Chief Risk Officer, Zurich U.S.

Zurich U.S. is seeking an accomplished insurance risk executive to lead Risk Management across the region. This is a high-impact enterprise role for a leader who can combine independent challenge with practical business partnership, helping senior leaders make disciplined decisions about growth, operational risk, capital, earnings and emerging risk.

Reporting to the Group Chief Risk Officer, the Chief Risk Officer will shape the region’s risk agenda, strengthen risk governance and culture, and bring forward-looking insight to executive decision-making. The leader will represent North America within Zurich’s global risk community and engage credibly with senior executives, governance bodies, regulators and external auditors.

This role is well suited to a sitting Chief Risk Officer or a succession-ready enterprise risk leader whose scope includes commercial Property & Casualty insurance, operational risk, capital and earnings exposure, executive-level influence, regulatory engagement, and leadership of strong risk teams.

This position may be based in one of Zurich North America’s hub locations, including Schaumburg, IL; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Overland Park, KS; or Dallas, TX. This role requires periodic regional travel and occasional international travel to engage with key stakeholders, collaborate with global leadership, and support strategic business priorities.

Key Accountabilities:

• Own the North America enterprise risk agenda, providing independent oversight and effective challenge of the organization’s risk profile.
• Advise executive leadership on risk appetite, risk-return trade-offs, capital and earnings exposures, and emerging and forward-looking risks to support strategic decision-making.
• Translate complex risk issues into clear business implications, choices and recommended actions for executive and senior leadership.
• Monitor and escalate material exposures outside established risk appetite, limits or tolerances, ensuring appropriate and timely management action.
• Serve as a trusted strategic adviser and constructive challenger to business and functional leaders, integrating risk considerations into strategy, portfolio decisions and execution.
• Partner across underwriting, actuarial, finance, investments, claims, operations, technology, legal and compliance to strengthen enterprise-wide risk management and decision-making.
• Ensure effective implementation of Zurich Group risk frameworks, policies, limits and governance requirements across North America, while maintaining strong regional oversight and accountability.
• Lead senior-level risk governance and regulatory engagement, including interactions with regulators, external auditors, executive governance bodies, the Group CRO and global risk leadership.
• Strengthen the effectiveness of the Risk Management function by maintaining rigorous risk monitoring, reporting, governance and controls, while continuously improving efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead, develop and retain a high-performing risk organization, building strong leadership capability, succession depth and expertise aligned with evolving business and risk priorities.
• Represent North America within Zurich’s global risk leadership community, sharing best practices and contributing to enterprise-wide risk priorities and initiatives.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 15 or more years of experience in the Commercial Insurance industry  
  AND
• Experience managing and developing collaborative teams
• Experience working with C-suite executives
• Experience assessing and mitigating risks or threats to business capital and earnings
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Significant Enterprise Risk Management leadership experience within a large, complex commercial insurance organization.
• Deep understanding of commercial Property & Casualty insurance and the drivers of underwriting performance, capital, earnings volatility and operation and enterprise risk.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with insurance regulators and executive and/or Board-level governance bodies.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to understand enterprise and business-unit strategies, priorities and initiatives and provide practical, fit-for-context risk advice and solutions.
• Proven ability to serve as a strategic risk advisor to senior executives, constructively challenge decisions, influence outcomes, and balance risk considerations with business objectives.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional influence, communication and stakeholder management skills across complex, multi-interest environments.
• Advanced strategic analysis and problem-solving capabilities, with a track record of translating complex risk issues into clear, actionable business recommendations.
• Proven people leadership, including experience developing, coaching and evolving high-performing risk teams.
• Proactive, action- and results-oriented leadership style with a strong sense of ownership and accountability for delivery.
• Master’s degree and/or relevant professional designation such as FCAS, ACAS, CFA, FRM or CPCU preferred.

Your pay at Zurich is based on your role, location, skills, and experience. We follow local laws to ensure fair compensation. You may also be eligible for bonuses and merit increases. If your expectations are above the listed range, we still encourage you to apply, your unique background matters to us.

The pay range shown is a national average and may vary by location. The proposed salary range for this position is $291,200.00-$509,600.00, with short-term incentive bonus eligibility set at 50%. This role is also eligible to participate in the company’s long-term incentive program.

We offer competitive pay and comprehensive benefits for employees and their families. [Learn more about Total Rewards here.]

Why Zurich?

At Zurich, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the risk agenda for a leading global insurer while partnering with senior leaders across North America and Zurich’s global network. You’ll lead a critical function that helps balance disciplined risk management with strategic growth, strengthens governance, and provides forward-looking insights that support sound business decisions. You’ll join a collaborative, purpose-driven organization that values diverse perspectives, develops talent, and is committed to helping customers and communities navigate a changing risk landscape.

We value your ideas and experience. We offer growth, inclusion, and a supportive environment—so you can help shape the future of insurance. Zurich North America is a leader in risk management, with over 150 years of expertise and coverage across 25+ industries, including 90% of the Fortune 500®.Join us for a brighter future—for yourself and our customers.

Zurich in North America does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, age, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy or other characteristics protected by applicable law. Equal Opportunity Employer disability/vets.

Zurich complies with 18 U.S. Code § 1033.

Please note: Zurich does not accept unsolicited CVs from agencies. Preferred vendors should use our Recruiting Agency Portal.

Location(s): AM - Schaumburg, AM - Atlanta, AM - Chicago, AM - Dallas, AM - New York
Remote Working: Hybrid
Schedule: Full Time
Employment Sponsorship Offered: No  
 
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