Physical Security Lead

Sierra•San Francisco, CA

3d•$75 - $90•Onsite

About The Position

Sierra is hiring its first Physical Security Lead to build and own a global physical security program from the ground up. The role protects Sierra’s people, offices, events, and information as the company grows across North America, Europe, and Asia. The Lead will partner with Workplace Technology, IT Engineering, Workplace, Security Engineering, People, and Legal, and establish the function’s strategy, standards, and operating model as it scales. The position is based in Sierra’s San Francisco office and includes regular travel to other offices. The Lead will set a global security baseline, oversee physical security systems and vendors, support office openings and build-outs, and protect sensitive spaces. The role also owns physical security policies and compliance controls, incident response and emergency preparedness, event security, executive protection coordination, travel risk management, and security services contracts.

Requirements

At least 8 years of experience in corporate physical security, global security, or security operations, including building or substantially scaling a program at a fast-growing technology company.
Track record of establishing a physical security function at an early stage, including policies, vendors, budget, metrics, and team, with good judgment about priorities.
Hands-on experience with modern, cloud-based access control, video, and visitor management platforms and their integration with identity systems such as Okta.
Experience conducting site risk assessments, threat assessments, and investigations, and handling sensitive matters discreetly with People and Legal teams.
Calm, decisive leadership during incidents and emergencies, including serving as incident lead and conducting after-action reviews.
Experience securing offices across multiple regions, including Europe and Asia, and managing guard, integrator, and executive protection vendors.
Ability to build security programs employees welcome and to communicate risk clearly to executives, engineers, and building partners.
Based in the San Francisco office and able to travel regularly to other offices.

Nice To Haves

Law enforcement, military, or government experience.
Professional certifications such as ASIS PSP or CPP.
Experience running TSCM programs or protecting sensitive R&D or AI research environments.
Experience with GSOC operations, mass notification, or travel risk management platforms.

Responsibilities

Assess risk across Sierra sites and establish global physical security policies, standards, site tiers, a prioritized roadmap, budget, and metrics.
Set strategy and governance for badge access, video, intrusion detection, and visitor management systems; ensure least-privilege access, regular reviews, timely access removal, monitoring, and backup power.
Define security requirements for new offices and build-outs, partnering with Workplace, landlords, architects, and integrators from design through commissioning.
Secure executive areas, boardrooms, and conference rooms, including technical surveillance countermeasures sweeps, recording-device policies, and visitor and guest controls.
Build a workplace violence prevention and behavioral threat assessment program with People and Legal.
Partner with Security Engineering and IT Engineering to review physical and digital signals together for insider risk.
Own the Physical Security Policy and physical controls supporting compliance programs; represent physical security in customer security assessments and audits and drive findings to closure.
Lead physical security incident response, investigations, and emergency plans for each office; run drills and tabletop exercises and establish monitoring and escalation through an in-house function or GSOC partner.
Issue safety advisories and coordinate with building security and local authorities when employees are at risk near offices.
Plan security for all-hands meetings, customer events, and off-sites.
Coordinate executive protection and travel risk management with vendors.
Own guard and security services contracts across sites, including post orders, staffing, and performance.

Benefits

Flexible (unlimited) paid time off.
Medical, dental, and vision benefits for employees and their families.
Life insurance and disability benefits.
Retirement plan dependent on country of employment.
Parental leave.
Fertility and family-building benefits through Carrot.
Lunch, snacks, and coffee.
Discretionary benefit stipend.
Free alphorn lessons.
Eligible full-time employees can participate in Sierra’s equity plans, subject to applicable plan terms and policies.