Physical Security Manager - Bay Area

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 228,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Wellbeing benefits

10 paid holidays per year

10 paid sick days per year

Paid Personal Time

Job summary

TikTok is seeking a seasoned security leader to oversee physical security across the assigned area portfolio, balancing day-to-day operations with strategic risk management and readiness. You will guide incident response, workplace disruptions, and guard-force performance while partnering with internal stakeholders.

In this role, you will drive standards, manage budgets and vendor relationships, and influence cross-functional teams to ensure safe, secure, and resilient workplaces at scale in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in physical security, corporate security, investigations, law enforcement, military, emergency response, or a related field.
• Experience leading 24/7 security operations and a guard force across multiple sites, locations, or business environments.
• Experience leading or coordinating response to workplace incidents, emergencies, or other high‑impact situations.
• Experience managing scope of work, KPIs, SLAs, operational performance standards, and operating budgets, with the ability to operate tactically and influence decisions at a strategic level.
• Strong communication, judgment, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead confidently during emergencies and engage effectively with frontline teams, cross‑functional partners, end users, and senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead physical security operations across an assigned area portfolio to ensure strong day‑to‑day coverage, operational consistency, and service delivery.
• Lead the local security response to incidents, investigations, workplace disruptions, and emergency situations, including mitigation, recovery, and post‑incident follow‑up, in close partnership with internal stakeholders.
• Manage guard force service delivery through clear operational expectations, scope of work, KPI and SLA management, performance reviews, and ongoing refinement of service standards as operational needs evolve.
• Build trusted partnerships with business leaders, internal and external teams to support security priorities, operational readiness, and effective service delivery.
• Use operational metrics, incident trends, and internal security reports to spot gaps, raise standards, and support better decision‑making across the portfolio.
• Drive alignment with internal standards while identifying local challenges that may require risk‑based variances, and partner with internal teams on risk assessments to turn findings into practical improvements to controls, procedures, and workplace resilience.
• Respond to workplace and business needs with a calm, service‑minded approach, including conflict de‑escalation, user outreach, office openings, security upgrades, business resiliency work, and occasional offsite event support.

Skills

Security leadership

24/7 operations

Incident response

Stakeholder management

Calm service mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience

Job description

Team Description

The Global Physical Security team delivers safe, secure, and resilient workplaces through security operations, investigations, crisis management, and operational programs. We partner with business leaders, vendors, and cross‑functional teams to reduce risk, strengthen security performance, and support workplace operations at scale.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and strategic security leader to oversee physical security across the assigned area portfolio. This role leads day‑to‑day security operations while driving long‑term improvements in service quality, risk management, and operational readiness. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in corporate security, safety, incident response, and emergency operations. They are tactically savvy and strategically focused, with the ability to lead the local security response during incidents, influence cross‑functional partners, and make sound decisions in fast‑moving environments. They should be comfortable managing routine security operations, workplace disruptions, and emergency response in close partnership with the crisis management team and other internal stakeholders. They also bring a calm, service‑minded approach that helps employees, guests, and visitors feel safe, supported, and well cared for.

Responsibilities

• Lead physical security operations across an assigned area portfolio to ensure strong day‑to‑day coverage, operational consistency, and service delivery.
• Lead the local security response to incidents, investigations, workplace disruptions, and emergency situations, including mitigation, recovery, and post‑incident follow‑up, in close partnership with internal stakeholders.
• Manage guard force service delivery through clear operational expectations, scope of work, KPI and SLA management, performance reviews, and ongoing refinement of service standards as operational needs evolve.
• Build trusted partnerships with business leaders, internal and external teams to support security priorities, operational readiness, and effective service delivery.
• Use operational metrics, incident trends, and internal security reports to spot gaps, raise standards, and support better decision‑making across the portfolio.
• Drive alignment with internal standards while identifying local challenges that may require risk‑based variances, and partner with internal teams on risk assessments to turn findings into practical improvements to controls, procedures, and workplace resilience.
• Respond to workplace and business needs with a calm, service‑minded approach, including conflict de‑escalation, user outreach, office openings, security upgrades, business resiliency work, and occasional offsite event support.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in physical security, corporate security, investigations, law enforcement, military, emergency response, or a related field.
• Experience leading 24/7 security operations and a guard force across multiple sites, locations, or business environments.
• Experience leading or coordinating response to workplace incidents, emergencies, or other high‑impact situations.
• Experience managing scope of work, KPIs, SLAs, operational performance standards, and operating budgets, with the ability to operate tactically and influence decisions at a strategic level.
• Strong communication, judgment, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead confidently during emergencies and engage effectively with frontline teams, cross‑functional partners, end users, and senior leaders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing outsourced guard services, contracts, and vendor performance, including drafting and refining scope of work, KPIs, SLAs, as well as planning and managing security OpEx and CapEx budgets to support operational needs and strategic initiatives.
• Experience working in multinational, matrixed, technology‑driven, campus, or similarly complex environments, with the ability to balance physical security, customer service, and user experience in high‑visibility settings.
• Experience influencing cross‑functional teams, building trust in high‑pressure situations, and working within a standards framework or variance processes.
• Experience using or evaluating security technology and emerging solutions, including AI‑enabled tools and best practices related to CCTV, VMS, access control, and life safety systems.
• Familiarity with industry best practices, professional training, and evolving standards in physical security operations. APP, CPP, PSP or similar industry certifications.

Job Information

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $115200 - $227800 annually.

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short‑term and long‑term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems;
3. Exercising sound judgment.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short‑form mobile video. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we also have offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Why Join Us

Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we work towards every day.

We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.

Diversity & Inclusion

TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.

TikTok Accommodation

TikTok is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/RA-request

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