Senior Director, Global Head of Physical Security

Overview

Lead the strategic transformation of Vanguard’s global physical security program! As Senior Director, Global Head of Physical Security, you will serve as the enterprise leader for physical, executive, and site security, accountable for architecting and delivering a modern, technology-forward, intelligence-led security ecosystem that protects our people, executives, assets, and locations worldwide.

Backed by strong senior leadership sponsorship and a significant multi-year investment, you will define the strategy and drive execution of a global modernization program. This includes converging physical and cyber capabilities, deploying enterprise platforms at scale, and building a high-performance, risk-aware culture that proactively identifies and mitigates threats.

We are seeking a transformative senior leader with deep expertise in global threat landscapes, enterprise-wide technology deployment, and operational leadership. The ideal candidate will bring executive presence, a track record of leading complex security transformations, and the ability to inspire teams to deliver measurable risk reduction and operational excellence.

Responsibilities
 

• Define the enterprise security strategy and target operating model, and lead the development of multi‑year roadmaps and an investment plan that delivers a best‑in‑class, outcomes‑driven program.
• Coach, guide, develop and inspire a team of highly engaged crew, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, high performance, and continuous improvement. Provide guidance and training as necessary to develop crew. Set performance standards, review performance, and make informed compensation decisions in accordance with all applicable Human Resources policies and procedures.
• Lead enterprise‑wide modernization at scale across access control, security monitoring, and operations center platforms—architected for data, and analytics.
• Converge physical and cyber capabilities with a unified risk architecture and control framework; integrate identity, telemetry, and analytics to anticipate and reduce risk.
• Build and govern a global, risk‑based Executive & Crew Protection program that adapts to dynamic threat conditions and scales across regions.
• Direct global execution, standards, and lifecycle management for technologies, processes, and site security operations; establish governance, resilience, and audit‑ready controls.
• Develop and implement the global business and physical security training and communication program. Partner with all business units, including Vanguard's learning and development division, to ensure full implementation of these efforts.
• Review business and physical security trends analysis, reports, and statistics to make recommendations to senior leadership and to execute changes and enhancements.
• Modernize and operate GSOC/operations centers (24x7) for integrated monitoring, intelligence, incident triage, and crisis communications.
• Stand up an intelligence‑led program for threat detection and analysis; fuse internal/external sources to inform prioritization and proactive controls.
• Implement a data‑driven operating system—KPIs, OKRs, SLAs, and leading/lagging indicators—to evidence risk reduction, operational excellence, and ROI.
• Shape the vendor and partner ecosystem; negotiate enterprise agreements, govern performance to SLAs, and manage complex multi‑region deployments and managed services.
• Translate security strategy into business value: craft business cases, steward budget and portfolio, and communicate outcomes to senior leadership and the Board.

Qualifications

• Minimum of twelve years related work experience, with at least five years of physical, executive and personnel security, and response experience. Supervisory experience preferred.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience. Graduate degree preferred.
• Professional certification (CPP or CFE) required.
• Expert level knowledge of security technology, with previous experience deploying enterprise-wide technology modernization programs that ensure efficient threat identification, analysis and action.
• Expert knowledge in threat actor tactics, techniques and procedures, blending technical capabilities with kinetic and insider threats to ensure a holistic understanding of threat scenarios that could impact Vanguard’s crew, assets or locations.
• Documented experience in crisis management, crisis communications and managing incident response for events that had enterprise-wide impact. 
• Previous experience defining corporate strategy, building enterprise programs, project prioritization – overseeing simultaneous global initiatives across multiple domains.
• Expert level knowledge in security derived data analytics to ensure KPIs and OKRs track program execution, progress against objectives, and technology deployment roadmaps.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.