Senior director corporate security

The Senior Director, Corporate Security will establish, lead, and mature the enterprise Corporate Security program. Reporting to the Chief Legal Counsel, this position will serve as the organization’s senior Corporate Security leader and enterprise focal point for security governance, risk coordination, standards, preparedness, and executive visibility.

The Director will lead a lean, governance-focused security model, establishing consistent enterprise standards and coordinating security risk management across a large, distributed organization while leveraging existing business functions and specialized external resources for execution.

This position requires a player-coach mentality, a strategic leader capable of advising executives and establishing enterprise direction while remaining sufficiently hands-on to build programs, manage significant incidents, coordinate investigations, assess threats, and solve practical security challenges.

The successful candidate will focus on building capability and culture—not bureaucracy, creating a risk-based Corporate Security program that protects people, enables the business, and strengthens organizational resilience.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Enterprise Security Governance

• Establish and lead the enterprise Corporate Security governance framework.
• Develop enterprise security policies, standards, procedures, and minimum-security requirements.
• Provide centralized oversight and coordination of security risks across business units, functions, and locations.
• Establish clear accountability, escalation protocols, and decision-making processes for significant security matters.
• Partner closely with Legal, Human Resources, Risk Management, IT, Real Estate/Facilities, and Business Operations.
• Provide executive leadership with visibility into material security risks, trends, incidents, and program performance.
• Establish security metrics, KPIs, dashboards, and periodic executive reporting.

Safe Workplace & Threat Assessment

• Lead the enterprise approach to workplace violence prevention and Safe Workplace initiatives.
• Establish and coordinate the enterprise Threat Assessment Team (TAT).
• Partner with HR, Legal, Risk Management, and business leadership to identify, assess, manage, and monitor concerning workplace behavior.
• Develop consistent threat reporting, assessment, escalation, intervention, and case-management protocols.
• Coordinate specialized behavioral threat and forensic expertise for complex or high-risk cases.
• Support security risk planning associated with sensitive terminations, workforce reductions, and other potentially elevated-risk employment actions.

Crisis Management & Incident Response

• Support the establishment and ongoing operation of the enterprise Crisis Management Team (CMT).
• Develop crisis-management governance, activation criteria, escalation protocols, and response procedures.
• Coordinate Corporate Security’s response to significant security incidents and emerging threats.
• Provide timely situational awareness and decision support to executive leadership.
• Coordinate with Legal, HR, Risk Management, Communications, IT, Facilities, and business leadership during significant events.
• Support exercises, preparedness activities, after-action reviews, and continuous improvement.

Physical Security & Security Technology

• Establish risk-based enterprise physical security standards for leased offices and other company-controlled locations.
• Provide governance for access control, credentialing/badging, video surveillance, visitor management, alarms, and related security technologies.
• Develop a practical security technology strategy that accommodates varying landlord systems and facility risk profiles.
• Establish governance for credential issuance, lifecycle management, auditing, and enterprise badging standards.
• Partner with Real Estate, Facilities, IT, Procurement, and landlords to incorporate appropriate security standards into facility decisions.
• Prioritize security investments based on risk, business need, and demonstrated value rather than pursuing unnecessary enterprise-wide technology replacement.

Executive, Travel, International & Event Security

• Establish a scalable, risk-based approach to executive protection and executive security.
• Develop enterprise governance for domestic and international travel security.
• Coordinate with global travel/security assistance providers and specialized in-country resources.
• Establish risk thresholds for enhanced traveler support, secure transportation, protective services, intelligence, and incident response.
• Support security requirements associated with company meetings, conferences, executive events, and other significant business events.
• Provide security risk guidance supporting existing and expanding international operations.

Professional Investigations

• Establish appropriate standards and protocols for Corporate Security investigations.
• Conduct or coordinate sensitive, complex, or significant investigations involving security matters, fraud, criminal activity, employee misconduct, and other matters as assigned.
• Partner closely with Legal, Human Resources, Compliance, Risk Management, and business leadership.
• Coordinate specialized external investigative resources when appropriate.
• Ensure investigations are objective, appropriately documented, confidential, and conducted consistent with applicable corporate requirements.

Duty of Care & Associate Security

• Support the enterprise’s ability to demonstrate reasonable, risk-based measures addressing foreseeable security risks associated with work.
• Develop security awareness, reporting, escalation, and response protocols for associates.
• Support practical security guidance for remote, field, traveling, and international associates.
• Establish documented governance and risk-management processes that support consistent security decisions across the enterprise.

Vendor, Budget & Program Management

• Develop and manage the Corporate Security operating budget.
• Evaluate and manage security vendors, consultants, technology providers, and specialized security resources.
• Establish service expectations, performance standards, and appropriate vendor oversight.
• Develop a phased program roadmap that prioritizes governance and high-risk capabilities before expanding organizational infrastructure.
• Assess future Corporate Security staffing and organizational requirements as program maturity and business needs evolve.

Leadership Expectations

The Director should demonstrate:

• Strategic, business-oriented security leadership.
• A strong player-coach mentality with the ability to move between strategy and hands-on execution.
• Executive presence, sound judgment, discretion, and credibility.
• Strong collaboration and influence across functions without relying exclusively on direct authority.
• Risk-based and pragmatic decision-making.
• Calm, credible leadership during crises and significant incidents.
• The ability to communicate complex security issues clearly to senior executives.
• A practical approach focused on enabling the business rather than creating unnecessary barriers.
• The ability to build a sustainable security culture and enterprise capability without creating excessive bureaucracy.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Professional security certification such as CPP, PSP, PCI, or equivalent credentials valued.
• Corporate, government, military, law-enforcement, intelligence, or other relevant professional security background.
• Experience supporting distributed and/or international business operations.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and executive communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate security risks into practical business recommendations.

Physical Requirements

• Sit for extended periods (typically 6+ hours per day).
• Use a computer, including keyboard and mouse, for prolonged periods.
• Lift and carry light items (e.g., files, office supplies, laptops, typically 20+ pounds).
• Reach, bend, or stoop occasionally to access files or office materials.
• Maintain focus and attention for long periods of desk-based work.
• Follow clear directions.
• Perform repetitive motions (e.g., typing, clicking) consistently throughout the day.

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Acosta is a part of Acosta Group – a collective of the industry’s most trusted retail, marketing and foodservice agencies reimagining the way people connect with brands at every point in their shopping journey. Specializing in retail sales services, digital strategy, and business intelligence, Acosta empowers brands to thrive in the world of omnichannel shopping. Our sales and digital teams build lasting relationships, ensuring our client brands get the space they deserve in stores and outperform the competition online, while our merch reps make brands shine in retail locations across the world. But it’s not just about what we do – it’s about who we are. With a team of over 20,000 associates, we’re a community of forward-thinking, value-driven professionals committed to an unmatched level of trust and transparency in the industry. And, we understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why many of our field roles provide our associates with flexible scheduling options. Join us and be a part of a team that values growth and making a real impact for our clients, retail partners and their customers. Acosta Group is an equal opportunity employer and will ensure that applicants with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact AskHR@acosta.com. Be sure to include "Applicant Accommodation" in the subject of your email to expedite the request. Acosta Group believes in good faith that the minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly compensation range for this opportunity is accurate and reasonable at the time of posting. The Acosta Group utilizes E-Verify for validating the ability to work in the United States for all job candidates. If you want more information on what this entails and your rights as a job applicant, please use the link provided to access information on our use of E-Verify and your right to work. Employer Resources (e-verify.gov) By applying, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions of Use.