Global Director, Physical Security

WSP•Chicago, IL

22h

About The Position

The Global Director, Physical Security is a senior leader who may work from any WSP US office. The role translates WSP’s global physical security policies, frameworks, standards, and technology roadmap into consistent, scalable execution across a global portfolio of offices, laboratories, and warehouses. Reporting to the Head of Global Facilities and Physical Security, the position drives global program implementation and provides operational oversight for physical security services and technology delivery. It partners with regional Workplace teams and corporate functions to strengthen governance, improve risk visibility, standardize controls, and support safe, resilient workplace operations while accommodating documented regional and site-specific requirements. The role leads implementation of the global physical security strategy and operating model; oversees security operations, risk assessments, control assurance, technology initiatives, real estate and capital project integration, and vendor and budget performance; and provides leadership across a matrixed global structure. It also governs responsible use of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics in the physical security program, with attention to privacy, cybersecurity, legal, ethical, data-quality, and human-oversight requirements. This global role supports a diverse portfolio and requires collaboration across time zones and periodic domestic and international travel based on business, project, assessment, and incident-response needs. The position enables consistent execution of WSP’s physical security frameworks and strengthens security operations and control assurance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Security Management, Criminal Justice, Risk Management, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
Typically 12 or more years of progressive corporate physical security experience, including leadership responsibility across multiple countries or regions.
Demonstrated experience implementing enterprise physical security programs, policies, standards, risk assessments, and control frameworks.
Strong operational experience overseeing security services and physical security technology across a geographically dispersed portfolio.
Experience supporting offices and complex operational environments such as laboratories and warehouses.
Experience integrating physical security requirements into real estate, design, construction, and facilities management processes.
Experience managing vendors, budgets, capital programs, and measurable service performance.
Strong knowledge of access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, visitor management, alarm monitoring, guarding, and associated operating practices.
Practical knowledge of physical security risk assessment, site tiering, control assurance, incident escalation, and remediation planning.
Ability to convert strategy and policy into scalable processes, implementation plans, tools, and measurable outcomes.
Strong program and project leadership skills, including ability to manage multiple global workstreams and dependencies.
Commercial capability in vendor governance, sourcing, contract performance, budgeting, and business-case development.
Excellent stakeholder management, written communication, and executive presentation skills.
Ability to influence and deliver results in a global, matrixed organization while respecting regional legal, cultural, and operational differences.
Execution-focused approach and ability to move global frameworks from design into sustained operation.
Ability to balance global consistency with justified regional and site-level flexibility.
Data-driven, structured approach focused on measurable risk reduction and service improvement.
Collaborative approach and ability to build credibility across Workplace, business, technical, and corporate functions.
Calm, practical, and decisive approach to complex operational issues and competing priorities.
Ability to collaborate across time zones and undertake periodic domestic and international travel based on business, project, assessment, and incident-response needs.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CPP, PSP, or PMP.

Responsibilities

Implement the global physical security strategy and operating model under the direction of the Head of Global Facilities and Physical Security.
Drive adoption of global physical security policies, standards, control frameworks, procedures, and governance requirements across regions and sites.
Create implementation plans, tools, guidance, and reporting that translate global requirements into regional and local actions.
Maintain an exception and escalation process for local legal, regulatory, operational, or building-specific requirements.
Prepare program updates, risk insights, and recommendations for Workplace and senior leadership.
Provide global oversight of day-to-day physical security operations across offices, laboratories, and warehouses.
Establish operating requirements for guarding, access management, visitor management, alarm response, incident escalation, key management, and other site security services.
Define service expectations, performance measures, and escalation paths for regional teams, local site teams, and security service providers.
Monitor operational performance and recurring issues, identify root causes, and lead corrective and continuous-improvement actions.
Support development and maintenance of local site security plans, post orders, response procedures, and operational playbooks.
Coordinate physical security responses to workplace incidents in accordance with global and regional crisis management and business continuity procedures.
Lead rollout and ongoing management of the global physical security risk assessment program.
Ensure sites are assessed using the approved tiering model, controls matrix, and risk-scoring methodology.
Oversee prioritization, tracking, and closure of identified security gaps and remediation actions.
Maintain a consolidated view of portfolio risk, control maturity, exceptions, and improvement priorities.
Use assessment results and operational data to inform capital planning, technology deployment, and resource decisions.
Lead execution of the global physical security technology roadmap for access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, visitor management, and related platforms.
Oversee global and regional technology implementation, including requirements definition, design review, deployment governance, testing, commissioning, handover, and operational stabilization.
Promote consistent use of approved technology standards while managing documented regional constraints and integration requirements.
Partner with Information Technology, cybersecurity, privacy, procurement, and project teams on system architecture, connectivity, data protection, support, and lifecycle requirements.
Establish asset, configuration, maintenance, support, and replacement-planning requirements for the security technology estate.
Develop and govern responsible use of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics within the physical security program, identifying practical use cases and addressing privacy, cybersecurity, legal, ethical, data-quality, and human-oversight requirements.
Embed physical security requirements into new builds, relocations, renovations, lease events, and major restacks.
Provide or coordinate security input during site selection, due diligence, programming, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover.
Review project designs for alignment with building tier, controls matrix, design and technology standards, and local risk profile.
Work with Corporate Real Estate, Project Services, Facilities Management, Information Technology, and external design and construction partners to resolve requirements early and reduce redesign.
Oversee the performance of security integrators, guarding providers, monitoring providers, and other physical security vendors.
Contribute to sourcing strategies, scopes of work, service-level requirements, evaluation criteria, and contract governance.
Develop operational and capital forecasts for physical security programs, technology, and remediation initiatives.
Track cost, service, risk, and implementation performance using metrics and dashboards.
Identify opportunities to standardize services, simplify the vendor landscape, improve value, and strengthen accountability.
Act as a trusted physical security partner to global and regional Workplace leaders and key corporate functions.
Lead through a matrixed global structure, providing direction, implementation support, and accountability to regional and local stakeholders.
Build security awareness and capability through guidance, communications, training, and communities of practice.
Develop direct reports and extended team members, where applicable, with clear objectives, roles, and performance expectations.
Represent physical security in Workplace governance forums, project reviews, and cross-functional working groups.

Benefits

Medical coverage
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Disability coverage
Life coverage
Retirement savings
Paid sick leave
Paid vacation or other personal time
Paid parental leave
Paid time off for bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings