Director, Physical Safety & Strategic Security Solutions in Burnaby

Simon Fraser University is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Our purpose – the essence of SFU – is to create and connect knowledge, learning and community for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. We are committed to fostering excellence, innovation, belonging and community in all that we do.

Safety & Risk Services provides institution-wide leadership in safety, security and risk management across SFU's Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver campuses. The team supports a safe, welcoming and resilient university through Campus Public Safety, physical safety and security, emergency and business continuity planning, environmental health and safety, and enterprise risk services. We work collaboratively with academic and service units to safeguard people, facilities and assets while enabling SFU's teaching, research and community mission. Our culture is collaborative, service-focused, solutions-oriented and committed to continuous improvement.

The Director, Physical Safety & Strategic Security Solutions provides pan-institutional leadership to advance SFU's physical safety and strategic security program. The role oversees integrated security systems, technology and service standards supporting the 24/7/365 Security Operations Centre and leads physical environment threat, vulnerability and risk assessments, compliance, audit and strategic security programming. Working across all three campuses, the Director will help modernize access control, CCTV, alarms, life-safety and related security infrastructure; establish consistent standards; guide long-range lifecycle planning; and partner with IT, Information Security, Facilities, researchers and campus leaders. This strategic leadership role has significant responsibility for enterprise security risk management, infrastructure modernization, operational resilience and safeguarding sensitive teaching and research environments.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative and pragmatic security leader who can translate complex risk, technology and compliance issues into clear, workable solutions. They bring strong judgment, analytical capability and strategic planning skills, with deep knowledge of integrated physical security systems and enterprise risk. They build trust across diverse stakeholder groups, communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences, and are comfortable leading modernization in a complex, multi-campus environment. Success requires a service mindset, sound decision-making under pressure, strong vendor and project leadership, and a commitment to safe, welcoming university environments.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Engineering, Security Risk Management, Information Security or relevant field, and 8 years of increasingly senior leadership experience in an enterprise-level security leadership role, within a large public sector, multi-jurisdictional organization, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Extensive knowledge of integrated safety and security systems, including access control, CCTV/video surveillance, intrusion detection, life-safety systems and SOC integrations.
• Strong understanding of physical security infrastructure, secure enterprise IT ecosystems, systems hardening and data protection requirements.
• Excellent knowledge of public safety and enterprise security legislation, regulations, compliance requirements and industry best practices.
• Exceptional strategic and operational planning, project leadership, analytical judgment and decision-making skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and build strong stakeholder partnerships.

At SFU, our goal is to ensure our people are valued and supported by promoting a healthy work-life balance, professional growth and development, as well as a safe and respectful workplace. We offer continuing employees who belong in the Administrative Professional Excluded Staff group (APEX):

• 4 weeks’ vacation (prorated for the first year)
• Hybrid-work program for eligible positions
• Employer paid defined benefit pension plan
• On-campus tuition waiver for employees and their immediate family members
• Off-campus tuition reimbursements and professional development funds
• And more!

Additional Information:

Position requires participation in leadership on-call rotations and response outside normal working hours in emergencies. The incumbent must be able to maintain Vulnerable Sector Screening, applicable federal security clearance, a valid BC Class 5 driver's licence, and a valid BC Security Worker's licence.

SFU is an equity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the university. We are committed to facilitating accessibility within our application and interview processes. If you require any assistance or accommodations, please contact pei_reception@sfu.ca.