Public Safety Ambassador Supervisor

Cornell University; City of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care options

Vacation and holidays

Educational benefits

Total Rewards

Job summary

Cornell University is seeking a Public Safety Ambassador Supervisor on the Ithaca campus. The role oversees a team of Public Safety Ambassadors, ensuring a safe, welcoming environment while coordinating patrols, event coverage, and emergency response planning.

The position requires strong leadership, emergency readiness, and collaboration with campus partners. Evening, weekend, and special-event shifts are expected as needed.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in a related field with a minimum of five years of security/public safety experience, or equivalent.
• Ability to work nights and weekends for additional assignments outside regular shifts.
• Possession of NYS Driver's License with good driving record; NYS license within 30 days if out-of-state.
• Possession of NYS Security Guard License or ability to obtain.
• Maintain AED/CPR/First Aid certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, and support a team of Public Safety Ambassadors to maintain a safe campus environment.
• Provide day-to-day oversight including inspections, staffing coverage, and performance management.
• Assist with scheduling, shift coverage, and timekeeping.
• Mentor and coach personnel for professional development and high standards of service.
• Oversee PSA operations for high-profile events and university activities.
• Patrol designated campus areas to ensure safety and protocol adherence.
• Identify and report suspicious or hazardous situations; conduct facility checks.

Skills

NYS Driver's License

AED/CPR/First Aid certified

Leadership & supervision

Public safety knowledge

Excellent communication

Emergency planning

Community engagement

Decision making under pressure

Education

Associate degree in related field

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

MS Outlook

Job description

This position is located on the Cornell University Campus in Ithaca, New York.

No Visa sponsorship or relocation is available for this position.

Public Safety Ambassador Supervisor

The Opportunity: The Division of Public Safety (DPS) is a team of public safety professionals that work collaboratively with our community to keep Cornell a safe and healthy campus to learn and live. The Public Safety Division is comprised of the Public Safety Communications Center, University Police Department, Emergency Management, Clery Compliance, Access Control, Community Response Team, and Public Safety Ambassadors.

Housed within the Division of Public Safety, Cornell University’s Public Safety Ambassadors (PSAs) are unarmed safety and security professionals who play a vital role in maintaining a safe, secure, and respectful campus environment. PSAs routinely patrol designated areas of campus, identify and report suspicious or hazardous situations, conduct security checks of university facilities and equipment, provide security support for high-profile events, assist with emergency preparedness and incident planning, and support campus-wide emergency response efforts in collaboration with Public Safety Division partners.

Reporting to the Director of Security Services, the Public Safety Ambassador Supervisor oversees daily public safety operations, supervises and develops Public Safety Ambassador staff, coordinates patrol and facility protection activities, and ensures a safe, welcoming, and secure campus environment. This role provides operational leadership, supports community engagement efforts, enforces established procedures, responds to safety concerns, and collaborates with campus partners to promote safety and security across the university.

• Lead, supervise, and support a team of Public Safety Ambassadors in maintaining a safe, secure, and respectful campus environment.
• Provide day-to-day operational oversight, including regular inspections of personnel and assigned areas, performance management and ensuring appropriate staffing coverage.
• Assist with scheduling, shift coverage, and timekeeping.
• Mentor, train, and coach Public Safety Ambassadors, fostering professional development, accountability, and high standards of service.
• Oversee and support PSA operations for high profile university events, including sporting events, student events, and invited speakers.
• Patrol designated areas of campus to help maintain a safe, respectful environment for all those on Cornell’s campus.
• Identify and report suspicious or hazardous situations.
• Conduct checks of essential university facilities and equipment.
• Ensure welcoming and safe environment through vigilance, adherence to safety protocols, and professional interactions with staff, visitors, and the public.
• Participate in planning for critical incidents and campus-wide emergencies.
• Support emergency response efforts by working alongside Public Safety Division partners to help ensure scene safety and provide traffic control.
• Work in integrated response teams that may include members of Cornell University EMS, Environment Health & Safety, Student and Campus Life, Community Response Team, Cornell University Police Department, and regional agencies.
• Be available for work assignments outside regularly scheduled shifts, including security for special events, athletic contests, staffing shortages, and weather or disaster emergencies.
• Work varying schedules and hours as needed to support operational and business needs, which may include evenings, weekends, holiday, and special events.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Required Qualifications:

• Associate degree in a related field with a minimum of five years of security, law enforcement, or public safety experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must have the ability to work nights and weekends for additional work assignments outside regularly scheduled shifts, which may include security for special events, athletic events, staffing shortages, and weather/disaster emergencies. Shift assignments may change to meet needs of the department.
• Must possess and maintain a valid NYS Driver’s License with a good driving record. Out-of-state employees must obtain and show proof of a NYS license within 30 days of starting employment.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain and maintain, a New York State Security Guard License.
• Maintain certification in Responding to Emergencies and automated external defibrillator (AED/CPR/First Aid).
• Ability to successfully complete and maintain required background checks and meet applicable physical requirements.
• Ability to successfully complete a psychological examination.
• Ability to perform the requirements as a Campus Security Authority pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (20 U.S.C. §1092 (f) (Clery Act).
• Knowledge of public security codes and regulations and ability to understand, follow, and enforce safety codes, regulations, and procedures.
• Ability to lead and collaborate with campus partners to effectively manage critical incidents and complex safety operations.
• Demonstrated history of ethical and professional behavior.
• Demonstrated ability to manage routine and emergency situations using sound judgment, discretion, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills; make effective decisions under pressure; manage multiple priorities; and apply a strong understanding of campus operations to resolve situations effectively and empathetically.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills, flexibility, and the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Highly self-motivated, self-directed, and team-oriented.
• Must possess strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, email systems, and the ability to adapt to evolving technologies and software applications.
• Ability to understand, lead, and carry out management responsibilities in the areas of security, records and communications, training, and field operations.
• Ability to conduct security patrols without direct supervision.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Current NYS Security Guard certification.
• DCJS Certified Security Guard General Topics Instructor.
• Familiarity with the university context.
• Previous supervisory experience.

Benefits and Perks:

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability. Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell .
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions, we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell .
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell .
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates .

Current Employees: If you currently work at Cornell University, please exit this website and log in to Workday using your Net ID and password. Select the Career icon on your Home dashboard to view jobs at Cornell.

EEO Statement:

Cornellwelcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeksjob candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. Wehire based on merit, andencourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

About Us

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.