What Does a Lead Security Officer Do?

A lead security officer manages the members of a security team assigned to a certain shift. Lead security officers plan, organize, direct, and schedule work. They train personnel and recommend applicants for corrective action and training opportunities. It is their job to verify identification upon entry to a facility. They see to it that a secure environment for events is well-maintained. Also, they develop an execution plan and cloud strategy for the technology advisory board.

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Lead Security Officer Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real lead security officer resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

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.
Provide general hotel security in a large hotel and restaurant/lounge, including extensive person/family security for celebrities and other VIP guests.

Lead Security Officer Job Description

Between the years 2018 and 2028, lead security officer jobs are expected to undergo a growth rate described as "as fast as average" at 4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So if the thought "should I become a lead security officer?" Has crossed your mind, maybe you should take the growth rate into account. In addition, the number of lead security officer opportunities that are projected to become available by 2028 is 40,600.

On average, the lead security officer annual salary is $43,560 per year, which translates to $20.94 an hour. Generally speaking, lead security officers earn anywhere from $24,000 to $77,000 a year, which means that the top-earning lead security officers make $92,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

Once you've become a lead security officer, you may be curious about what other opportunities are out there. Careers aren't one size fits all. For that reason, we discovered some other jobs that you may find appealing. Some jobs you might find interesting include a security specialist, officer, security, shift supervisor, and security/customer service.

Learn More About Lead Security Officer Job Descriptions

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12 Lead Security Officer Resume Examples

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Vincent James Lead Security Officer Contact Information Los Angeles, CA (220) 555-4606 vjames@example.com Skills Entry Control Emergency Client Site Customer Service Training Exercises Financial Statements Performance Evaluations AFB Law Enforcement Sergeants Employment History Lead Security Officer 2019 - Present Department of Homeland Security Los Angeles, CA Established the validity of all threats in order to mitigate the threat by effectively communicating with others in emergency situations. Certified Crises Control Officer (Emergency Response Program). Directed traffic during emergency and congested situations. Officer 2009 - 2019 Department of Homeland Security Los Angeles, CA Received no complaints from arrestees or the general public throughout my career. Audited current policies and procedures to assist in improving operational strategies. Recorded incident reports.Screened passengers in professional manner. Supervised ADASP/Playbook Team and trained new Playbook officers on policy and procedures. Patrolman 2007 - 2009 Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles, CA Conducted Audits of division personnel and divisional paperwork to ensure compliance with state and federal laws as well as department policy. Apprehended and arrested individuals for wide range of criminal activity. Responded to domestic disturbances, traffic accidents, & emergency situations. Security Forces Member 2006 - 2007 Securitas Services New York, NY Identified and addressed various physical security problems, situations and questions. Monitored and provided crowd control at events such as fairs, 5K Runs, concerts and parades. Recommended facility improvements to managers. Supervised Security Command Center staff and operations on rotating assignments. Education High School Diploma 2006 - 2006


Amanda Rodriguez Lead Security Officer Contact Info San Diego, CA (550) 555-9102 arodriguez@example.com Skills Security ReportsPositive AttitudeEmergencyCPRBag RoomComputer ApplicationsNon-Emergency CallsActivity ReportsScheduling AppointmentsSafety Procedures Employment History Lead Security Officer 2018 - Present Allied Universal San Diego, CA Conducted hands on training for support staff in emergency response to ensure site-wide functionality and preparedness. Maintain quality assurance and physical security standards and implement updates as needed for compliance. Preformed security operations and monitored the CCTV's, responded to crisis alerts. Investigate and complete accurate incident reports. Security 2008 - 2018 Securitas Services Chicago, IL provided Unarmed security guard services to construction site's and Industrial warehouses. Communicate with associated parties during emergency related operations. Monitor CCTV and access control programs. Dispatcher 2007 - 2008 Securitas Services Chicago, IL Worked with field personnel, police and fire departments during public emergency situations to ensure responder and public safety. Managed a wide range of emergency calls from very serious medical emergencies to people trapped in elevators. Assist drivers with call out service, emergency assistance. Record (type in) radio traffic into the logs on the computer for future reference. Initiated, monitored and directed appropriate emergency unit response. Security Dispatcher 2004 - 2007 Securitas Services Chicago, IL Respond to alarms, emergency situations and other calls for service. Developed site-specific Emergency Response Plan. Maintained complete accountability during redeployment of all sensitive items and communication equipment. Charleston Police Department Westminster Police Department Processed emergency calls for Law Enforcement Agencies. Dispatched emergency units; relayed information to and from emergency response units. Provided excellent security services for the U.S Open golf tournament. Education High School Diploma 2004 - 2004


