Protective Services Manager

About the role

The Protective Services Manager is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of physical security and protective services across the organization. This role ensures the safety of employees, clients, visitors, and facilities, while maintaining strict adherence to confidentiality and legal standards. The Protective Services Manager designs and enforces security policies, leads emergency preparedness initiatives, oversees vendor performance, and develops training programs to support a consistent and secure workplace experience that compliments daily operations. This position requires exceptional leadership, discretion, and strategic thinking, especially in environments where client trust, privacy, and reputation are paramount.

What you'll do

• Oversee day-to-day physical security operations across all offices, including access control, visitor management, alarm systems, and surveillance.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and site security audits to identify vulnerabilities and recommend improvements.
• Manage and evaluate security vendor contracts and performance (e.g., guard services, alarm monitoring).
• Monitor potential threats and coordinate investigative responses to security incidents in collaboration with HR, Legal, and IT.
• Serve as the point of contact with law enforcement and emergency response agencies
• Develop and deliver security training programs for employees, security personnel, and reception teams.
• Maintain and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), emergency response plans, and post orders (if applicable).
• Ensure consistency and compliance with firm policies, industry best practices, and applicable laws.
• Implement and manage enterprise-wide security technology platforms.
• Coordinate firm-wide emergency preparedness plans, drills, and response protocols for situations including evacuation, natural disasters, workplace violence, and active threats.
• Participate in business continuity planning and support incident command during emergencies.
• Track and report on key security metrics, incident trends, and audit findings.
• Ensure compliance with client requirements, confidentiality agreements, and data protection standards.
• Maintain detailed incident documentation and escalate critical issues to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Security Management, Business Administration, or a related field (preferred)
• 5–8 years of progressive experience in physical security, corporate protective services, or law enforcement
• Experience managing third-party security vendors and multi-site operations
• Strong working knowledge of access control, CCTV, intrusion systems, and visitor management platforms
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to interface with staff at all levels as well as external agencies through presentations and reporting
• Professional certifications such as CPP (Certified Protection Professional), PSP (Physical Security Professional), or equivalent strongly preferred
• Experience in a high-trust environment (e.g., law firm, financial institution, healthcare, government) is highly desirable
• Ability to travel occasionally for site visits, assessments, and emergencies
• Ability to lead, coach, and motivate geographically dispersed teams
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills to assess threats and recommend mitigations 
• Incident response and investigation skills