Senior Officer, Protective Operations

Gates Foundation•Seattle, WA

8h•$157,400 - $236,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Officer is a member of the Protective Operations team within Global Security and reports to the Deputy Director. The role supports the safety of foundation employees worldwide through journey management, executive protection, emergency medical response and assistance, emergency response operations at the Seattle office, and staff training. It requires sound judgment and independent decision-making, and includes travel to high-risk areas on short notice. This is a Seattle-based position; relocation support will be provided. The role includes domestic and international protective operations, security and medical support for events, monitoring and assessing global threats, and coordinating with the risk intelligence team and internal program teams. The Senior Officer also designs and delivers training to prepare staff for high-risk travel and maintain the team’s critical medical and security skills. The position requires availability for deployment outside standard hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays, and the ability to perform physically demanding work in challenging environments. Employment is contingent on applicable pre-employment screening, including a background investigation and, after a conditional offer, medical and psychological evaluations. Candidates must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where the position is located; immigration-related sponsorship is not provided. The salary range is $157,400–$236,000 USD, or $173,100–$259,700 USD in Seattle and Washington, D.C. New-hire salaries are typically between the range minimum and midpoint, with placement depending on job-related skills, experience, and expertise.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and ten or more years of documented success in a government, military, private sector, or NGO security role.
EMT-B certification.
Documented success providing close protection to VIPs and executive-level staff.
Significant experience working in high-risk environments.
Demonstrated ability to make sound, timely decisions independently.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to represent Global Security as a subject matter expert to senior-level audiences.
Verifiable experience exercising sound judgment and responding appropriately under stressful or emergency conditions.
Extensive experience designing and delivering experiential training to a global workforce.
Knowledge of domestic and international protective operations procedures.
Ability to travel internationally on short notice, including to high-risk locations.
Demonstrated advanced firearms proficiency, such as tactical or defensive shooting.
Ability to perform physically demanding tasks, including lifting and carrying up to 65 lbs, prolonged standing or walking, and extended travel across multiple time zones.
Ability to work in extreme temperatures, at high altitude, with limited infrastructure, and with reduced access to medical care.
Availability to deploy outside standard hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
Unrestricted work authorization in the country where the position is located; the Foundation does not provide immigration-related sponsorship.
Successful completion of applicable pre-employment screening, including a background investigation and, after a conditional offer, medical and psychological evaluations.

Nice To Haves

EMT-P certification.
ACLS certification.
BLS instructor certification.
Prior law enforcement, military, or executive protection firearms training.
Advanced or defensive driving certification.

Responsibilities

Manage journeys for employees traveling to high-risk areas, including direct support to senior leadership and assigned special activities.
Provide domestic and international executive protection.
Provide medical and security support for events.
Deliver timely assessments and mitigation strategies to counter threats to foundation activities globally.
Monitor global threats and changes in the risk environment in collaboration with the risk intelligence team.
Advise the risk intelligence team about changes to trusted security partners’ subnational risk assessments.
Review daily threat information to identify potential threats to the foundation.
Design and deliver assigned training programs to prepare staff for high-risk travel and maintain the Protective Operations team’s critical medical and security skills.
Collaborate with internal program teams to consider foreseeable risks and implement protective measures for staff and executives.
Augment and assist the Seattle campus security team as an emergency response team member, as assigned.
Manage vendor relationships, expectations, and outcomes effectively.