Director of Facilities, Safety & Security in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Norris Square Civic Association

The Director of Facilities, Safety & Security provides strategic leadership for all facility operations, safety, security, risk management, and regulatory compliance across the organization's schools, youth programs, and child-serving environments. This leader is responsible for creating and sustaining safe, secure, and well-maintained learning environments that support students, youth, staff, families, and visitors.

This position is intended for professionals with demonstrated leadership experience in educational or youth-serving organizations. The ideal candidate has managed facilities, safety, and security operations in K-12 schools, charter schools, colleges or universities, after-school programs, youth development organizations, childcare programs, or similar child-serving environments.

Candidates whose experience is limited to general public safety, municipal government, law enforcement, corrections, industrial/manufacturing facilities, commercial property management, or unrelated facilities management without direct responsibility for school or youth-serving environments will not be considered a strong match for this role.

Reporting directly to executive leadership, the Director oversees facility management, school safety initiatives, security personnel, emergency preparedness, fleet operations, regulatory compliance, vendor management, and risk mitigation while ensuring all facilities meet the unique operational and safety needs of educational and youth-focused programs.

The strongest candidates will have experience leading facilities, safety, and security operations within one or more of the following:

• K-12 public, private, or charter schools
• Elementary, middle, or high school campuses
• Colleges or universities
• Youth development organizations
• After-school or out-of-school time programs
• Childcare or early childhood education organizations
• Nonprofit organizations serving children and families
• Community-based youth programs

Experience should include responsibility for student and youth safety, campus security, facility operations, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and supervision of facilities or safety personnel.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Safety, Facilities Management, Construction Management, Business Administration, Occupational Safety, Emergency Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive leadership experience in facilities management, safety, security, operations, construction management, or risk management within educational institutions or youth-serving organizations.
• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Required: Experience supporting school campuses, educational facilities, youth programs, or child-serving environments.
• Highly Preferred: Experience with K-12 school operations, school safety planning, student transportation, or campus facilities management.
• Experience working in nonprofit education, youth development, higher education, human services, or community-based organizations is strongly preferred.

The successful candidate understands the unique operational, regulatory, and safety requirements of educational and youth-serving organizations. They have experience balancing facility operations with student safety, emergency preparedness, child protection, regulatory compliance, and creating welcoming environments for students, families, educators, and community partners.

Applicants whose backgrounds are primarily in general public safety, manufacturing, warehouse operations, commercial real estate, or municipal facilities—without significant experience in schools or youth-serving organizations—are unlikely to meet the qualifications for this position.