What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Claims & Legal Operations position at AMPAM?
Company Description
AMPAM is California's leading design-build Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing subcontractor, specializing in high-density residential, hospitality, and commercial projects. For over 35 years, the company has delivered integrated solutions across multifamily, senior, student, hospitality, mixed-use, and affordable housing markets. With a team of 1,400 professionals, AMPAM is recognized nationwide as a top multi-disciplined subcontractor. Its commitment to quality, safety, and reliability is rooted in a culture built on trust and strong relationships with its people, partners, and clients.
Position Summary
The Director of Claims & Legal Operations, reporting to the CFO is responsible for leading AMPAM’s end-to-end claims management function across both employee-related matters and construction-related disputes. This role serves as the primary liaison between AMPAM and external legal counsel, ensuring all claims are proactively managed, strategically positioned, and efficiently resolved.
This is a highly cross-functional leadership role that partners with Finance, Operations, HR, and Safety to reduce risk exposure, improve outcomes, and drive accountability across the organization. The ideal candidate is a strong operator with deep claims and construction experience who can manage complexity, influence stakeholders, and bring structure to a fast-paced environment.
Key Responsibilities
Claims Management – Employee Matters
- Oversee all employee-related claims, including:
- Workers’ compensation
- Wage & hour claims
- Employment-related disputes
- Partner with HR, Safety, insurance carriers, and TPAs to ensure timely reporting, documentation, and resolution
- Identify trends and partner cross-functionally to mitigate recurring risks
Claims Management – Construction Matters
- Lead management of all construction-related claims, including:
- Contract disputes
- Change order disputes
- Delay claims
- Back charges and defect-related issues
- Partner with Operations and Project Teams to ensure proper documentation and claim positioning
- Support pre-claim strategies to minimize escalation and financial exposure
Legal Coordination & Oversight
- Serve as the primary point of contact for all external legal counsel
- Coordinate and manage legal strategy in alignment with company priorities
- Monitor attorney performance, responsiveness, and cost efficiency
- Ensure consistency and visibility across all active legal matters
Financial & Risk Oversight
- Maintain a consolidated view of all claims, including exposure, reserves, and financial impact
- Partner with Finance to support forecasting and risk assessment
- Identify opportunities to reduce claims costs and improve outcomes over time
- Support insurance renewal and risk transfer strategies with data-driven insights
Process, Systems & Reporting
- Develop and maintain standardized claims tracking and reporting tools
- Ensure all claims have clear ownership, status, and next steps
- Improve documentation practices across Operations, HR, and Safety
- Provide regular reporting to executive leadership on claims status and trends
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner with HR, Safety, Operations, and Finance to drive alignment and accountability
- Promote a culture of ownership in addressing and resolving issues
- Escalate risks appropriately and ensure timely decision-making
Qualifications
- 10 years of experience in claims management, risk management, or legal operations
- Strong experience in the construction industry required
- Demonstrated experience managing both:
- Employee-related claims (workers’ comp, employment)
- Construction-related claims and disputes
- Experience managing external legal counsel and insurance partners
- Strong understanding of construction contracts and claims processes
- Financial acumen with the ability to assess and communicate risk exposure
- Excellent organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills
Preferred Background
- Experience with a general contractor, specialty contractor, or construction-focused organization
- Background in insurance, claims consulting, or construction litigation support (non-attorney)
- Experience working in a multi-entity or rapidly growing organization
Key Competencies
- Ownership and accountability mindset
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability
- Ability to operate both strategically and tactically
- Effective cross-functional leadership and influence
- High attention to detail with strong process discipline