Regional Security Manager - Defence

WILSON GROUP; Western Australia; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Wilson Security is seeking a Regional Security Manager to lead the operational delivery of the Defence Base Security Services contract across Western Australia. You will manage senior stakeholder relationships, governance, and service performance while translating national guidance into local objectives.

You will oversee the Defence Area Operations Manager and Coordinators, driving safety, compliance and financial performance, with travel across WA as required.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading a complex, geographically dispersed security operation (24/7).
• Demonstrated senior client relationships and contract governance experience.
• Ability to interpret operational, workforce and financial data for decision making.
• Current Australian driver’s licence and willingness to travel across WA.

Responsibilities

• Act as senior regional operational contact for Department of Defence representatives.
• Lead regional performance reviews, governance meetings and service-recovery discussions.
• Monitor and drive regional contract delivery, reporting obligations and client requirements.
• Develop and monitor plans to improve service delivery, risk management and commercial outcomes.
• Engage with sites and operational leaders without overtaking staff-facing responsibilities.

Skills

Security leadership

Stakeholder management

Contract governance

Performance management

Data interpretation

Job description

Job Title: Regional Security Manager - Defence

Posting Start Date: 20/10/2026

Job Description

Regional Security Manager – Defence

Wilson Security | Western Australia

Lead a complex, high-profile security operation supporting the Department of Defence across Western Australia.

The opportunity

Wilson Security is seeking an experienced Regional Security Manager to lead operational delivery for the Department of Defence Base Security Services contract across Western Australia.

You will be responsible for senior stakeholder relationships, regional service performance, contract governance, commercial outcomes and service delivery excellence.

Reporting to the National Defence Operations Manager, you will translate national direction and client requirements into clear regional objectives. You will lead delivery through the Defence Area Operations Manager and Defence Operations Duty Managers and Coordinators and Site Security Managers.

Your success will depend on your ability to understand complex security operations, interpret workforce and financial data, communicate clearly with senior stakeholders and hold the regional management structure accountable for delivery.

What you will be responsible for

Client and contract leadership

• Act as the senior regional operational contact for authorised Department of Defence representatives.
• Build credible, professional and constructive client relationships.
• Lead regional performance reviews, governance meetings and service-recovery discussions.
• Communicate service performance, emerging risks and corrective actions clearly and honestly.
• Ensure client commitments are authorised, recorded and delivered.

Regional operational delivery

• Hold overall regional accountability for safe, compliant and reliable contract delivery.
• Set measurable annual, quarterly and monthly regional objectives under direction from the National Defence Operations Manager.
• Ensure contracted hours, service standards, reporting obligations and client requirements are delivered across the region.
• Lead the response to material incidents, service failures, client concerns and underperforming locations.
• Remain connected to sites and operational leaders without taking over the staff-facing responsibilities of the Defence Area Operations Manager.

Commercial and financial performance

• Understand and actively manage the regional profit and loss position.
• Monitor revenue, margin, labour costs, overtime, penalty exposure, additional services, abatements and revenue leakage.
• Understand how vacancies, leave, training, turnover, recruitment delays and relief arrangements affect service delivery and financial performance.
• Assess the operational and financial impact of client requests before making commitments.
• Develop and monitor recovery plans for adverse financial or operational variances.

Data and performance reporting

• Interpret operational, workforce, incident, compliance data.
• Identify trends, root causes, emerging risks and opportunities.
• Test data quality and distinguish verified facts from assumptions and forecasts.
• Turn complex information into clear narratives for client and executive audiences.
• Use forward-looking forecasts and scenarios to support better decisions.

Leadership and service excellence

• Lead the Defence Area Operations Manager and Defence Operations Duty Managers and Coordinators.
• Set clear expectations, decision rights and escalation thresholds.
• Coach operational leaders in client engagement, commercial awareness, data interpretation and accountable leadership.
• Champion consistent service excellence across metropolitan and regional Defence locations.
• Sponsor practical improvements that reduce risk, improve responsiveness and create measurable client value.
• Ensure lessons from incidents, complaints and service failures are embedded into future operations.

The role is accountable for regional client, contract, service, commercial and governance outcomes. The Defence Area Operations Manager remains responsible for workforce capacity, Site Security Manager performance and day-to-day operational execution. You will be able to transition between the weeds (operational Day to Day) and the strategy 3 – 6 months in advance. A confident people person, able to translate years of security experience and contract management to the client and all stakeholders alike.

What you will bring

Essential experience and capability

• Significant experience leading a complex, geographically dispersed, multi-site security, protective services or comparable 24/7 operation.
• Demonstrated senior client relationship and contract governance experience.
• Experience leading operational managers and establishing clear accountability.
• Ability to interpret operational, workforce and financial data.
• Practical understanding of:
• o Labour costs
• o Contract performance
• o Strong knowledge of workforce planning, recruitment, rostering, employee relations, safety and compliance.
• High-level written, presentation, negotiation and influencing capability.
• Sound judgement when managing incidents, competing priorities and sensitive matters.
• Current Australian driver’s licence and willingness to travel throughout metropolitan and regional Western Australia.

Security requirements

To be eligible for this position, applicants must:

• Meet the citizenship requirements for the applicable Australian Government security clearance.
• Be able to obtain and maintain an NV2 security clearance.
• Meet Department of Defence access and probity requirements.
• Maintain any licences, clearances and competencies required for the role.

Desirable

• Experience delivering a Department of Defence or other high-security government contract.
• Relevant qualification in business, security and risk, leadership, finance, contract management or a related field.
• Experience in mobilisation, major projects, technology implementation, service redesign or business improvement.
• Current security licence where required.

The leadership profile we are seeking

You will be effective in this role if you:

• Build trust through transparency, sound judgement and reliable delivery.
• Convert strategic direction into clear and measurable regional objectives.
• Understand how operational and workforce decisions affect financial performance.
• Communicate complex information in plain language.
• Protect contractual and commercial interests without damaging client relationships.
• Delegate clearly and hold leaders accountable for results.
• Remain composed during incidents, disagreement and ambiguity.
• Challenge respectfully, make decisions and support agreed direction.
• Take ownership without taking over the responsibilities of subordinate leaders.

Why join Wilson Security?

This is an opportunity to lead a regionally significant security operation supporting one of Australia’s most important government clients.

• Influence regional service strategy.
• Lead senior Defence relationships.
• Shape operational and workforce priorities.
• Improve contract performance and client confidence.
• Develop the next level of operational leadership.
• Deliver measurable service and commercial improvements.

You will be supported by an established regional structure that includes the Defence Area Operations Manager, Defence Operations Duty Managers and Coordinators, Site Security Managers, Shift Supervisors, Security Officers and specialist corporate support functions.

Additional role requirements

• Regular travel to metropolitan and regional Defence locations.
• Occasional overnight travel.
• Attendance at client meetings and operational locations.
• Participation in an approved 24/7 management escalation arrangement.
• Response to significant incidents, service‑continuity concerns and senior client matters.

Wilson Security is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace. Employment will be subject to required background, security, probity and client access checks.

Master Licence: WA SA60888