Risk Management Specialist IV in Terrell, TX

Description

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more. Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage.

Functional Title: Risk Management Specialist IV 
Job Title: Risk Management Spclst IV 
Agency: Health & Human Services Comm 
Department: Quality Mgmt 
Posting Number: 8847 
Closing Date: 09/19/2025 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Protective Services 
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-22 
Salary Range: $4,801.16 - $7,761.50 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift:  
Telework: Not Eligible for Telework 
Travel: Up to 5% 
Regular/Temporary: Regular 
Full Time/Part Time: Full time 
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Nonexempt 
Facility Location: Terrell State Hospital 
Job Location City: TERRELL 
Job Location Address: 1200 E BRIN 
Other Locations:  
MOS Codes: 5702,5814,8012,1S0X1,30C0,38A,38B,3D0X3,3E9X1,43EX,4B0X1,711X,721X,731X,AB,BM,BOSN,OAR10,OAR18,OS 
OSS,PERS,SEI15,SEI19,YN 
 
 

Brief Job Description:

Would you thrive in an environment where you learn and grow personally and professionally all while helping make a positive impact on people's lives? Do you appreciate being around others like yourself who are dependable, trustworthy, hard workers who believe in the value of teamwork? HSCS is dedicated to building an atmosphere where employees feel valued and supported while providing specialized care for Texans in need. HSCS is comprised of nine psychiatric hospitals, one youth residential treatment facility, and thirteen state supported living centers. The psychiatric hospitals are a hub of excellence for forensic mental health and complex psychiatric care, with all facilities accredited by The Joint Commission. They provide state-of-the-art treatment that is recovery-oriented and science-based. If providing hope and healing through compassionate, innovative, and individualized care interests you, we welcome your application for the position below.

The Risk Management Specialist IV performs highly complex (senior-level) work developing, coordinating, implementing and evaluating a multi-faceted risk management program at a State Supported Living Center (SSLC) or State Hospital (SH). Develops, implements, and reviews facility policies, programs, guidelines, and procedures in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and ICF-IID regulatory requirements (for SSLCs) or Joint Commission standards (for SHs) related to risk management, safety, emergency preparedness, and workers compensation.   Conducts various environmental and safety inspections, communicates results, and makes recommendations for risk mitigation.  Develops and coordinates corrective actions. Responsible for the daily routine security surveillance of the facility, directing and coordinating activities, including collecting information, and addressing risks and hazards. Supervises the work of staff assigned to the department.  Develops and implements an effective Risk Management/Safety educational program and Emergency/ Disaster Preparedness plan and corresponding training.  Directs, conducts and reports on various emergency drills/exercises.  Serves as chairperson or representative on various committees and teams. During an emergency/disaster, maintains an active physical presence, coordinates with the assigned incident commander and generates and after-action report. Performs related work duties as assigned.  Works under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Performs other duties as assigned. Other duties as assigned include actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Essential Job Functions (EJFs):

Attends work on a regular basis and may be asked to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.

Develops, implements, and reviews facility policies, programs, guidelines, and procedures in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and ICF-IID regulatory requirements (for SSLCs) or Joint Commission standards (for SHs) related to risk management, safety, emergency preparedness, and workers compensation.   Coordinates activities to ensure compliance with Life Safety Codes, Fire Marshall inspections, and the State Office of Risk Management.  Develops and maintains an organized system for facility reporting and compliance with law, agency policies and programs, agency rules and directives, federal and state regulations and other external standards pertaining to the provision of services in an ICF-IID residential facility or State Hospital.

Conducts various environmental and safety inspections of facility operations, reviews environmental and safety audits performed by others, and communicates with facility administration and division / department heads regarding Life Safety Code/State Fire Marshall violations. Coordinates continuous improvement activities and establishes improvement programs, goals, and objectives.  Evaluates progress toward mitigating and minimizing risk.   As assigned, coordinates the workers compensation and return to work programs.

Responsible for the daily routine security surveillance of the facility, coordinating activities in areas such as the camera monitoring rooms, and facility entrance and egress points.  Directs and coordinates the collection of information following accidents, including the submission of accident reports.  Proactively identifies issues and provides consultation to facility administration, division heads, department heads, and contractors to identify, evaluate and address general and specific risk management issues.  Takes immediate action to mitigate identified security breaches and environmental hazards.

Supervises the work of staff assigned to the department such as security officers, safety officers, the worker compensation coordinator/risk management specialist, and administrative support staff.  Hires, trains, and promotes personal and professional growth of the employees within the department so that a competent workforce is maintained. Ensures that all departmental staff are compliant in training per agency and facility standards. Conducts performance evaluations of assigned staff to give employees timely feedback on their performance and implements staff development plans and activities. 

Develops and coordinates plans of correction/improvement to improve security and decrease risk.  In consultation with facility administration, coordinates facility response to issues identified by surveys and inspections pertaining to the provision of services in an SSLC or State Hospital and other external quality improvement initiatives pertaining to safety/environmental issues.   Ensures collection of supporting documentation for evidence book, and monitors plans of correction for implementation and completion.

