Description

Job Summary

The Associate Vice President (AVP) of Public Safety is the senior leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational management, and continuous improvement of campus security/safety, emergency management, and environmental health & safety (EHS) across WesternU’s California and Oregon campuses. The AVP will ensure a safe, secure, and compliant environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors, and will champion a culture of humanism, accountability, and operational excellence. The AVP will directly supervise the Director of Campus Security, Clery Compliance Specialist, Security Clerk, and Oregon Campus Security Supervisor. This role reports to the Senior Vice President of Institutional Shared Services & Chief Operating Officer.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of public safety, campus security, emergency management, and environmental health & safety (EHS) best practices in higher education.
• Strong understanding of federal, state, and local regulatory requirements (e.g., Clery Act, OSHA, Title IX, FERPA) and the ability to integrate compliance into daily operations.
• Expertise in crisis management, business continuity, risk mitigation, and threat assessment.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies in public safety, including emergency notification, access control, surveillance, and incident reporting systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire multi-site teams with a culture of accountability, professionalism, and humanism.
• Excellent strategic planning, organizational management, and resource allocation skills.
• Skilled communicator with the ability to build trust, foster collaboration, and partner effectively with students, faculty, staff, external agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Strong conflict resolution, negotiation, and consensus-building abilities, particularly in sensitive or high-stakes situations.
• Proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and performance metrics to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Ability to remain calm, decisive, and effective during crises, while exercising sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Capacity to balance strategic leadership with operational detail and to adapt quickly to evolving institutional and environmental needs.
• Demonstrate a commitment to working in an organization that values and promotes humanism.

Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Oversight:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive public safety strategy aligned with WesternU’s mission, values, and strategic plan.
• Directly supervise the Director of Campus Security, Security Clerk, and Oregon Campus Security Supervisor.
• Coordinate safety activities for the Oregon campus in collaboration with the AVP of ISS Oregon Operations.
• Serve as the primary liaison to university leadership, external agencies, and community partners on public safety matters.

Directly supervise the Clery Compliance Officer to ensure accurate reporting, training, and adherence to Clery Act requirements.

Operations & Compliance:

• Oversee daily operations of campus security/safety, emergency management, and EHS departments.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (Clery Act, OSHA, Title IX, etc.).
• Direct safety training, drills, and professional development for all public safety staff.

Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness:

• Develop, implement, and maintain emergency management plans, business continuity strategies, and crisis response protocols.
• Oversee environmental health & safety programs, hazard assessments, and regulatory compliance.

People & Culture:

• Build a high-performing team that reflects WesternU’s commitment to humanism.

Promote professional development, collaboration, and open communication within the public safety division and perform other related duties as assigned to support the mission and evolving needs of the University and the ISS Division.

Work Schedule
While standard working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the Associate Vice President of Public Safety position requires a high degree of flexibility and responsiveness in support of a 24/7 university environment. The incumbent is expected to be available on-call as needed for emergencies, critical incidents, threat assessment matters, major campus events, and other operational or safety-related issues that may arise outside normal business hours.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public safety, emergency management, environmental health & safety, law enforcement, or related field.
  
  

Experience:

• Must be a current or retired sworn Peace Officer with a minimum of 15 (fifteen) years of experience, including at least 7 (seven) years as a supervisor.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive leadership experience in public safety, campus security, emergency management, environmental health & safety, or law enforcement, preferably in higher education.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-site operations and matrixed teams.
• Proven track record in regulatory compliance, risk management, and crisis response.

Certifications/Licenses and Qualifications:

• Must possess or have the ability to obtain a current and valid Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) Firearms Permit/Exposed Firearms Permit (including Guard Card) and a legal firearm, as defined by the State of California.
• Must hold a valid California Concealed Weapons Permit if the incumbent plans to carry a concealed weapon.
• Valid California drivers’ license (or ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire).

Background Checks:

• Must pass the CORI criminal background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CPP, CEM, CHMM).

Physical Demands 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by any employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use hands to operate a PC in the performance of job duties, and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to sit, and reach with hands and arms, and occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop, and smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, and peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to focus.
Describe Work Environment

The AVP will work in a dynamic university environment, with responsibilities spanning office, campus, and field settings, and may be required to carry a firearm as part of their duties, in accordance with university policy and applicable laws. 

The role involves frequent use of computers, communication devices, and occasional travel between campuses. The noise level in this setting is typically low to moderate. Reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.