Assistant Director, Safety and Security for the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Department
 

DSS Campus Safety: Lab School

About the Department
 

The University of Chicago is a private, non-denominational institution with an extraordinary history of world-renowned research and education programs across a broad spectrum of fields. Founded in 1890 by John D. Rockefeller, the University has grown to encompass the undergraduate college, which offers 50 concentrations, six professional schools, four graduate divisions, the Oriental Institute, and the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies, which support over 80-degree programs. The University is one of the largest employers in Chicago, with over 23,000 faculty and staff on campus and worldwide. More than 2,100 full-time academic staff teach or conduct research at the University, and Chicago faculty and alumni have won 89 Nobel Prizes. The University enrolls over 5,000 undergraduate students and over 9,000 graduate and professional students. Chicago continues to build a strong global presence, with a university center in Paris and newly established centers in Beijing, Delhi, and Hong Kong. The University is consistently ranked among the finest universities in the world.

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, founded by the renowned educator John Dewey in 1896, are among the nation's best. Being part of the University of Chicago means that the importance of intellectual life—of thought and exploration—infuses everything they do across all aspects of their curriculum. The Schools enroll just under 2,200 students from nursery school through high school and employ 257 teachers. The Schools are located on two campuses: Earl Shapiro Hall, an early childhood facility for Nursery through Grade 2 students; the Historic Campus, comprising five distinct but connected buildings, an outdoor classroom, and a gym complex for Grade 3 – 12 students.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to the Director of Safety and Security, the Assistant Director of Safety and Security for the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools is part of the Department of Safety and Security (DSS). The Assistant Director is responsible for supporting the Lab School's comprehensive safety and security program, including leading the development and implementation of comprehensive physical security, school safety, and emergency preparedness programs. The Assistant Director will promote a safe and secure educational environment for students, staff, parents, and visitors of both Lab's campuses — the Historic Campus on Kimbark and Earl Shapiro Hall on Stony Island.

The Assistant Director supervises and evaluates a team of 13 safety and security personnel, including employees and contractual staff, provides recommendations for enhancements to school security and emergency preparedness systems, recommends new school safety initiatives, supports incident investigations when appropriate, and conducts regular general safety and security assessments. The Assistant Director must work with the Director of Safety and Security and collaboratively with organizational leadership to develop, implement, and maintain programs that promote a safe and secure school.

Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the Director of Safety and Security, develops and implements security operation policies and procedures that are compliant with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA) Campus Safety standards.
• Works collaboratively with the Director of Safety and Security and Lab school organizational leadership to develop, implement, and maintain programs that promote a safe and secure school.
• Oversees the daily operational management of the Department, including scheduling, staffing, and overtime deployment. 
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with the Laboratory School Division Heads and other key school partners, including the Deans of Students. 
• Contributes to the pre-service, annual in-service, and other ongoing career development for security staff following security best practices.
• Supports incident-based investigations and ensures security staff adhere to unit-specific policies and procedures.
• Under the direction of the Director of Safety and Security and in collaboration with DSS and the Lab School Emergency Management team, updates and maintains the School's Emergency Operations Plan and Emergency Action Plans.
• Works collaboratively with the Director of Safety and Security to develop and conduct, at minimum, the following annually, Emergency management tabletop exercise for school leadership and Emergency preparedness training program for the School's faculty, staff, and students that includes instruction on the School's emergency management and emergency action plans.
• In partnership with Lab Operations, recommends and develops a yearly schedule for emergency