Develops and implements an effective Risk Management/Safety educational program, including new employee training and periodic updates as necessary, for facility employees and contractors. Creates, implements, evaluates and edits Emergency/ Disaster Preparedness training based upon the Emergency/ Disaster Preparedness Plan.   Develops and presents emergency management and disaster preparedness training to new and tenured employees.  Ensures that all SSLC staff are compliant in training per agency and SSLC standards. 

Directs, coordinates and conducts various emergency drills/exercises.  Reviews reports on drills performed by others. Assesses the effectiveness of staff performance and communicates results to facility administration and division / department heads. Coordinates facility's emergency/disaster preparedness exercise program including conducting table-top exercises, fire drills, facility evacuation drills and Incident Command System trainings and maintains a log of preparedness exercises. Takes action to improve employee preparedness based upon the results. Ensures deficiencies are corrected within established timeframes.   

Serves as chairperson of the employee Accident Review Board.  Serves as a member of select committees as a representative of the risk management program, such as Safety Committee, Incident Management Review Team (IMRT), Quality Improvement/Quality Assurance (QA/QI) Council, and Emergency Management Team.

During an emergency/disaster, maintains an active physical presence, coordinates with the assigned incident commander to provide expertise, consultation and technical assistance in implementing the plan.  Following the incident, analyzes the plan implementation strengths and weaknesses, generates an after-action report, identifies trends and provides recommendations, based upon subject matter expertise, to mitigate exposure to damage caused by future emergencies/disasters. Serves as the Incident Command System (ICS) subject matter expert if qualified and experienced to do so.

Performs other duties as assigned. Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

Knowledge of worker's compensation and safety program management and of risk management concepts and techniques

Knowledge of laws, agency policies and programs, agency rules, federal and state regulations and other external standards pertaining to the provision of services in a State Hospital or SSLC

Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws related to emergency preparedness, Life Safety Code, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and other standards guiding safety requirements for residential facilities

Knowledge of emergency procedures and emergency equipment

Skills in identifying measures or indicators of program performance

Skill in Microsoft applications and knowledge of personal computers

Skill in problem solving and solutions

Ability to direct and coordinate risk management and safety programs

Ability to analyze developing potential emergency/disasters (such as severe weather threat, chemical spills, large scale infrastructure failure) that could impact facility operations and mitigate possible facility risk

Ability to make independent and sound technical judgments

Ability to work in a team environment

Ability to coordinate table-top exercises, to create classroom training, and to tailor training to a wide variety of audiences and needs 

Ability to organize workload and set priorities

Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts and devise solutions

Ability to effectively communicate technical information in an understandable way, both orally and in writing, to small and large groups

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, conduct a root cause analysis, and draw valid conclusions

Ability to evaluate policies and procedures

Ability to maintain flexibility in work hours, which may require overtime or extended hours

Ability to provide remote coaching and advisory services to multiple entities

Ability to respond to emergency situations and provide guidance, direction and reassurance to others

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications:

None

Initial Screening Criteria:

Experience in risk management, investigating workplace injuries, or safety programs.

Experience conducting environmental and safety inspections.

Experience conducting daily routine security surveillance.

Experience supervising the work of staff or leading a department is preferred. 

Experience conducting table-top exercises, fire drills, or facility evacuation drills is preferred.

Additional Information:

Applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check, pre-employment drug screen, and registry checks including the Client Abuse/Neglect Reporting System (CANRS), Nurse Aid, Medication Aide and Employee Misconduct, List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE). Males between the ages of 18-25 must be registered with the Selective Service.

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age to be considered for employment at a state-operated facility. Waco Center for Youth applicants must be 21 years of age.

Flexibility in work hours may be required for this position. The position may be required to work overtime and/or extended hours.

Compliance with HHSC immunization policy and state hospital operating procedures related to immunizations is required. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthcare workers are considered to be at significant risk for acquiring or transmitting hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chicken pox), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and influenza. All these diseases are vaccine preventable. As a result, state hospital policy requires employees be vaccinated according to their level of contact with individuals. In the event you choose to not be immunized for the influenza virus, you may be required to wear a mask and take other protective measures.

Review our Tips for Success when applying for jobs at DFPS, DSHS and HHSC.

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, and Veterans:

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified to fill this position. For more information please see the Texas State Auditor's Job Descriptions, Military Crosswalk and Military Crosswalk Guide at Texas State Auditor's Office - Job Descriptions.

ADA Accommodations:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHSC and DSHS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.

Pre-Employment Checks and Work Eligibility:

Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.

HHSC uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work. Download the I-9 Form

Telework Disclaimer:

This position may be eligible for telework.  Please note, all HHS positions are subject to state and agency telework policies in addition to the discretion of the direct supervisor and business needs.