What does a security director do?
A security director is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's assets, as well as the welfare of employees within the company's premises. Security directors enforce security protocols and policies and conducting training and programs to employees for safety and emergency drills. They also investigate suspicious activities in the organization by checking surveillance equipment and coordinating with law enforcement personnel. They review incident reports, develop security process improvements, and handle budgets and allocate resources for security operations.
Security director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real security director resumes:
- Manage and coordinate all securities lending and match book business within RCap.
- Work for and in Devops teams to automate cloud deployments and system processes.
- Achieve market leadership, resulting in the top ranking of inter-dealer securities brokers on the street.
- Manage supervisors and security officers including selection, scheduling, payroll, development and support.
- Maintain full accountability for managing all aspects of day-to-day safety and security activities in accordance with organizational goals and objectives.
- Monitor month-end process for global MBS financial reporting group.
- Negotiate HIPAA policies, procedures, and forms for CIGNATURE project.
- Oversee the construction and maintenance of the landmark headquarters in NYC.
- Assist building management in CPR training, fire/life safety issues including bomb threat procedures and earthquake awareness programs.
- Articulate TSA's goals/objectives to local, state and federal law enforcement partners, as well as transportation stakeholders.
- Resolve routine problems that typically impact the objectives of the TSA which include coordinating with customers outside the immediate organization.
- Coordinate all safety training to include CPR, fire and life safety systems, workplace violence prevention, and fire drills.
- Patrol property to ensure tenant and visitor safety and security.
- Maintain weekly operating schedules and complete payroll for assign security personnel.
- Upgrade CCTV on campus adding cameras in strategic locations that necessitate security coverage.
Security director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Security Directors are proficient in Oversight, Security Operations, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Business skills, Organizational skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Security Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Oversight, 7%
Implemented investigative initiatives which align partners, describe process and procedures and identify goals in the oversight of an investigation.
- Security Operations, 6%
Identified operational improvements in all functional areas of security operations, including quality management, customer service, and budgeting guidelines.
- Customer Service, 6%
Developed/implemented training programs improving property security, customer service
- Risk Management, 6%
Developed and implemented information security and risk management programs covering everything from assessment, to management, to optimization.
- Cloud Security, 5%
Increased Cloud Security awareness of public sector organizations.
- Security Program, 5%
Developed a comprehensive enterprise wide asset protection program and a security/surveillance training and development program to include a hotel security program.
Most security directors use their skills in "oversight," "security operations," and "customer service" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential security director responsibilities here:
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of security directors is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday security director duties, as "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "established departmental security policies and procedures and enforcement of said policies, improving efficiency and both oral and written communications. "
Leadership skills. security director responsibilities often require "leadership skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." This resume example shows what security directors do with leadership skills on a typical day: "controlled security functions, holding supervisory personnel accountable for shift operations and leadership techniques. "
Time-management skills. While "time-management skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to security director responsibilities. Much of what a security director does relies on this skill, seeing as "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of security directors: "monitor incident reports to make sure they are on time and complete"
The three companies that hire the most security directors are:
- Pwc186 security directors jobs
- Allied Universal
7 security directors jobs
- Andy Frain Services6 security directors jobs
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Compare different security directors
Security director vs. Manager, security infrastructure and enterprise services
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, security director responsibilities require skills like "oversight," "customer service," "risk management," and "cloud security." Meanwhile a typical manager, security infrastructure and enterprise services has skills in areas such as "architecture," "pci," "business objectives," and "nist." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Managers, security infrastructure and enterprise services tend to reach similar levels of education than security directors. In fact, managers, security infrastructure and enterprise services are 4.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Security director vs. Corporate physical security supervisor
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, security director responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "oversight," "security operations," "customer service," and "risk management." Meanwhile, a corporate physical security supervisor has duties that require skills in areas such as "aed," "corporate facilities," "r," and "physical security operations." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
In general, corporate physical security supervisors achieve lower levels of education than security directors. They're 7.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Security director vs. Assistant security manager
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, security directors are more likely to have skills like "oversight," "customer service," "risk management," and "cloud security." But a assistant security manager is more likely to have skills like "safety procedures," "personnel security programs," "security clearance," and "jpas."
Assistant security managers typically earn similar educational levels compared to security directors. Specifically, they're 4.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Security director vs. Corporate security manager
Types of security director
Updated January 8, 2025
