recommends fiscally sound risk financing and loss control measures. This role administers risk financing options and serves as the overall relationship manager with insurance brokers, external consultants, actuaries, appraisals, and insurance companies.

The manager is responsible for daily work activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, and efficiency while assisting in achieving strategic and operational objectives. This includes staffing, budget compliance, hiring, termination, coaching, and counseling employees on performance, as well as developing and implementing policies and procedures for a safe and effective work environment. The role also ensures compliance with ethical, legal, and regulatory standards through training, monitoring, and operational initiatives.

Responsibilities

People

• Performs management responsibilities including selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of department employees.
• Provides development and mentoring to staff, aiming to meet or exceed department turnover goals.
• Develops direct reports to perform management functions.
• Leads regular department meetings, rounds on employees, completes performance appraisals, conducts new hire feedback sessions, and provides coaching and recognition.
• Provides timely guidance and feedback to strengthen staff knowledge and skills.
• Facilitates team dynamics and teambuilding within and between departments; leads or participates in process improvements.
• Meets or exceeds department and system metrics for employee engagement.
• Consults across Houston Methodist for loss exposures, risk, and insurance needs, ensuring timely and quality responses aligned with strategic plans.
• Assists in preparing written and oral reports for various audiences, including the HM Board, Medical staff, Finance and Legal departments, committees, and insurance underwriters.
• Oversees communication between Houston Methodist and all internal and external stakeholders.

Service

• Plans and organizes day-to-day department operations, schedules, and activities to ensure high customer/patient satisfaction.
• Sets priorities and functional standards, directing staff to deliver optimal service.
• Drives department service standards to impact patient/customer-based satisfaction scores.
• Serves and actively participates on various entity committees.
• Oversees cost allocation for insurance and risk-related expenses established by Financial Accounting.
• Ensures ongoing maintenance of the Risk Management Information System (RMIS), including accurate data management and record-keeping processes.

Quality/Safety

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment by monitoring and revising the department safety plan and adhering to accreditation/regulatory guidelines, including infection control principles.
• Monitors and confirms staff maintain required credentials demonstrating competency per accrediting agency or department guidelines.
• Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations and support performance improvement and data management functions.
• Employs a proactive approach to safe outcomes by monitoring workflow, reporting incidents, and identifying solutions through collaboration.
• Adopts lean principles to drive process improvements and role models situational awareness.
• Monitors compliance with policies, procedures, and System HR Standards of Practice, taking action on non-compliance.
• Manages reserve reporting to ensure claims reserves are accurately and timely reported to Financial Accounting, actuaries, and within carrier requirements.

Finance

• Assists in developing the department budget and ensures cost-effective operations.
• Manages and audits department expenses within approved budget parameters to meet monthly and annual revenue/expense targets.
• Develops staffing plans and schedules to meet department needs while emphasizing cost-effectiveness.
• Implements strategies to achieve financial targets, optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, and minimizing overtime.
• Identifies loss exposures and recommends risk financing and loss control measures.
• Administers risk financing options and interfaces with brokers to secure coverage timely, evaluating coverage and cost options.
• Develops budget projections for the risk transfer program and recommends strategies to stay within budget.

Growth/Innovation

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for workflow changes to improve department operations or measures.
• Leads unit projects and participates in department/system-directed shared governance activities.
• Supports change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness during major changes in work responsibilities or environment.
• Proactively evaluates processes, recommends action plans for change, and ensures sustainable implementation.
• Participates in developing and implementing new procedures and reviewing/revising existing ones.
• Builds strategic relationships between the department and other areas to achieve business goals.
• Identifies developmental needs for self and staff, taking appropriate action to address them.
• Ensures career discussions occur with management and completes/updates the My Development Plan (MDP).
• Conducts development conversations with staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Five years of experience in risk management, finance, or corporate insurance, with at least one year in a people management role. Internal employees require four years of experience in risk management, finance, or corporate insurance with demonstrated leadership responsibility at Houston Methodist.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing assessments and evaluations.
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential job functions, particularly activities impacting patient or employee safety.
• Effectively communicates with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers in a customer-service-focused manner.
• Interacts with others in a way that instills confidence in the organization’s intentions.
• Uses appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans, adapting behavior to accommodate tasks, situations, and individuals.
• Demonstrates leadership qualities, critical thinking, self-direction, initiative, and effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities, using data to draw conclusions and take consistent action.
• Works effectively in a fast-paced environment and demonstrates flexibility and adaptability.
• Knowledge of risk transfer methodology, captive insurance operations, self-insured trusts, and corporate insurance programs.

Supplemental Requirements

• Business professional attire required.
• On-call duties may be required during emergencies such as disasters or severe weather events.
• May require travel within and outside the Houston Metropolitan area.