Director of Security & Protective Services

Security Management Resources (SMR Group); United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Security Management Resources helps nonprofit organizations identify top security leaders. We seek a Director of Security and Protective Services who will build and drive a comprehensive security program across multiple locations in the New York metropolitan area.

The role requires hands-on leadership, clear communication, and a focus on protecting people, assets, and information. The successful candidate will balance long-term strategy with day-to-day operational needs, oversee security

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in security studies, security administration, security management, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of increasingly responsible experience in security or related discipline, with progression into leadership or program management roles.
• Experience leading a security department or organization-wide program with strategy, operations, policies, vendors, or multiple locations.
• Hands-on knowledge of facility security, access control, surveillance, incident response, security provider management, and protective operations.
• Experience leveraging intelligence to investigate, assess, and manage threats to individuals, workplaces, or events.
• Experience creating or improving emergency plans, directing or supporting crisis response, and implementing post-incident corrective actions.
• Able to meet in-person obligations and accommodate travel and flexible on-call schedules.

Responsibilities

• Build a cohesive security program with clear priorities, accountability, policies, and measures of progress.
• Maintain reliable office security operations across locations through vendor oversight and access procedures.
• Establish a disciplined threat-management process with protective intelligence and escalation indicators.
• Arrange protection for leadership, employees, travel, and events matching exposure.
• Select and improve physical security technologies and facility safeguards with internal stakeholders.
• Prepare the organization for emergencies via plans, exercises, and coordinated response.
• Coordinate investigations, personnel security practices, and sensitive information safeguards with HR and legal.
• Provide executives with clear recommendations and maintain relations with law enforcement, building management, and security partners.
• Foster a collaborative security culture aligned with the organization’s purpose.

Skills

Security leadership

Threat assessment

Incident response

Vendor management

Access control

Protective operations

Crisis planning

Protective intelligence

Interagency coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in security studies / related field

Job description

Work Model: Hybrid; limited travel

Relocation: No relocation; local candidates preferred.

Summary / Overview

Security Management Resources® has been selected by a nonprofit organization based in the metropolitan New York City area to identify its next Director of Security and Protective Services. This hands‑on leader will establish organizational safeguards, manage security operations, and prepare employees and leadership to address threats, emergencies, and risks associated with public-facing work.

The ideal candidate has managed a substantial security function and can move readily between long‑term planning and immediate operational needs. A service‑oriented leader, effective communicator, and decisive problem solver, this individual will bring investigative rigor, practical protective experience, and an approach that earns confidence across a diverse organization.

Responsibilities

• Build a cohesive security program with clear priorities, accountability, policies, and measures of progress.
• Keep office security operations reliable across locations through effective vendor oversight, access procedures, monitoring, and response arrangements.
• Establish a disciplined threat‑management process that incorporates protective intelligence, escalation indicators, and assessment of criminal, extremist, and targeted violence risks.
• Arrange appropriate protection for leadership, employees, travel, and events, matching the security presence to the exposure.
• Select and improve physical security technologies and facility safeguards, working with internal stakeholders on integration and related security concerns.
• Prepare the organization for emergencies through actionable plans, exercises, coordinated response, and documented lessons learned.
• Coordinate investigations, personnel security practices, and sensitive information safeguards with Human Resources and legal counsel.
• Give executives clear recommendations and maintain productive connections with law enforcement, building management, vendors, and security partners.
• Develop a collaborative security culture that reflects the organization’s purpose and respects differing perspectives.

Requirements, Skills, and Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in security studies, security administration, security management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of increasingly responsible experience in security or related discipline, with progression into leadership or program management roles.
• Previous responsibility for a security department or organization‑wide program encompassing strategy, operations, policies, vendors, or multiple locations.
• Hands‑on knowledge of facility security, access control, surveillance, incident response, security provider management, and protective operations.
• Demonstrated experience leveraging intelligence to investigate, assess, and manage threats to individuals, workplaces, or events.
• A record of creating or improving emergency plans, directing or supporting crisis response, and implementing post‑incident corrective actions.
• Able to meet in‑person obligations and accommodate travel and flexible on‑call schedules.