Title: Director of Risk Management
Status: Full-Time, Senior-Level, On-Site
Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Relocation: Partial Relocation Assistance Available
Salary: Salary to be discussed by Bryant Staffing Solutions Recruiter
Bonus: Up to $10,000
Visa Support: No Visa Sponsorship Available
An acute-care healthcare organization in Las Cruces, New Mexico is seeking an experienced Director of Risk Management to provide senior-level leadership across Risk Management, Quality, and Medical Staff functions. This newly established leadership role reports directly to the Chief Nursing Officer and also supports affiliated outpatient clinics.
The Director will be responsible for strengthening patient safety, quality, regulatory readiness, and organizational risk practices. This leader will work closely with executives, physicians, nursing leadership, medical staff, and operational teams to identify areas of exposure, address quality and risk concerns, and implement sustainable improvements.
The position also serves as the organization's Compliance and Ethics Officer.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide leadership and oversight for Risk Management, Quality, and Medical Staff functions.
- Direct the organization-wide risk management program and provide risk-management support to affiliated outpatient clinics.
- Identify clinical and operational areas of risk and implement strategies to minimize organizational exposure and improve patient safety.
- Oversee quality-related activities and collaborate with clinical and administrative leaders to support performance improvement and regulatory compliance.
- Provide leadership and coordination for Medical Staff functions, working collaboratively with physicians, clinical leadership, and other stakeholders.
- Partner with leaders, providers, nursing teams, and operational staff to investigate concerns and develop effective corrective action plans.
- Coordinate organizational responses to potential and active litigation, including investigations, interviews, depositions, legal holds, record collection, and requests from legal counsel.
- Educate staff, providers, and leadership regarding risk-management expectations, incident reporting, patient-safety practices, and risk-reduction strategies.
- Advise stakeholders on informed consent, clinical documentation, disclosure practices, and professional liability concerns.
- Coordinate matters involving professional liability, general liability, property insurance, and associated claims.
- Analyze risk and quality trends and recommend improvements that strengthen clinical outcomes, patient safety, and organizational practices.
- Lead and support compliance and ethics initiatives.
- Keep senior leadership informed of significant risk, quality, compliance, Medical Staff, and liability matters.
Required Qualifications- Active New Mexico RN license or qualifying multistate RN license.
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited nursing school.
- Minimum of 5 years of nursing experience.
- At least 3 years of Director- or Manager-level leadership experience.
- Previous professional experience in healthcare risk management.
- Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM) certification must be obtained within 3 years of employment if not already held.
Preferred Qualifications- Current CPHRM certification.
- Previous risk-management experience within an acute-care healthcare setting; substantial directly relevant experience may substitute for the stated leadership experience.
- Experience working in a for-profit hospital environment is strongly preferred.
- Previous Director-level leadership experience is preferred.
- Experience collaborating with or overseeing healthcare Quality and Medical Staff functions is valuable for this expanded scope.
Key Skills Required- Healthcare risk identification, assessment, and mitigation
- Quality and patient-safety leadership
- Medical Staff collaboration and oversight
- Clinical and operational leadership
- Litigation and claims coordination
- Regulatory compliance and healthcare ethics
- Incident investigation and corrective action planning
- Professional liability management
- Performance improvement and trend analysis
- Executive, physician, and staff communication
Work Environment & Schedule- Full-time, on-site senior leadership position in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Travel is not required.
- Reports directly to the Chief Nursing Officer.
- Scope includes leadership of Risk Management, Quality, and Medical Staff functions.
Benefits- Partial relocation assistance
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Flexible spending and health savings account options
- Paid time off and extended illness benefits for eligible full-time employees
- Life and accident insurance
- Critical injury coverage
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- Identity theft protection
- Tuition reimbursement and loan assistance
- 401(k) matching
- Employee assistance and wellness resources
- Professional development and career growth opportunities
Why This Location?
Las Cruces offers access to hiking, mountain scenery, and year-round outdoor recreation in a distinctive Southwestern setting. Residents can enjoy local restaurants, arts and cultural attractions, entertainment, and nearby destinations such as the Organ Mountains and White Sands National Park. The area can also provide a more affordable lifestyle compared with many larger metropolitan markets.