Director of Security

Prairie Meadows•Altoona, IA

14h

About The Position

Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Security, Law Enforcement, EMS, Traffic, and the Rapid Response Team. Develop departmental goals, policies, budgets, and performance metrics that align with Prairie Meadows' strategic objectives while promoting operational excellence, employee engagement, continuous improvement, and exceptional guest service. Direct security operations designed to safeguard employees, guests, vendors, company assets, confidential information, gaming operations, racing operations, and public areas. Develop, maintain, and enforce security policies, post orders, emergency procedures, access controls, incident reporting practices, and physical security systems. Maintain current knowledge of regulatory changes and industry practices affecting gaming security, emergency management, workplace safety, investigations, and enterprise risk. Evaluate emerging security technologies and recommend solutions that enhance operational effectiveness, documentation, accountability, and risk reduction. Direct administrative, regulatory, workplace, and internal investigations involving theft, fraud, gaming or racing violations, workplace misconduct, guest incidents, liability claims, property loss, threats, safety concerns, and other matters including assisting with criminal investigations affecting the organization. Lead organizational emergency preparedness, crisis management, business continuity, severe weather response, evacuation planning, active threat preparedness, medical response coordination, and critical incident response programs. Provide executive oversight of the Rapid Response Team, including operational readiness, equipment maintenance, required certifications, training, documentation, use-of-force and de-escalation expectations, and coordination with law enforcement, fire, emergency medical, regulatory, and other response partners. Maintain readiness through routine planning, tabletop exercises, drills, inspections, after-action reviews, and corrective action tracking. Recruit, develop, mentor, schedule, supervise, and evaluate departmental employees while fostering accountability, professionalism, teamwork, respectful conduct, compliance, and continuous learning. Develop and maintain departmental training programs that support regulatory requirements, company policies, emergency response expectations, safety practices, guest service standards, and industry best practices. Develop and administer departmental operating and capital budgets. Oversee staffing, purchasing, contracts, inventory, fleet and equipment management, and capital planning while ensuring responsible stewardship of company resources.

Requirements

Minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in security, law enforcement, military, emergency management, corporate security, hospitality security, gaming security, or a related field.
Five (5) or more years in a senior management or leadership role with responsibility for operations, personnel, budgeting, investigations, compliance, and strategic planning.
Experience in a highly regulated environment—such as gaming, racing, hospitality, healthcare, financial services, higher education, public safety, or critical infrastructure—is strongly preferred.
Candidates without direct gaming experience must demonstrate the ability to quickly acquire and apply knowledge of Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission requirements, occupational licensing expectations, Title 31 obligations, internal controls, surveillance coordination, and operational security requirements.
Must be able to support departmental operational readiness.
If designated to actively participate in RRT operations, must be able to successfully complete Prairie Meadows' Rapid Response Team Basic Academy.
If designated to actively participate in RRT operations, must maintain required departmental certifications.
If designated to actively participate in RRT operations, must successfully qualify with all department-issued weapons and equipment.
If designated to actively participate in RRT operations, must complete all required annual firearms qualifications and continuing education.
If designated to actively participate in RRT operations, must maintain proficiency with department-issued tactical equipment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Business Administration, Homeland Security, Emergency Management, Public Administration, Risk Management, or a related field is preferred.
An equivalent combination of education, military service, law enforcement experience, corporate security experience, gaming or hospitality security experience, emergency management experience, and progressively responsible leadership experience may be considered.
Gaming industry experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Security, Law Enforcement, EMS, Traffic, and the Rapid Response Team.
Develop departmental goals, policies, budgets, and performance metrics.
Direct security operations to safeguard employees, guests, vendors, company assets, confidential information, gaming operations, racing operations, and public areas.
Develop, maintain, and enforce security policies, post orders, emergency procedures, access controls, incident reporting practices, and physical security systems.
Maintain current knowledge of regulatory changes and industry practices affecting gaming security, emergency management, workplace safety, investigations, and enterprise risk.
Evaluate emerging security technologies and recommend solutions.
Direct administrative, regulatory, workplace, and internal investigations.
Lead organizational emergency preparedness, crisis management, business continuity, severe weather response, evacuation planning, active threat preparedness, medical response coordination, and critical incident response programs.
Provide executive oversight of the Rapid Response Team.
Recruit, develop, mentor, schedule, supervise, and evaluate departmental employees.
Develop and maintain departmental training programs.
Develop and administer departmental operating and capital budgets.
Oversee staffing, purchasing, contracts, inventory, fleet and equipment management, and capital planning.