Karen Hicks Lead Security Officer Buffalo, NY (330) 555-7442 khicks@example.com Experience Lead Security Officer2012 - Present Morris Protective Service•Buffalo, NY Operated and Review CCTV for incidents Facilitate communication between employees, emergency response teams and facility management. Prepare comprehensive, timely, and detailed incident reports. Utilized CCTV in observing and reacting to situations from theft, larceny, fights, and others within client's property. Security Officer2010 - 2012 U.S. Security•Buffalo, NY Train regularly for campus-wide evacuations and emergency services. Maintain working relationship with federal law enforcement agencies and U.S. Coast Guard Inspected and documented suspicious or unusual activity. Handled emergency situations and security threats in a professional manner, following established procedures. Receptionist/Security Officer2008 - 2010 Securitas Services•Chicago, IL Worked with facility access control systems and electronic alarm systems. Conducted multiple patrols throughout my shift, monitored alarms and CCTV. Planned, prepared and revised work schedules based on budget, client needs and workloads to ensure weekly payroll compliance. Skills Evict ViolatorsUnarmed SecurityClient FacilityGreeting VisitorsSecurity OfficersVisible DeterrentEmergencyCommunicationCctvDaily Activities Education High School Diploma 2008 - 2008

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Lead Security Officer Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 19% of Lead Security Officers are proficient in Patrol, Security Procedures, and Emergency Situations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Good judgment, and Observation skills.

We break down the percentage of Lead Security Officers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Patrol, 19%
Employed advanced police security skills and vigorous patrol techniques to observe and detect criminal activity.
Security Procedures, 9%
Conduct quarterly tours of other DC area federal facility construction operations to advise on establishment of site security procedures.
Emergency Situations, 9%
Provided customer service to patients and visitors, responded to emergency situations, conducted/participated in preventative type drills and exercises.
Customer Service, 9%
Provided exceptional customer service in the ability to quickly and efficiently provide residential and business listings to customers upon request.
Work Ethic, 7%
Distinguished self from coworkers with outstanding work ethic and recognized for meritorious service by senior leadership twice.
Incident Reports, 5%
Answer security on call phone and respond to any emergencies deemed necessary to ensure security officers are correctly writing incident reports.

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Some of the skills we found on lead security officer resumes included "patrol," "security procedures," and "emergency situations." We have detailed the most important lead security officer responsibilities below.

Arguably the most important personality trait for a lead security officer to have happens to be communication skills. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "security guards and officers must communicate effectively with others, even in stressful situations." Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that lead security officers can use communication skills to "maintained communications with property owners and internal teams including the emergency response team. "

Another trait important for fulfilling lead security officer duties is good judgment. According to a lead security officer resume, "security guards and officers must be able to quickly determine the best course of action when a dangerous situation arises." Here's an example of how lead security officers are able to utilize good judgment: "maintain security while providing good customer service. "

Another skill that is quite popular among lead security officers is observation skills. This skill is very critical to fulfilling every day responsibilities as is shown in this example from a lead security officer resume: "security guards and officers must be alert and aware of their surroundings, and be able to quickly recognize anything out of the ordinary." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "write comprehensive reports outlining observations and activities, provide customer service and support during the assigned shift. "

In order for certain lead security officer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "patience." According to a lead security officer resume, "security guards and officers may need to spend long periods standing and observing their environment without distractions." As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "respond to emergency situations like transport of patience to er keeping elevators clear. "

See the full list of lead security officer skills.

Before becoming a lead security officer, 33.9% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 5.3% lead security officers went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, some lead security officers have a college degree. But about one out of every four lead security officers didn't attend college at all.

Those lead security officers who do attend college, typically earn either a criminal justice degree or a business degree. Less commonly earned degrees for lead security officers include a general studies degree or a psychology degree.

Once you're ready to become a lead security officer, you should explore the companies that typically hire lead security officers. According to lead security officer resumes that we searched through, lead security officers are hired the most by Applied Materials, BMO Capital Markets, and Securitas AB. Currently, Applied Materials has 54 lead security officer job openings, while there are 47 at BMO Capital Markets and 35 at Securitas AB.

If you're interested in companies where lead security officers make the most money, you'll want to apply for positions at Microsoft, Citi, and Amd. We found that at Microsoft, the average lead security officer salary is $136,678. Whereas at Citi, lead security officers earn roughly $133,778. And at Amd, they make an average salary of $128,581.

