Head of Security

SSP; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Employee discounts

Training & development

Job summary

SSP is seeking a senior security leader to shape and deliver the security strategy across the UK and Ireland. You will provide executive leadership for security operations, ensure governance and compliance, and oversee risk management, investigations and business continuity.

This role partners with Legal, People, Ops, Risk and Technology to protect people and assets. You will drive security performance, manage budgets, and develop a proactive security culture while maintaining strong

Qualifications

• Experience leading security strategy across a multi-site UK & Ireland organisation.
• Proven capability in risk assessment and control implementation.
• Strong governance, policy development and assurance experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive security and loss-prevention strategy aligned with commercial objectives.
• Provide executive leadership for security operations across UK & Ireland.
• Lead investigations into security incidents and manage crisis response.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Risk management

Stakeholder management

People leadership

Budget management

Data analysis

Incident response

Governance

Tools

CCTV systems

Access control

Body-worn cameras

Job description

Leads and shapes the security strategy across UK & Ireland, ensuring the safety of customers, colleagues, and assets – combining strategic leadership, operational oversight, and risk management to deliver a safe, secure environment and protect the business from fraud, theft, and other threats.

Long Description

What you'll be doing:

• Develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive security and loss-prevention strategy aligned with the organisation’s commercial objectives, operational priorities and risk appetite.
• Provide visible executive leadership for the transformation and continuous improvement of security operations across the UK and Ireland estate, ensuring consistent standards, controls and operating procedures.
• Act as the senior point of accountability for all security matters, including critical incident response, crisis management, major investigations and business continuity support.
• Establish and maintain an effective security governance framework, with clear policies, escalation protocols, decision rights and assurance processes.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable legislation, regulatory requirements and internal policies, including UK and EU data protection requirements, Security Industry Authority regulations, human rights considerations and health and safety standards.
• Direct a programme of security risk assessments, site audits and control reviews across the estate, ensuring that remedial actions are proportionate, prioritised, assigned and completed within agreed timescales.
• Lead or oversee sensitive and complex investigations relating to theft, fraud, violence, misconduct, organised crime and other security breaches, ensuring evidence is obtained, retained and handled appropriately.
• Work in close partnership with Legal, the People Team, Store Operations, Risk, Technology and other relevant functions to investigate incidents, manage risk and deliver effective resolutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Store Managers, Operations Managers, landlords, police forces, industry bodies, insurers and specialist security partners.
• Provide regular, high-quality reporting to senior leadership on security performance, emerging threats, incident trends, material risks, control effectiveness and recommended interventions.

Long Description

• Define and monitor appropriate security performance measures, using data and intelligence to identify trends, prioritise investment, deploy resources effectively and evaluate outcomes.
• Manage the outsourced security guarding contract, holding providers accountable for service delivery, legal compliance, colleague standards, incident response, cost control and value for money.
• Oversee the Security Operations function, including real-time CCTV monitoring, incident triage, escalation, intelligence gathering, command and control, and coordinated operational response.
• Set the strategic direction for security technology, including CCTV, access control, alarms, body-worn video and analytical tools, ensuring solutions are compliant, effective, scalable and commercially justified.
• Develop and test crisis-management, emergency-response and business-continuity arrangements, ensuring lessons from incidents and exercises are translated into measurable improvements.
• Prepare and manage the security budget, business cases and investment programme, ensuring expenditure is risk-based, controlled and aligned with agreed business priorities.
• Recruit, lead and develop a high-performing security team, setting clear expectations, strengthening capability and promoting professional, ethical and accountable conduct.
• Develop and deliver security awareness, violence-prevention and incident-response training to strengthen capability and personal safety across operational teams.
• Champion a proactive security culture in which colleagues understand their responsibilities, report concerns promptly and apply agreed controls consistently.
• Maintain current knowledge of relevant threats, legislation, technology and industry good practice, advising senior leaders on changes that may affect the organisation.

Long Description

• Security strategy and leadership: Ability to develop and deliver a risk-based security and loss-prevention strategy across a complex, multi-site organisation.
• Risk assessment and mitigation: Strong capability in identifying threats, assessing operational vulnerabilities and implementing proportionate controls.
• Incident and crisis management: Proven ability to lead responses to serious incidents, protect people and assets, maintain business continuity and coordinate post-incident reviews.
• Loss prevention and investigation: Expertise in preventing and investigating theft, fraud, stock loss and other security breaches, using evidence-led methods and clear case management.
• Security systems and technology: Sound knowledge of CCTV, access control, alarms, body-worn cameras and data-led monitoring, with the ability to assess effectiveness and return on investment.
• Strong understanding of relevant UK and Ireland legislation, data protection, surveillance requirements, health and safety responsibilities and evidence-handling standards.
• Stakeholder and partnership management: Ability to influence senior leaders and work effectively with operations, people teams, legal advisers, insurers, landlords, suppliers and law-enforcement agencies.
• Commercial and financial judgement: Ability to balance security risk with customer experience, operational practicality and cost, while managing budgets and supplier performance.
• People leadership and capability building: Proven experience of leading security teams, setting clear standards and building security awareness and accountability across operational teams.
• Communication and influencing: Confident communicator who can present complex risks clearly, provide decisive recommendations and produce concise reports for senior leadership.
• Data analysis and performance management: Ability to identify trends, define meaningful performance measures and use insight to prioritise resources and improve outcomes.
• Integrity and sound judgement: High levels of discretion, resilience and ethical decision-making when handling confidential, sensitive or high-pressure matters.
• Commercial and financial judgement: Ability to balance security risk with customer experience, operational practicality and cost, while managing budgets and supplier performance.
• People leadership and capability building: Proven experience of leading security teams, setting clear standards and building security awareness and accountability across operational teams.
• Communication and influencing: Confident communicator who can present complex risks clearly, provide decisive recommendations and produce concise reports for senior leadership.
• Data analysis and performance management: Ability to identify trends, define meaningful performance measures and use insight to prioritise resources and improve outcomes.
• Integrity and sound judgement: High levels of discretion, resilience and ethical decision-making when handling confidential, sensitive or high-pressure matters.

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Long Description

Why join SSP? At SSP, we’re passionate about creating places people want to be - whether that’s for our customers, our partners or our colleagues.When you join us, you’ll be part of a business where commercial thinking, collaboration and ownership really matter, and where your work can make a visible difference.

We Offer:

• Employee discounts across our brands
• Friends and Family Discount App
• Award-winning training, apprenticeships and development programmes
• Health and wellbeing support
• Hybrid working with flexibility to support work–life balance
• An inclusive and diverse workplace, with employee networks and communities
  

Start the best part of the journey with us. At SSP, we value diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects a wide range of backgrounds, skills and perspectives

Expected Salary (this is not sent to the employer)