Executive Director of Emergency Management and Public Safety
Executive Director of Emergency Management and Public Safety
Responsibilities of the Position
Summary
Reporting to the Senior Vice Provost for Academic and Student Affairs, the Executive Director of Emergency Management and Public Safety (ED) provides comprehensive leadership and oversight for both of Seattle University’s (SU) campuses: the First Hill campus and the South Lake Union campus. The Executive Director leads all safety and security efforts, including oversight of the university’s emergency management system, and serves as the institutional leader for emergency preparedness, operations, response, recovery, and mitigation.
The Executive Director oversees the daily operations of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), including the development, administration, and evaluation of safety and security programs, policies, and protocols within a risk-based framework. This role advises faculty, staff, and students regarding threats or perceived threats and ensures appropriate safety and crisis response training to the campus community. In close collaboration with the Vice President of Information Technology and the Associate Vice President of Facilities, the Executive Director ensures the protection of critical infrastructure, facilities, property, and physical assets; collaborates closely with aligned risk units to mitigate community exposure to safety and security risks; and develops integrated strategies in compliance with applicable federal and state laws.
The Executive Director leads and manages a dynamic team of 35 professionals, including two direct reports, oversees a series of private security contracts, and administers an annual operating budget of approximately $2.7 million.
Specific Responsibilities/Essential Functions
• Provide vision, leadership, and direction for the Department of Public Safety and the university’s emergency management system, ensuring that all practices and objectives are aligned with the university’s mission.
• Facilitate and oversee the integration of the department’s services into the broader campus community and actively promote positive relations with the surrounding local community.
• Provide leadership and guidance during crises, conflicts, and other challenges related to campus community safety.
• Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate DPS activities, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state laws and adherence to university policies and procedures.
• Provide administrative oversight and operational support for a 24-hour/365-day-a-year department of non-sworn, uniformed, officer-level staff, dispatchers, and shift supervisors, as well as administrative leadership and support staff.
• Direct and participate as needed with investigations, crime prevention, community relations, special events, and security functions.
• Assist with the analysis of risk exposures related to the health, safety, and security of the university.
• Serve on campus-wide committees related to public safety, including the Threat Assessment and CARE Teams and lead the Emergency Management Working Group.
• Maintain positive working relationships with local, regional, and state law enforcement and emergency response officials (police, fire, rescue, emergency management, etc.), including serving on local and regional councils and task forces.
• Develop, establish, and administer the department’s operating budget and strategically allocate resources for the facilities, equipment, systems, personnel, and operating needs of DPS.
• Oversee all emergency management operations, systems, and technology.
• Update, maintain, and implement the university’s all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), and associated annexes.
• Lead the emergency management team, coordinating training, drills, tabletop, and functional exercises for campus partners and first responders.
• Serve as the primary liaison with local, state, and federal emergency management agencies (e.g., Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Washington State Emergency Management Division, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA]).
• Manage the activation of the Emergency Operations Center when needed and serve in a key leadership role during critical incidents.
• Ensure training opportunities for university administrators, faculty, staff, and students on safety, security, and emergency management/response.
• Lead the department’s strategic planning, assessment, and accreditation efforts.
• Complete necessary reports and ensure the timely dissemination of pertinent information to the appropriate constituencies, including the preparation and distribution of the Annual Campus Security Report.
• Collaborate with key campus stakeholders to review Clery Act crime statistics for accuracy before publishing the Annual Campus Security Report.
• Ensure ongoing professional training and development for the DPS staff and campus partners/stakeholders.
Qualifications and Characteristics of the Successful Candidate
Requirements include a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred) in criminal justice, public administration, education, or a related field; progressively responsible experience in public safety, emergency management, or a related field, including at least three years in a supervisory or managerial role; and demonstrated training and experience in responding to crimes in progress, crises, and emergency situations. Additional requirements include demonstrated knowledge of current security technologies; experience in emergency planning, hazard mitigation, and incident command (ICS/NIMS); a strong understanding of the Clery Act, Title IX, and other relevant higher education laws and regulations; excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a diverse campus community; and a proven ability to manage complex projects, budgets, and personnel.
The ideal candidate is a thoughtful, decisive, and highly collaborative leader who can effectively guide organizational growth and change. They will demonstrate a strong commitment to staff development and accountability, with a proven ability to lead through a people-centered approach, cultivate a high-performing and accountable work culture, and advance safety and emergency operations planning. The successful candidate will also bring a track record of innovative problem-solving and experience developing and implementing urban safety education programs.
Preferred qualifications include professional certifications such as Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Associate Emergency Manager (AEM), Certified Protection Professional (CPP), or Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP); an understanding of and appreciation for campus public safety within the framework of a Jesuit/Catholic institution of higher education; experience working in a higher education or similarly complex institutional setting; and experience with emergency mass notification systems and security technology platforms.
In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders identified the following capabilities and attributes of a successful candidate:
• Solid leadership and organizational development experience, with the ability to use data-driven metrics to assess the strengths and pain points of the department and then effectively allocate resources as needed.
• Professionalism, authenticity, emotional intelligence, humility, and approachability.
• Clear and timely communication and engagement, especially in crisis mode, across all levels of staff, administration, and the public.
• Care and empathy, with the ability to connect with the staff as people, not just employees, and an understanding of work/life integration for themselves and their staff.
• An understanding of student affairs and its approach to the development of students, their changing needs, and the promotion of an excellent student experience.
• The ability to comprehensively review, assess, update, and discontinue (as needed) policies and procedures and educate stakeholders on the importance and application of operating standards, rules, regulations, and protocols.
Application
Review of applications will begin on May 22, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. To apply for this position, please go to www.spelmanjohnson.com, search for this position, click the blue “Apply for Position” button, complete the brief application process, and upload your resume and a position-specific cover letter. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email [email protected].
