Assistant Director of Operations

The Assistant Director of Operations (ADO) oversees the daily operations of the Public Safety Department, ensuring professional, comprehensive, and quality response to a variety of routine, urgent, priority and emergency incidents and situations. As the supervisor of all Public Safety Officers (PSOs), the ADO is responsible for their training and professional development. The ADO reviews University and department policies and procedures as well as best practices in security operations and crime prevention programming, to develop and deliver training and professional development programs for the department and beyond. The ADO conducts ongoing and annual performance reviews, addressing performance and disciplinary issues, as needed.

This position serves as the second in command to the Executive Director of Public Safety (EDPS), and oversees the department in the EDPS’s absence. The ADO collaborates with the EDPS to maintain a community-oriented approach in providing high-quality protective services to the University. This approach supports the educational endeavors of the institution, while building healthy and respectful relationships with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community partners. In this capacity, the ADO supports various events on campus, conducts investigations, assists with and reviews shift/incident documentation, and writes and distributes reports.

This is a full-time, year-round position, with variable hours, maintaining on-call status and potential response for emergency situations. The ADO could be assigned to work on each of the three shifts (day shift, afternoon shift, or midnight shift) or to overlap two shifts. Coverage on weekends, holidays and special details is also required on occasion.

Position Status: Exempt

Salary Range: $70,000 - $75,000. This is the expected salary range for this position. The actual salary offered will depend on a candidate's experience and education, and departmental budget.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the daily operations of the Public Safety Department, as well as any property that is owned, leased, rented or controlled by the University ensuring the physical safety and security of campus facilities, faculty, staff, students, guests, visitors and members of the Elmhurst community.
• Learns, understands, and maintains a solid working knowledge of all departmental operations, initiatives, programs, and responsibilities, to ensure the seamless operation at all times.
• Supervises Public Safety Officers, ensuring the professional standards of the Department are being met or exceeded regarding, but not limited to: calls for service, appropriate and efficient response, coordination of appropriate response resources, proactive patrolling and enforcing parking concerns, residence hall safety, and safety education programming.
• Conducts and documents ongoing and annual performance reviews, utilizing performance improvement plans, as needed.
• Supervises and directs assigned personnel on details and special events, as required.
• Reviews, edits and processes daily incident reports, ensuring their completeness, accuracy and availability to the Department and University.
• Maintains on-call availability for emergency response on a 24-hour-a-day basis, responding to campus as needed during those times.
• Provides coverage during the EPDS’s absence, which may require the ADO to oversee various emergency responsibilities, or chair committees.
• Determines the immediate and appropriate actions needed during an actual or potential campus emergency or crisis, so as to mitigate, prepare, respond and recover from the threatening circumstances or event, while minimizing the incident’s impact on life and property.
• Serves as the department’s chief investigator and oversees investigations that may involve the Department, providing support and assistance to other administrative or conduct investigations that may occur on campus.
• Serves as the department’s training officer which includes but is not limited to: assessing the training needs of the Department to address questions, concerns, proper response, documentation, and communications; recommending, or developing and implementing training to departmental staff; maintaining accurate training records for each member of the department; training University faculty, staff, students, and student employees, in safety initiatives.
• Serves as the department’s primary property custodian, tracking all lost, found and seized items, and coordinating the collection of illegal contraband by the police department for proper handling and disposal, and conducting annual audits of property as needed.
• Serves as the University’s crime prevention officer, developing, maintaining and presenting crime prevention programs on campus, and ensuring the efficient management and deployment of departmental resources utilized in these programs.
• Serves as a representative to various campus committees or at community events and meetings, which may include but is not limited to: Campus Emergency Action Team; CARE Team; Threat Assessment Team; Crisis Response Team; Facilities Events Committee, etc.
• Collaborates with and serves as the liaison between the Public Safety Department and the Office Residence Life and Housing to develop and present programs to serve resident students.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of the Clery and the Students Right to Know Acts, as well as any other applicable laws and requirements for campus safety and security, ensuring understanding of the requirements for compliance purposes.
• Oversees the collection and maintenance of all statistical information related to crime on campus and complies with all reporting requirements as directed by local, state and federal government relations to ensure Clery Act compliance.
• Participates as a Title IX Investigator, either as a primary, lead or co-investigator, and is prepared to investigate actual or alleged crimes and incidents reported on campus, under the general supervision of the EPDS and the Title IX Coordinator, to ensure institutional compliance with Title IX, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2013 (VAWA), the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (Campus SaVE), Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act (110 ILCS 155/) and other related federal and state laws.
• Serves as a liaison to and maintains positive and professional relations with external law enforcement agencies and campus partners, facilitating communication regarding pertinent investigations, special events, details, reports and public safety initiatives as appropriate or required by law.
• Represents the University in court appearances, investigations, inspections, etc., when required.
• Develops and maintains a web and social media presence that supports and enhances the safety initiatives of the department and University.
• Serves as a departmental liaison with student organizations, providing collaboration and support of various campus events, activities, and philanthropic efforts.

