Job Description

At ESS Companies (ESSC), we empower people to own their futures by redefining the employee and client experience. As a 100% employee-owned family of heavy civil construction companies, we don’t do this for fame or fortune — we do it #ForTheWorkers. Our purpose fuels our passion, our passion drives our performance, and our performance strengthens the partnerships that build strong communities. This is who we are. This is what we do. And the men and women of our subsidiary companies — Emery Sapp & Sons, Achen-Gardner Construction, Rummel Construction, and Premier Testing Laboratories — live out these values every day.

Our companies take on bold infrastructure projects that come with big risks — and even bigger opportunities. To build and protect the future of our employee-owners, we’re looking for a strategic, forward-thinking SVP of Risk to help us lead with confidence and clarity. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, this role will champion the development and execution of enterprise-wide insurance, claims, and safety risk strategies across our growing group of companies. As part of the ESSC leadership team, this individual will work hand-in-hand with legal, operations, finance, and safety leaders to balance risk with opportunity, enabling high-performance project delivery while protecting the people and assets that make it all possible.

This is not a back-office role. It’s a strategic seat at the table — one that shapes how we protect, grow, and lead as an employee-owned enterprise.

What you’ll be doing:

Enterprise Risk & Business Strategy

• Co-lead the development and continuous evolution of ESSC’s enterprise risk management (ERM) framework
• Identify, assess, and prioritize strategic risks across all subsidiaries, aligning mitigation strategies with operational and business objectives
• Provide ongoing insight and advisement to the Executive Team on emerging risk trends and long-term exposures

Operational Risk & Safety Integration

• Lead enterprise loss prevention strategy and collaborate closely with construction and operations leaders to embed risk mitigation into all phases of project execution
• Oversee and guide safety improvement initiatives and incident response systems across the enterprise
• Build cross-functional alignment between risk, safety, and project delivery to improve total cost of risk and field performance

Insurance & Claims Management

• Oversee all enterprise insurance programs — including general liability, builder’s risk, workers’ compensation, auto, property, and professional liability
• Partner with subsidiary leaders and claims teams to drive timely and cost-effective resolution of incidents
• Lead relationships with brokers, insurers, and third-party providers to ensure optimal coverage, pricing, and risk profile

Legal & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure enterprise-wide compliance with construction-related regulations (DOT, OSHA, EPA, etc.)
• Partner with internal and external legal counsel on contractual risk allocation, insurance language, indemnification, and litigation strategy
• Create and evolve risk policies, controls, and training to reinforce a culture of compliance and ethical conduct
• Lead risk-related due diligence efforts for mergers and acquisitions

You’re a good fit if:

• You’ve got 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in risk, safety, or insurance within construction, infrastructure, or a related heavy industry
• You’ve led enterprise-wide programs in complex, multi-entity environments
• You understand construction contracts, insurance structures, and the nuance of project-level risk
• You have a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Business, Engineering, or related field (MBA or JD preferred)
• You hold certifications like ARM, CRM, CSP, or PMP — or have equivalent hands-on expertise
• You’re a confident communicator, trusted advisor, and collaborative strategist who can influence across departments and up to the executive level

Location:

This position is based in Kansas City or Columbia, Missouri, with travel to subsidiary offices across the country.

ESSC offers its employee-owners a variety of competitive benefits and perks:

• Industry-leading Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• 401(k) and financial health education
• Comprehensive health benefits and insurance
• Paid training and continuing education
• Flex time and paid time off (PTO)
• Leadership development opportunities and referral bonuses

ESS Companies is an EEO/AA Employer – applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, protected veteran status or other status protected by laws.

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