Director, Safety & Security

Job Summary

Develops, implements, administers, and directs safety and security policies, programs, procedures and operations, ensuring the security of property, staff, and visitors. Develops and executes an enterprise physical security and executive protection strategy aligned with enterprise risk and business priorities. Works closely with cross-functional teams including legal, regulatory, enterprise risk, cyber security, facilities, and executive leadership, to deliver comprehensive, risk-based security programs. Establishes physical security standards and protocols integrated with cyber and information security and facilities programs. Leverages risk assessments to make informed, risk-based recommendations to programs. Maintains a deep understanding of laws, public safety, criminal tactics and physical threats, and applies risk mitigations. Ensures compliance with local regulations and insurance requirements. Identifies and evaluates safety risks and selects methods for managing risk exposures which could potentially result in human, physical or financial loss to the company. Leads the design, deployment, and continuous improvement of access control, surveillance, perimeter protection, and emergency response programs. Manages enterprise security education, training, and awareness programs. Manages physical security budgets and measures program effectiveness through KPIs, dashboards, and risk reporting. Manages vendor performance (e.g.,., security systems integrators, guards, monitors, investigations). Drives business continuity and crisis management planning for physical security incidents and broad contingencies. Hires, mentors, and leads a geographically distributed physical security team. Oversees and is accountable for the daily tactical operations and overall strategic execution of the team.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Optimizes and builds out the security function in line with enterprise footprint, risk exposure, risk appetite, organizational requirements, and business priorities as well as best practices, industry standards and applicable regulations.
• Establishes strong working relationships with executive management and other senior leaders and works in tandem with the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to safeguard the business.
• Develops plans and programs that identify, measure, and monitor potential security exposures. Manages and oversees the identification, analysis, interpretation, and response to conditions, personnel and visitor situations, and environmental factors, and threat intelligence that may affect security. Implements appropriate safety and security management controls to mitigate exposure to harm or loss consistent with enterprise risk appetite with a priority on human safety.
• Establishes and maintains an enterprise-wide, 24x7x365 security operations center capability with responsibilities for monitoring, support, response, escalation, and critical incident response
• Defines, develops and oversees implementation, maintenance, and support of access control procedures and systems for employees, customers and visitors.
• Develops and maintains partnerships with local law enforcement and emergency agencies, intelligence agencies, private security firms, and other threat intelligence sources to coordinate security measures, share threat intelligence, and collaborate on security operations
• Coordinates security event investigations and facility safety and security inspections. Ensures an effective security and safety program is maintained and that appropriate measures are taken to comply with company, OSHA, DOT, State and related safety regulation policies and directives.
• Oversees and manages all aspects of new and existing security systems, technology and devices including planning, evaluation, purchase, enhancement, installation, testing and servicing. Reviews plans and specifications for proposed facility modifications as related to safety requirements and recommends modifications as needed. Manages vendor relationships and oversees the work of contractors.
• Manages and continues to develop emergency preparedness and disaster recovery plans and guidelines, ensuring the implementation of appropriate planning, preparation and recovery. Prepare direct reports for handling emergency situations, with an emphasis on safety of people first. Maintains a close working relationship with local authorities.
• Conducts training exercises in preparation for emergency situations. Conducts postmortems to identify where improvement is needed. Requires and schedules independent. verification and validation testing of the company's security and its ability to respond and remediate in a timely manner.
• Creates and maintains a strong security culture within the security organization and enterprise-wide across management and team members. Coaches, trains, and enables team members to recognize and report suspicious activities and unsafe conditions that may result in risk to people, property or create a negative impact to the business.
• Establishes operational, risk, and program metrics and reports to management and other stakeholders.
• Assesses staffing needs and maintains effective staffing levels, for both daily operations as well as other events as required.
• Develops short- and long-term planning and budgeting for the department, Ensures effective planning, development, administration, and operations of department and personnel.
• Manages the annual performance management and merit processes for direct and indirect reports. Coaches and develops team members and builds a work environment where team members are engaged and feel a positive sense of achievement about their role in the company. Works closely with Human Resources regarding employee relations, compensation, training, posting and filling vacant positions and other Human Resources related matters.
• Each team member is expected to be aware of risk within their functional area. This includes observing all policies, procedures, laws, regulations and risk limits specific to their role. Additionally, they should raise and report known or suspected violations to the appropriate Company authority in a timely fashion.
• Performs other related duties as required.

The information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Synovus is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive work environment.

Qualifications

Minimum Education:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Minimum Experience:

• Ten years of management and industry experience with a background in corporate physical security.

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Extensive understanding of the investigative and security needs of a financial services organization
• Managing relationships with senior executives, regulators, key stakeholders and customers
• Extensive understanding of the investigative and security needs of a financial services organization
• Skill managing relationships with senior executives, regulators, key stakeholders and customers
• Ability to meet all permit and licensing requirements to carry firearms, to obtain such permits, and to demonstrate ongoing firearms proficiency in accordance with applicable qualification standards