Risk Management Managers: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of risk management managers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.

That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for risk management managers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of risk management managers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.

Keep reading to learn more about career steps for risk management managers.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Risk Management Managers?

Do risk management managers need a degree? What kind of experience do risk management managers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for risk management managers to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Risk Management Managers

A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of risk management managers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 54% of positions. In 20% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 16% of postings no education level was listed.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Risk Management Managers

While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for risk management managers. In 38% of job postings for Risk Management Managers, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 25% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 16% of job postings for risk management managers.

What Kind of Degree Do Risk Management Managers Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for risk management managers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?

According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 17 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective risk management managers, and in 2023 a total of 113,652 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.

Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective risk management managers.

Top Degree Programs for Risk Management Managers

What Skills Do Risk Management Managers Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by risk management managers to secure a job?

A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for risk management managers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Risk Management Managers
Based on 63,835 job postings

Based on 63,835 job postings related to risk management managers, risk management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 68% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for risk analysis, auditing, finance, project management and financial services were also highly sought.

As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for risk management managers, followed by communication, leadership, operations, problem solving and microsoft excel.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about risk management managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for risk management managers.

What do risk management managers do?
How much do risk management managers make?

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