Director – Physical Security and Safety

Group 1001is a consumer-centric, technology-driven family of insurance companies on a mission to deliver outstanding value and operational performance by combining financial strength and stability with deep insurance expertise and a can-do culture. Group1001’s culture emphasizes the importance of collaboration, communication, core business focus, risk management, and striving for outcomes. This goal extends to how we hire and onboard our most valuable assets – our employees.

Group 1001 is hiring a Director, Physical Security and Safety to lead physical security and safety response across its U.S. locations. The role sits within the Security Intelligence Group, which brings together intelligence, security operations, and physical security in one function. It is based at our headquarters in Zionsville, Indiana.

Why This Role Matters:

The Director, Physical Security and Safety owns physical security across all Group 1001 U.S. locations and leads the response when an incident or emergency affects any site. You will direct the Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) and the contract security officer program, own access control, and manage how the company prepares for, responds to, and recovers from security and safety events.

You will lead a risk-based physical security program built on clear standards, measurable performance, and accountability. You will use security data and analytics to show leadership where risk is concentrated and where investment will have the greatest effect. Working with HR, Legal, Facilities, and Business Continuity, you will set clear roles and standards for incident response across the organization and build a culture where security and safety are shared responsibilities.

The role reports to the Head of Security Intelligence Group and works closely with Executive Security, Threat Intelligence, Insider Risk, and Cybersecurity Operations. It is accountable for delivering the multi-year physical security roadmap.

How You'll Contribute:

Security Operations:

• Manage physical security operations across all U.S. locations through the Physical Security Operations Lead, the contract security officer program, and the Global Security Operations Center (GSOC).
• Direct GSOC alarm monitoring, video surveillance and analytics, dispatch, and escalation.
• Direct the contract security officer program, including deployment, post requirements, training, and performance.
• Establish operating standards, staffing and coverage requirements, escalation protocols and quality assurance processes to ensure consistent monitoring and incident response capabilities.
• Manage the security integrator and technology vendors to service-level agreements, and develop requirements, refresh plans and business cases for access control, video surveillance, and intrusion detection.
• Conduct periodic vendor performance reviews, monitor contract compliance, and oversee corrective actions to maintain service quality.

Access Control and Physical Protection:

• Own the access control program, including the credential lifecycle, role-based access, visitor and contractor access, entry controls, and access reviews for restricted areas.
• Set physical security standards for offices, new and leased sites, and sensitive spaces such as data rooms and network closets, including perimeter and parking security and mail screening.
• Coordinate with landlords and property management teams to define security responsibilities, building access procedures, and emergency response expectations at leased locations.

Incident and Emergency Management:

• Lead response to security and safety incidents, oversee incident reporting and case management, and coordinate with law enforcement and first responders.
• Serve as the physical security lead on the crisis management team.
• Maintain the emergency action plan and all-hazards response playbooks.
• Direct mass notification, site closures, shelter-in-place, evacuations and personnel accountability.
• Run drills, tabletop exercises, and after-action reviews across all locations.
• Partner with HR, Legal, and Threat Intelligence to develop and maintain workplace violence prevention and response protocols, including threat assessment, concerning behavior reporting, protective measures, and coordination of high-risk employee separations.

Risk, Analytics, and Compliance:

• Conduct site security risk assessments and set up mitigation priorities using an Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM) approach.
• Manage data from access control, video, alarms, the GSOC, and incident reporting. Use it to measure how well controls work, identify trends, direct investment, and report metrics to leadership.
• Own the enterprise physical security policy, standards and multi-year roadmap, and support internal audit, regulatory and client requests related to physical security controls.
• Promote an employee security awareness and reporting culture, including clear channels for reporting suspicious activity, concerning behavior, and security incidents.

Partnerships:

• Build and maintain relationships with law enforcement and emergency agencies at every location, and plan for protests and civil disturbances that may affect sites.
• Partner with HR and Legal, support investigations and sensitive employee actions, and manage custody and release of security records.
• Partner with Facilities on fire and life safety, and on security design for new sites, renovations and company events.
• Coordinate physical security planning for corporate events, executive visits, and other high-profile activities, ensuring alignment with Executive Security, Threat Intelligence, Facilities, and event stakeholders.

Business Continuity and Resilience:

• Maintain business impact analysis and continuity plans for security operations, including access control and monitoring.
• Partner with Business Continuity on incident command, site recovery, alternate-site operations and continuity exercises.

What We're Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Security Management, Criminal Justice, Emergency Management or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in physical or corporate security across multiple locations.
• 3+ years of people management, including leading security operations teams and contract security officers.
• Track record of using access control, video, alarm and incident data to measure how well controls work, prioritize risk and justify investment.
• Experience leading security operations, including a security operations center, access control at secure facilities, and managing security vendors and integrators.
• Experience building emergency action plans, playbooks and standard operating procedures, and leading incident response and crisis management with sound, disciplined judgment under pressure.
• Proven ability to build relationships from the ground up with law enforcement, emergency management and government agencies.
• Experience presenting to and influencing senior leaders, and working across HR, Legal, Facilities and technology teams.
• Experience overseeing workplace violence prevention, behavioral threat assessment, and multidisciplinary incident response.
• Must live in or be willing to relocate to the Indianapolis area. In office 3 days per week (mandatory), up to 25% travel, and available after hours for urgent incidents.
• Nice to have: Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP), Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) or Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP).

Technical Skills:

• Working knowledge of access control, video management, intrusion detection, mass notification, and incident management systems.
• