Associate Director Risk Management

About Us

Founded in 1882, Matson (NYSE: MATX) is a leading provider of ocean transportation and logistics services. Matson provides a vital lifeline of ocean freight transportation services to the domestic, non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam, and to other island economies in Micronesia. Matson also operates premium, expedited services from China to Long Beach, California, which includes cargo from other Asia origins, provides services to Okinawa, Japan, and the South Pacific, and operates an international export service from Alaska to Asia. 

Matson Logistics extends the geographic reach of Matson's transportation network throughout North America and Asia. Its integrated logistics services include rail intermodal, highway brokerage, warehousing, freight consolidation, supply chain management, and freight forwarding to Alaska. 

Matson is honored to be certified as a Great Place to Work. Learn more at www.matson.com.

About the Role

The Associate Director, Risk Management will establish and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the Company’s ocean transportation, stevedoring, logistics, and warehousing operations and develop strong partnerships across the organization to identify, quantify, manage, and monitor risk. This role provides leadership and oversight to claims personnel, directs the resolution of complex claims, and develops and implements strategies to improve claims management processes and overall risk outcomes. The Associate Director also supports the Director in advancing strategic risk management initiatives, leads select insurance placements, and conducts contract reviews to identify and address insurance, indemnification, and other risk-related considerations.

This is a hybrid position requiring onsite work at our Corporate Office in Walnut Creek, CA, three (3) days per week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday).

What you’ll do:

• Lead and develop claims and risk management personnel, establishing performance expectations and overseeing internal and external adjuster performance.
• Manage complex, high-severity, and disputed claims, including investigation, evaluation, negotiation, and resolution.
• Drive claims process improvements, leveraging technology, automation, and AI tools to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and performance.
• Analyze claims, loss trends, reserves, and performance data to identify risks and recommend improvements.
• Partner with Finance, actuaries, insurers, and brokers to support accurate claim and IBNR reserves, financial reporting, and insurance budgeting.
• Review and negotiate insurance, indemnification, claims, and risk-related provisions in contracts and leases.
• Ensure compliance with applicable insurance requirements, regulations, Company policies, and SOX controls.
• Conduct claims audits to ensure reserve adequacy, data integrity, documentation, and procedural consistency.
• Develop and maintain risk management procedures and controls, providing training as needed.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities to use AI, automation, and advanced analytics to improve risk identification, claims analysis, reporting, forecasting, and operational efficiency.
• Use approved AI tools to enhance research, data analysis, risk assessments, trend identification, scenario analysis, and management reporting.
• Support strategic risk management initiatives and insurance placements and perform other duties as assigned by the Director and Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer.

You have these skills:

• Advanced knowledge of insurance policy interpretation, liability assessment, claims evaluation, and reserve setting.
• Strong technical expertise across multiple lines of property and casualty insurance coverage. Knowledge of marine and inland marine insurance is preferred but not required.
• Extensive experience with risk management information systems (RMIS), claims management systems, analytics platforms, and other technology used to track, analyze, and report claims and risk data.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex claims and risk data, identify trends and exposures, and translate findings into actionable risk management strategies.

And these qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Master’s degree preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in risk management, insurance, or complex claims management, including supervisory or leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of property and casualty insurance claims administration, liability assessment, reserve setting, and insurance policy interpretation.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex and high-severity claims and working with insurers, brokers, adjusters, legal counsel, and other stakeholders.
• Experience with risk management information systems (RMIS), claims analytics, and data-driven reporting; familiarity with AI-enabled tools and process automation preferred.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, communication, and leadership skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and influence across functions.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development in marine insurance, including relevant coursework, industry training, and professional designations such as the Associate in Marine Insurance (AMIM). Candidates who do not currently hold a relevant professional designation will be expected to obtain one within one year of employment.
• Ability to travel to Company subsidiaries, industry conferences, and other business locations as needed, approximately four or more times per year.

Extra credit if you have:

• Marine, transportation, logistics, or inland marine insurance experience preferred, but not required.
• Professional designation such as ARM, CPCU, or CRM preferred.

The annual salary range is posted for this position in California. The salary offered will depend upon qualifications and other operational considerations.

At Matson, we're looking for people to build a unified team to maintain our values of trust, integrity, and reliability. We welcome people who think rigorously and thoughtfully challenge assumptions.

#MI

Matson is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, parental status, ancestry, disability, AIDS/HIV status, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected status. Qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with federal and state laws, as well as applicable local ordinances, including, but not limited to, the San Francisco and Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinances. View our applicant privacy statement: https://www.matson.com/media/Applicant_Privacy_Statement.pdf.