View more details on lead security officer salaries across the United States.

We also looked into companies who hire lead security officers from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include Securitas AB, Securitas AB, and G4S Technology.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious lead security officers are:

Applied Materials54 Lead Security Officers Jobs
BMO Capital Markets47 Lead Security Officers Jobs
Securitas AB35 Lead Security Officers Jobs

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What Security Specialists Do

A security specialist is responsible for maintaining the security of an organization's database, ensuring that it's free from cyber threats and unusual activities. Security specialists' duties include upgrading hardware and software applications, configuring networks to improve optimization, addressing any unauthorized access on the database, troubleshooting system discrepancies, conducting security audits on the system, and improving automated processes. A security specialist must have a strong command of programming languages and system codes, as well as broad experience with technical expertise.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take security specialist for example. On average, the security specialists annual salary is $6,332 higher than what lead security officers make on average every year.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between lead security officers and security specialists are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like patrol, security procedures, and emergency situations.

As far as similarities go, this is where it ends because a lead security officer responsibility requires skills such as "parking enforcement," "loss prevention," "safety hazards," and "sap functional." Whereas a security specialist is skilled in "ladders," "security incidents," "security clearance," and "security program." So if you're looking for what truly separates the two careers, you've found it.

The education levels that security specialists earn is a bit different than that of lead security officers. In particular, security specialists are 1.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a lead security officer. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of an 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. They also coordinate with law enforcement agencies in conducting appropriate investigations for any violating cases. An officer must be highly-knowledgeable of the law policies, as well as possessing excellent leadership skills to manage the members under the officer's patrol.

The next role we're going to look at is the officer profession. Typically, this position earns a higher pay. In fact, they earn a $8,946 higher salary than lead security officers per year.

A similarity between the two careers of lead security officers and officers are a few of the skills associated with both roles. We used resumes from both professions to find that both use skills like "patrol," "emergency situations," and "customer service. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that lead security officer responsibilities requires skills like "security procedures," "work ethic," "sap security," and "local law enforcement." But an officer might use skills, such as, "public safety," "powerpoint," "law enforcement agencies," and "financial statements."

When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, officers tend to reach higher levels of education than lead security officers. In fact, they're 5.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Security, Shift Supervisor Compares

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. They also delegate tasks and schedule shifts to the security staff, assist guests with their inquiries and concerns, and direct them to the correct department. A security shift supervisor must have excellent leadership and observational skills.

Let's now take a look at the security, shift supervisor profession. On average, these workers make lower salaries than lead security officers with a $5,935 difference per year.

Using lead security officers and security, shift supervisors resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "patrol," "security procedures," and "emergency situations," but the other skills required are very different.

As mentioned, these two careers differ between other skills that are required for performing the work exceedingly well. For example, gathering from lead security officers resumes, they are more likely to have skills like "work ethic," "sap security," "parking enforcement," and "sap functional." But a security, shift supervisor might have skills like "performance evaluations," "security logs," "direct supervision," and "criminal justice."

Interestingly enough, security, shift supervisors earn the most pay in the professional industry, where they command an average salary of $36,667. As mentioned previously, lead security officers highest annual salary comes from the start-up industry with an average salary of $44,958.

When it comes to education, security, shift supervisors tend to earn similar education levels than lead security officers. In fact, they're 2.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Security/Customer Service

A security/customer service is primarily in charge of enforcing security protocols in business establishments to prevent theft and protect properties and individuals. Part of their daily responsibilities is to patrol areas, keep an eye out for any suspicious activities or behavior, monitor security systems and cameras, and conduct regular inspections. They may also assist customers by answering inquiries, helping locate offices or stores, responding to distress, and resolving issues or concerns, ensuring customer satisfaction. Moreover, as security/customer service, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with co-workers, coordinating to keep order in the establishment.

Security/customer services tend to earn a lower pay than lead security officers by about $11,445 per year.

According to resumes from both lead security officers and security/customer services, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "patrol," "emergency situations," and "customer service. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a lead security officer might have more use for skills like "security procedures," "work ethic," "sap security," and "parking enforcement." Meanwhile, some security/customer services might include skills like "id," "customer issues," "customer satisfaction," and "customer interaction" on their resume.

Now, let's take a closer look at the financials in each career. The hospitality industry tends to pay more for security/customer services with an average of $35,558. While the highest lead security officer annual salary comes from the start-up industry.

The average resume of security/customer services showed that they earn similar levels of education to lead security officers. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 2.6% less. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.2%.

Updated October 2, 2020