How to hire a lead security officer

How to hire a lead security officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead security officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lead security officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead security officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lead security officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the lead security officer you need to hire. Certain lead security officer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A lead security officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead security officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of lead security officers.

   Type of Lead Security Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Security Officer	Security guards and gaming surveillance officers patrol and protect property against theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity.	$11-37
   Officer	An officer is responsible for managing the daily operations of the assigned area, ensuring its peace and security by monitoring and reporting unusual and suspicious activities. Officers are the ones enforcing strict safety protocols and procedures to maintain the order within the premises... Show more	$12-49
   Security, Shift Supervisor	A security shift supervisor is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the building premises and company assets. Security shift supervisors observe and report suspicious people and activities within the building, monitor surveillance, and write incident reports... Show more	$14-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Security Procedures
   • Emergency Situations
   • Customer Service
   • Work Ethic
   • Incident Reports
   • CCTV
   • CPR
   • Sap Security
   • Local Law Enforcement
   • Property Damage
   • Parking Enforcement
   • Security Operations
   • Medical Emergencies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain a certificate in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
   • Attend Supervisory/Managerial skills training, sexual harassment training, fire extinguisher training, CPR training.
   • Employ advanced police security skills and vigorous patrol techniques to observe and detect criminal activity.
   • Gather CCTV footage, employee/witness statements, and relevant documentation to support criminal proceedings against violators.
   • Maintain a standard of punctuality and dependability of attendance and retain myself cleanliness, tidiness, neatness and appropriately attire.
   • Solicit, host VIP members, clients, providing security and hospitality.

   More lead security officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead security officer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A lead security officer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, lead security officers' average salary in montana is 54% less than in virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lead security officers earn 69% less than senior-level lead security officers.
   • Certifications. A lead security officer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a lead security officer's salary.

   Average lead security officer salary

   $43,560yearly

   $20.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead security officer salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average lead security officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Virginia	$73,544	$35
   2	District of Columbia	$68,271	$33
   3	Pennsylvania	$62,663	$30
   4	Massachusetts	$62,448	$30
   5	New York	$58,195	$28
   6	Ohio	$55,453	$27
   7	Illinois	$51,950	$25
   8	California	$47,872	$23
   9	Texas	$47,061	$23
   10	Michigan	$46,214	$22
   11	Washington	$44,680	$21
   12	Minnesota	$44,641	$21
   13	North Carolina	$42,006	$20
   14	Oregon	$41,829	$20
   15	Wisconsin	$39,924	$19
   16	Arizona	$38,980	$19
   17	Indiana	$38,709	$19
   18	Georgia	$37,183	$18
   19	Colorado	$36,975	$18

   Average lead security officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$136,678	$65.71	47
   2	Citi	$133,778	$64.32	57
   3	Amd	$128,581	$61.82
   4	Bridgewater Associates	$122,258	$58.78
   5	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$122,001	$58.65	181
   6	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	$120,409	$57.89	5
   7	Applied Materials	$117,810	$56.64	10
   8	Cisco	$115,493	$55.53	15
   9	Bank of America	$112,731	$54.20	154
   10	Chubb	$110,877	$53.31
   11	Wells Fargo	$110,802	$53.27	29
   12	Nokia	$108,675	$52.25	2
   13	Waters	$108,189	$52.01
   14	SAIC	$103,590	$49.80	36
   15	General Electric	$100,259	$48.20	15
   16	Avanade	$99,818	$47.99
   17	Ip Services	$99,510	$47.84	2
   18	St. Jude Children's Research Hospital	$97,185	$46.72	2
   19	IBM	$94,216	$45.30	34
   20	VariQ	$94,117	$45.25

4. Writing a lead security officer job description

   A lead security officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a lead security officer job description:

   Lead security officer job description example

   The Global Security (GS) Team provides security protection, investigation, resiliency and crisis management services in support of J.P. Morgan Chase, its employees, customers, assets, and facilities throughout the world. This responsibility includes the development of security and safety policies and procedures, regulatory and legislative compliance, Security Guard management, alarm response, branch and corporate building security, customer safety, physical crime investigations, workplace violence, fire and life safety.
   You are applying to a Security Officer - Team Leader position with JP Morgan Chase.
   
   Hours: To include working weekends 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
   
   Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:
   Ensuring the safety and security of critical areas and personnel Inspecting grounds, premise/property Controlling and monitoring access to building Reporting fire and safety Hazards Alarm management and response Counter Surveillance Emergency response Special events security Defusing difficult situations May involve- Special event Security Executive security Annual security clearance
   Qualifications: Internal and External
   
   Qualifications:
   Must have active State Security Guard License CR and first aid certification preferred Training in fire safety and crime prevention Fire Watch Certification - Certificate of Fitness for Citywide Fire Guard for Impairment (F-01) required Associate degree, or have law enforcement or US Military background with honorable discharge, AND a minimum of five (5) years prior Security Officer experience Capable of handling the physical requirements of the position (corrected vision at a minimum level of 20/50, able to hear and understand normal conversations at a distance of 10 feet Practice normal hygiene and personal cleanliness, neat in dress and appearance Excellent verbal and written communication skills
   Working knowledge of:
   Critical infrastructure security operations Technical security Alarm management Mobile communication and incident reporting applications Customer and Client focus
   
   JPMorgan Chase & Co., one of the oldest financial institutions, offers innovative financial solutions to millions of consumers, small businesses and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Our history spans over 200 years and today we are a leader in investment banking, consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.
   
   We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.
   
   The health and safety of our colleagues, candidates, clients and communities has been a top priority in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. JPMorgan Chase was awarded the "WELL Health-Safety Rating" for all of our 6,200 locations globally based on our operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment.
   
   As a part of our commitment to health and safety, we have implemented various COVID-related health and safety requirements for our workforce. Employees are expected to follow the Firm's current COVID-19 or other infectious disease health and safety requirements, including local requirements. Requirements include sharing information including your vaccine card in the firm's vaccine record tool, and may include mask wearing. Requirements may change in the future with the evolving public health landscape. JPMorgan Chase will consider accommodation requests as required by applicable law.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veterans

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right lead security officer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lead security officer job on Zippia to find and recruit lead security officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting lead security officers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead security officer

   Once you've found the lead security officer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lead security officer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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