Other Responsibilities

• Models a high professional standard that fosters respect and cooperation, while also strengthening the department’s efforts to maintain quality safety initiatives on campus.
• Assists the EDPS with developing, cultivating and strengthening campus and community partnerships, while also assisting in the development of strategic planning for the department.
• Assists the EDPS with scheduling PSOs and CSOs for appropriate coverage of shifts on a 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year basis, ensuring adequate staffing is ensured at all times for patrol shifts, details, and special events.
• Conducts periodic departmental meetings to address operational needs, concerns, questions, and training, as needed.
• Performs proactive patrols of the campus, as needed, to ensure the effectiveness of patrol operations, and assist with handling calls for service, urgent or emergency issues, and provide direction and guidance to staff.
• Assists the Assistant Director of Support Services with such areas as Dispatch, Parking Services, and Campus Shuttle Services, etc., as needed.
• This position is classified as an “Essential Employee” position under the University Emergency Operations Plan, which ensures the University’s operations are maintained during periods of emergencies, crises, or during closure or limited-operations periods.
• This position is also a designated a Responsible Employee under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 Civil Rights Act (Title IX) and a designated Campus Security Authority (CSA) under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), and an Illinois Mandated Reporter.
• Completes and maintains certification for: First Aid, CPR and AED; NIMS ICS training (IS-100.b/HE/LEb, IS-200.b); OSHA General Industry Training.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to continuous improvement.
• Supports the University’s mission, vision, and values.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the EDPS.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice or related field.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with a strong ability to review, edit, and write reports.
• Ability to respond and provide direction calmly and appropriately during emergencies and crises.
• Experience developing and delivering training in an organizational setting.
• Competency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office products.
• Proficiency with social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and virtual meeting platforms such as Teams and Zoom.
• Ability to model professional behavior, maintain a positive attitude, and work well with various constituents in a variety of settings.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with and supervise others.
• Ability to learn and adapt quickly to an evolving environment and to problem-solve by critically and analytically examining various safety situations.
• Minimum of 40 hours of formal training in law enforcement, protection services, fire prevention or security practices.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and successful background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Leadership, Criminal Justice or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ law enforcement or campus security experience, with at least two years of supervisory experience, or a combination of comparable education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Experience in hiring, training and evaluating campus safety or law enforcement personnel.
• Knowledge of campus and community resources, as well as safety initiatives and efforts on college campuses.
• Investigative experience in a law enforcement, corporate or higher education setting.
• Strong leadership and supervisory experience, with progressively increasing responsibilities.
• Working knowledge of relevant State and Federal laws impacting campus security activities.
• Advanced NIMS ICS training certification for emergency response.
• Certification in law enforcement, fire prevention, emergency preparedness or response.
• Proficiency in security protection equipment, including surveillance cameras, locks/cores and access systems.
• First Aid, CPR, and AED certified.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements
The essential functions of this position are primarily performed in a variety of environments including patrol vehicles, offices, residence halls, parking zones, and other campus locations, with regular exposure to both indoor and outdoor environmental conditions, including extreme hot and cold. Work is often physically demanding in nature and may require unassisted walking or running, standing or sitting, navigating uneven or slippery surfaces, speaking, hearing, and using fine motor skills during routine patrols and incident responses. Work requires the use of weighted safety officer equipment and involves regular lifting of objects up to 50 pounds, and occasional lifting of up to 100 pounds. Qualified applicants who can perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodations will be considered.

An overview of Elmhurst University benefits is available here.

Instructions to Applicants

This position is designated by Elmhurst University as being safety sensitive. Per University policy, candidates for employment in safety-sensitive positions must comply with pre-employment drug testing, and employment in these positions is contingent upon completion of a drug test with satisfactory results. With consideration for the working conditions and physical requirements for this position, as described in the section above, a physical examination is required as well. Both the drug testing and physical examination are conducted at the University’s expense in an approved facility within one week of acceptance of a written offer of employment. Candidates may communicate with the testing facility and with Human Resources to explain any positive test results. For additional information regarding this policy, candidates may email Human Resources at hr@elmhurst.edu for assistance.