Student Safety Center Coordinator

Chicago Public Schools•Chicago, IL

31d•Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Safety and Security serves as the critical department to partner with school principals and other CPS staff members to ensure that all schools strive towards the goal of establishing a safe environment for our students. Reporting to the Student Safety Center Manager, the Student Safety Center Coordinator serves a critical role in the Office of School Safety and Security strategy. The Student Safety Center Coordinator will diligently and effectively execute assigned duties within the 24/7 Student Safety Center (SSC) including but not limited to video surveillance/investigations, alarm monitoring and call intake. This central role within the SSC team will ensure that accurate information is gathered and disseminated appropriately and swiftly. The Student Safety Center Coordinator will build relationships with local and federal law enforcement and school administrations across the district, and will also work with stakeholders, CPS staff and parents to provide high-quality, professional customer service in all situations including emergencies. This is a full-time, non-exempt position that will be paid for time worked on an hourly basis.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Prior experience in a 24/7 Command Center, Security Operations Center (SOC), Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP/911 call center), or dispatch environment is strongly preferred.
Minimum of four (4) years of combined experience in call center, surveillance, technology, security, vendor management support or project management support.
Experience working with the Chicago Police Department or other law enforcement agencies.
Advanced working knowledge of Genetec Security Center (Omnicast / Synergis) video surveillance and access control systems, including live monitoring, PTZ controls, archive retrieval, and investigative export workflows.
Direct operational experience with SIMS Alarm System software, including processing real-time signals, clearing alarms, managing site accounts, and provisioning passcodes/zones for school facilities.
Must have the flexibility to work various shifts across the 24/7 Student Safety Center.
Ability to prioritize multiple, concurrent emergencies while transmitting accurate information to stakeholders in a timely manner
Ability to communicate effectively with multiple teams and coordinate supports during emergency situations including lockdowns, evacuations, and other high-profile events
Working knowledge of access control systems including programming, managing access levels, time zones, alarms, and event monitoring (preferably Genetec, RapidEye or Salient)
Ability to troubleshoot minor technical issues and initiate immediate action for resolution
Ability to multitask and effectively work with security system integrators, IT and other stakeholders to coordinate, provide instruction, and to guide the implementation process on all technology-related projects.
Technical aptitude and professional assertion.
Working knowledge of security operations concepts.
Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions; however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred
Two (2) years of experience working with video technology is preferred.
Bilingual proficiency (English / Spanish preferred) is preferred.

Responsibilities

Perform required functions with a strong orientation towards action and urgency including, but not limited to: receiving, recording, and reporting serious incidents involving CPS students, staff or property.
Implement SSC notification process for CPS executives for serious incidents involving CPS students, staff or property
Serve as emergency liaison between CPS and local law enforcement agencies.
Monitor real-time camera surveillance across CPS schools and city agencies’ cameras using defined camera mission protocols.
Manage the review of video surveillance during security and legal investigations
Implement all operational protocols, policies, and procedures for the SSC
Provision alarm codes for school staff and newly installed systems at schools.
Coordinate schedules for the off-duty police officers serving in the SSC and the Rapid Response Team based on situational prioritization as requested by the Network Safety Team.
Receive and respond to electronic alarm notifications of local-based alarms due to break-ins, fires or other unusual situations. Support Security Operations in crisis response and incident management
Coordinate with first responders, CPS Safety & Security and school administration when there are notifications of alarms or other emergency situations.
Routinely verify functionality of alarm and camera systems, and immediately notify appropriate personnel when a defect is detected. Define and implement continuous improvement strategies for the SSC to continually optimize the operations
Other duties as assigned