Group Director, Global Physical Security

Cadence Design Systems; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 196,000 - 364,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

401(k) plan with employer match

Employee stock purchase plan

Medical, dental and vision plans

Job summary

Cadence Design Systems in San Jose, CA is seeking a Group Director of Physical Security Operations to serve as the global operational leader for the company’s physical security program. You will translate enterprise strategy into risk‑aligned execution across regions, sites, and high‑security R&D environments, and oversee GSOC metrics, incidents, and cross‑functional risk mitigation.

The role directs Regional Security Directors and the GSOC Senior Manager, driving modernization of access

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in corporate security or related field.
• Proven success leading multi-region or global physical security operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead senior security managers, regional directors, GSOC/SOC functions, and geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong command of incident management, crisis leadership, investigations, threat and risk assessment, and executive escalation.
• Expertise with modern access control, CCTV, visitor management, GSOC operations, analytics, and security systems integration.
• Ability to influence executives and cross-functional stakeholders, balance global consistency with regional requirements, and convert strategy into measurable execution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and sound judgment when handling sensitive, high‑impact matters.

Responsibilities

• Global Operations Leadership & Governance: serve as the global operational leader for physical security and principal advisor to the Vice President, Global Security; lead the Regional Security Directors and the GSOC Senior Manager; establish scalable operating model, governance cadence, standards, metrics, and reporting.
• Americas Operations: provide direct leadership for physical security across the Americas including guarding, access control, CCTV, visitor management, incident response, executive support, event security, and life‑safety coordination.
• GSOC, Incident & Crisis Leadership: ensure GSOC is the central hub for global monitoring, intelligence, communications, escalation, incident coordination, and operational insight; lead escalation and after‑action reviews.
• Global Program Leadership & Modernization: define global frameworks, playbooks, minimum operating requirements, metrics, and reporting; drive modernization of access control, CCTV, and analytics with AI‑first mindset.
• Cross‑Functional, People & Vendor Leadership: advise leaders on threats and risk; build a globally connected leadership team; manage workforce planning, budgets, and vendor governance.

Skills

Global Security Leadership

Incident management

Crisis leadership

Risk assessment

Executive communications

People leadership

Security metrics

GSOC operations

Job description

Group Director, Physical Security Operations

Location: San Jose, California

Reports to: Vice President, Global Security

Job Level: Group Director

About the Role Cadence is seeking an accomplished and forward‑leaning Group Director of Physical Security Operations to serve as the global operational leader for the company’s physical security program. Reporting to the Vice President, Global Security, this leader will translate enterprise strategy into consistent, risk‑aligned execution across regions, sites, offices, laboratories, and high‑security R&D environments. The Group Director will lead the Regional Security Directors and the Senior Manager of the Global Security Operations Center (GSOC), creating a unified operating model across regional field operations and global monitoring, intelligence, escalation, and response. In addition to enterprise‑wide leadership, this role will directly oversee physical security operations across the Americas. This is a critical leadership position for a company operating at the forefront of semiconductor design, AI acceleration, and global R&D expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Global Operations Leadership & Governance

• Serve as the global operational leader for physical security and principal advisor to the Vice President, Global Security.
• Lead, align, and develop the Regional Security Directors and Senior Manager, GSOC, with clear accountability, decision rights, performance expectations, and succession planning.
• Establish a scalable global operating model, governance cadence, standards, metrics, and executive reporting across regional operations and the GSOC.
• Drive consistent implementation of global policies, standards, SOPs, and service levels while allowing appropriate adaptation to local law, risk, and culture.

Americas Operations

• Provide direct leadership and oversight for physical security operations across the Americas, including guarding, access control, CCTV, visitor management, incident response, executive support, event security, and life‑safety coordination.
• Partner with business, HR, Legal, Workplace, IT, Facilities, Engineering, and Business Continuity leaders to identify risk and deliver practical mitigation strategies.
• Oversee regional threat, risk, and vulnerability assessments and ensure remediation plans are prioritized, funded, tracked, and closed.

GSOC, Incident & Crisis Leadership

• Ensure the GSOC serves as the central hub for global monitoring, intelligence, communications, escalation, incident coordination, and operational insight.
• Integrate regional operations with GSOC workflows to enable timely detection, disciplined escalation, rapid response, and consistent incident documentation.
• Serve as the senior operational leader for significant security incidents and establish effective escalation, communications, and after‑action review processes.

Global Program Leadership & Modernization

• Define global frameworks, playbooks, minimum operating requirements, metrics, and reporting for physical security operations.
• Drive modernization of access control, CCTV, visitor management, GSOC platforms, analytics, automation, and systems integration using an AI‑first mindset where appropriate.
• Promote open, scalable, and interoperable security architecture and convert operational data to enterprise risk visibility and executive decision support.

Cross‑Functional, People & Vendor Leadership

• Advise executive and regional leadership on emerging threats, operational risk, incident outcomes, resource needs, and strategic mitigation plans.
• Build a globally connected leadership team and foster accountability, integrity, collaboration, inclusion, and operational excellence.
• Own workforce planning, budget development, investment prioritization, and global vendor governance in partnership with the Vice President, Global Security.
• Represent Global Security in major projects, sensitive business initiatives, and customer or compliance engagements involving physical security.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in corporate security, physical security operations, law enforcement, military, intelligence, or a related field, including significant leadership responsibility.
• Proven success leading multi‑region or global physical security operations in a complex multinational organization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead senior security managers, regional directors, GSOC/SOC functions, and geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong command of incident management, crisis leadership, investigations, threat and risk assessment, and executive escalation.
• Expertise with modern access control, CCTV, visitor management, GSOC operations, analytics, and security systems integration.
• Ability to influence executives and cross‑functional stakeholders, balance global consistency with regional requirements, and convert strategy into measurable execution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and sound judgment when handling sensitive, high‑impact matters.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred

• Experience in high‑technology, semiconductor, intellectual‑property‑sensitive, R&D, laboratory, or advanced engineering environments.
• Professional certification such as CPP, PSP, CFE, CTM, or a comparable credential.
• Experience leading or transforming a GSOC, deploying global standards, or modernizing enterprise security technology.
• Working knowledge of relevant security, resilience, and compliance frameworks in a multinational environment.

Why This Role Matters

This role is the operational bridge between global security strategy and execution. It unifies regional leadership, Americas operations, and the GSOC into one accountable operating model, elevating the original regional mandate into an enterprise‑wide leadership function that protects Cadence’s people, facilities, intellectual property, and business operations.

The annual salary range for California is $196,000 to $364,000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location.

Benefits

• paid vacation and paid holidays
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• employee stock purchase plan
• a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options
• and more

We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t.

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Cadence plays a critical role in creating the technologies that modern life depends on. We are a global electronic design automation company, providing software, hardware, and intellectual property to design advanced semiconductor chips that enable our customers create revolutionary products and experiences. Thanks to the outstanding caliber of the Cadence team and the empowering culture that we have cultivated for over 25 years, Cadence continues to be recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Our shared passion for solving the world’s toughest technical challenges, our dedication to pushing the limits of the industry, and our drive to do meaningful work differentiates the people of Cadence. Cadence is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other protected class.