Please note – this position is only open to internal applicants already working for the University of Essex (not on an On Demand or Casual contract)
Duties of the role:
The Security and Campus Safety Supervisor will be responsible for the strategic leadership, operational delivery, and continuous improvement of campus security services across the university. The role ensures safety, security and wellbeing of students, staff and visitors while maintaining a professional and customer focused service.
Key duties will include
Leadership and Management – developing the security team ensuring high performance, professionalism, and customer service in a 24/7 operation.
Strategy and Policy - lead and implement campus wide Security and safety strategies, policies, and procedures in line with legislation, sector guidance and best practices.
Operational Oversight – Manage daily operations ensuring deployment of personnel and monitor and evaluate service delivery.
Emergency planning and Incident response – Act as the lead for an emergency or incident ensuring appropriate protocols and procedures are in place.
Compliance and Safeguarding -Ensure the service comp[lies with statutory duties including Prevent, safeguarding, health and safety and data protection. Maintain accurate records ,m reports and evidence in line with legal and university requirements.
Stakeholder engagement and representation – Build positive relationships with Student representative, academic departments, and local communities to support a safe and welcoming campus.
Skills and Qualifications Required
The successful applicant will be an experienced security professional with proven leadership and supervisory / managerial skills ideally in a higher education setting or similar complex environment. You will hold a recognised management qualification or be able to demonstrate significant experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams. You will need experience in developing and implementing Security policies and procedures with a strong understanding of safeguarding, Prevent duty and Compliance obligations. A first aid qualification is required (or willingness to achieve this within three months of appointment), alongside Conflict management and physical intervention training. Qualifications such as mental health first aid, suicide prevention and advanced crisis management are desirable .
Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential, with the ability to prepare reports, deliver briefings and engage positively and effectively with staff, students, senior management, and external stakeholders. Strong negation, influencing and conflict resolution skills are required, as well as confidence to lead in an emergency or in high-pressure situations.
The successful candidate will also have experience in managing rosters and resources and efficient deployment. Must have strong IT skills including security systems. Be proactive, customer focused approach and ability to build strong working relationships across diverse cultural backgrounds.
Applicants must hold a full current UK driving licence and be able to satisfy the requirements of an enhanced DBS disclosure.
At the University of Essex, internationalism and diversity is central to who we are and what we do. We are committed to being a cosmopolitan, internationally oriented university that is welcoming to staff and students from all countries, faiths and backgrounds, where you can find the world in one place.
To support this commitment we have our, a staff-led network that promotes and celebrates the rich cultural diversity among Essex staff, and our Colchester campus based, which hosts regular services, meetings and events organised by our chaplains and faith representatives.