Security Officer I

Des Moines Art Center; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The Des Moines Art Center seeks a Security Officer I to safeguard assets, personnel, students, visitors, and guests while delivering excellent customer service. The ideal candidate is attentive, action oriented, team‑minded, and poised in emergencies; they communicate respectfully to ensure a welcoming, safe visitor experience.

The role supports multiple departments and requires weekend shifts during public museum hours.

Qualifications

• Must be able to solve problems and respond quickly and calmly in stressful situations.
• Excellent customer service and ability to communicate effectively with diverse visitors.
• Willingness to adhere to Art Center policies and code of ethics.
• Comfortable working in a team and reporting to Security/Visitor Experience leaders.
• Availability for weekend shifts as part of public museum hours.

Responsibilities

• Protect assets, personnel and visitors across galleries, public spaces, studios and offices.
• Maintain situational awareness to mitigate vulnerabilities and report issues.
• Respond to emergencies, administer first aid, and document incidents.
• Inform visitors about rules, programs, and Art Center information.
• Support inclusivity and accessibility in all visitor interactions.

Skills

Attention to detail

Situational awareness

Customer service

Calm under pressure

Team player

Decision making

Conflict resolution

Professional demeanor

Communication skills

Observational skills

Dress code adherence

Job description

The Des Moines Art Center is a museum, art school, and sculpture park in Iowa's capital city, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. As one of the state's oldest cultural organizations and an American Alliance of Museums-accredited institution, the Art Center is a dynamic employer grounded in public service, collaboration, and meaningful community impact.

Our historic facility, situated within Greenwood Park, features three architecturally significant buildings designed by Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier, and is home to one of the most prolific collections of 20th- and 21st-century art in the Midwest. Through exhibitions, public programs, and educational experiences, the Art Center connects people with art and ideas, cares for visitors, art, and community, and fosters lifelong learning. Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is central to this work and is reflected across every aspect of our mission and programming.

Position Summary

The Security Officer I of the Des Moines Art Center safeguards and protects all assets, personnel, students, visitors, and guests to its facilities. Concurrent with ensuring a safe environment, this position provides excellent internal and external customer service.

The ideal candidate is attentive to their surroundings, action oriented, and is energized by the prospect of having a positive impact on the Art Center's visitor experience. They communicate calmly and respectfully, remain poised and professional in unexpected or emerging situations, and use best judgement when responding to unfolding events. They are comfortable working as part of a team and are committed to creating a welcoming, safe experience for all who enter the Art Center.

Reporting Relationship

This position reports to managers in the Security and Visitor Experience department and has frequent contact with peers and colleagues in Security and Visitor Experience, Facilities, Installations, Museum Learning and Education, the Museum Shop, and Curatorial departments. Security Officers are in constant contact with museum visitors, docent volunteers, and students of all ages.

Essential Functions

• Protection of assets, personnel and visitors
  • Provides security for galleries, public spaces, studios, meeting rooms, offices, storage areas, traffic corridors. Maintains situational awareness at all times to mitigate vulnerabilities, and prevent persons from removing, vandalizing, stealing, or destroying work of art or other museum property.
  • Maintains current knowledge of museum exhibitions and related security considerations for all galleries.
  • Observes artwork and galleries in assigned area of responsibility for condition changes of any kind; promptly reports inconsistencies and potentially harmful conditions such as environmental effects (water leak, humidity, temperature, condensation, etc.) to the Manager on Duty.
  • Responds to emergency calls for assistance, administers first aid and records details of visitor incidents as needed.
• Internal and external customer service
  • Respectfully remind/inform visitors of rules, regulations, and proper conduct while in the museum
  • Generate excitement about and interest in the Art Center by providing visitors information on the Art Center, its programs, and activities.
  • Uphold the Art Center's commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.

Other Responsibilities

• Attends meetings and training programs to maintain current knowledge of Art Center programs and policies.
• Act in ways that reflect favorably on the Art Center and maintains professional standards in the quality of performance and demonstration of concern for the Art Center's collection, programs, and facilities. Adheres to Des Moines Art Center Code of Ethics, Employee Handbook, and other organizational policies.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Dependability, flexibility, and adaptability, in a dynamically moving and event-driven environment
• Ability to focus on solving conflict, not blaming; maintaining confidentiality; listens to others without interrupting; keeping emotions under control and remaining open to others' ideas and tries new things
• Must be able to solve problems and respond quickly and calmly in stressful situations
• Must be consistently at work and on time; ensuring work responsibilities are covered when absent and arriving to meetings and appointments on time
• Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process and makes timely decisions
• Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives and supports everyone's efforts to succeed
• Ability to understand and effectively communicate verbally, and with appropriate body language.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.

Required Education, Experience and/or Certification

None.

Decision Making

Participates in day-to-day decision making within established security procedures and organizational policies, utilizing good judgement in evolving situations, always with a customer-focused mindset.

Special Considerations (Work Environment, Schedule, Required Travel, etc.)

• This position will routinely require a schedule of 25-27 hours per week, corresponding to the museum's public hours. This will regularly include scheduled shifts on Saturdays and/or Sundays.
• Dress – It is important for all employees to project a professional (not distracting) image by being appropriately attired. Security staff must be neat, clean and well groomed. Black pants, black shoes, black cardigan, clothing that is color pattern free, knee length shorts or knee length skirts with black tights are acceptable attire. No exposed midriffs or see through garments. Security staff is issued Des Moines Art Center shirts to be worn while on duty making you recognizable as a Security Officer.
• Most often, work is inside, in a climate-controlled environment with light background noise. Shift times may vary to meet the museum's requirement to staff the facilities during open hours and to staff private events.
• Work requires long periods of sustained standing.

Physical Factors

• Sitting/Standing/Walking: Approximately 95% of time is spent standing or moving around work areas. Balance of times (approximately 5%) is spent seated.
• Speaking/Hearing: Clear dictation is required for activities which demand detailed or important instructions spoken to others accurately, clearly, or quickly. Adequate hearing is necessary for effective communication with visitors.
• Vision: Corrected vision close to 20/20 is necessary to inspect artwork and gallery conditions.
• Lifting/Carrying/Pushing/Pulling: The ability to lift and carry weights that may exceed 20 pounds.
• Stooping/Kneeling: The ability to stoop and kneel is necessary for performing inspections.
• Reaching/Handling: Good manual dexterity is necessary for radio use and handling of keys and doors.

Equipment Used

• Two-way radios
• Keys
• Emergency equipment as needed

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

The Art Center is dedicated to equal employment and advancement opportunities. It is the Art Center's policy to hire and promote qualified individuals based on their interest, aptitude, and qualifications, and without regard to age; creed; disability or genetic information; ethnicity, national origin, race, or skin color; gender, gender expression, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation; religion; veteran status; or any other protected group under applicable Federal, State, or Local law.

Disclaimer

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the incumbent. The incumbent is required to follow instructions and to perform the duties requested by his or her supervisor.

Jessica McGlynn, People and Culture Manager, is the Art Center's recruiter for this role. Please reach out with questions or other follow up: [e-mail].