Security Director

State of Iowa•Eldora - 50627 - Hardin County, IA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) merged on July 1, 2022, to form one agency, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We are seeking a Security Director to join the team at the State Training School (STS) in Eldora. The STS provides a holistic social, behavioral, psychiatric, academic, and vocational program that utilizes counseling, treatment and consequences paired with praise for young men, ages 12-18 years old, who were adjudicated delinquent. The primary responsibilities of the Security Director are to oversee the security department and to coordinate all security protocol and efforts facility wide. The Security Director operates at an administrative level assisting in identifying and implementing all policy and procedures regarding security control, accountability, and complete oversight for all security measures. The Security Director serves as the first point of contact for all facility tool/equipment issues, rules, policies, direction, guidance, monitoring, and decision making; as well as for all operational standards facility wide.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to three years of full-time work in professional-level work in a treatment or habilitation program for correctional inmates, the delinquent, disadvantaged, mentally or emotionally ill, or intellectually disabled.
A total of seven years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
One year of full-time work experience in full-time professional-level work in a treatment or habilitation program for correctional inmates, the delinquent, disadvantaged, mentally or emotionally ill, or intellectually disabled; and a total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience; and a total of two years of graduate-level education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university coursework in the social/behavioral sciences, health sciences, or administrative sciences equals one year of full-time experience.
Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes four years of fulltime work as a Resident Treatment Supervisor or Youth Services Technician; or three years of full-time work as a Correctional Supervisor.
Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes two years full-time experience as a Correctional Security Manager, Treatment Program Supervisor, or Youth Counselor; or one year of full-time work as a Youth Counselor Supervisor.
Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.

Nice To Haves

Work at this level generally requires a prerequisite of four or more years of post-high school educational training in one of the behavioral, social, or health sciences.

Responsibilities

Assumes responsibility and accountability for all security related circumstances, issues, improvements, tool control and adherence to policy and procedural expectations and implementation.
Supervising all security staff and assigned personnel including performance evaluations, scheduling, orientation, and training.
Responds to crisis situations and de-escalate students in times of crisis, using rapport based interactions to teach self-regulation skills to the students.
Assumes administrative and supervisory responsibilities in the absence of Deputy Superintendent/Superintendent operating as the Duty Superintendent.
Enforcing the control and accountability of tools and Security Risk Items (SRIs) within the facility by ensuring staff are complying with tool control procedures daily.
Review and conduct daily, weekly, etc. security checks of all campus locations including living units and other areas students reside regularly; assure checks of support areas and compliance of appropriate tool and security procedures.
Communicate efficiently and professionally in all situations including work with students and staff personnel; assign work and provide guidance to subordinates.
Traverse all areas of campus supervising staff and student activities and ensure safety and security is operationally sound campus wide in daily activities and practice.
Maintain and supervise all campus security in practice, policy writing and revision, exploration of best practices and safest procedures, and organizational and operational structures and standards.
Reviews all aspects of special incidents (restraints, critical incidents, etc.) to ensure compliance with State Training School, PbS, Federal, and State guidelines.
Display a high level of initiative, effort, attention to detail, demonstrate critical thinking, decisive judgment, and commitment with minimal supervision.
Be able to ensure that work rules are being followed and confront employees in a respectful manner when needed.
Produces appropriate Judgment and Decision Making in Consideration of relative costs and benefits with potential security actions to choose the most appropriate.
Understanding and Application of current security measures regarding juveniles and knowledge of trends and best practices; educating facility staff of best practices.
Teach De-escalation and restraint practices utilized; other security related trainings as needed.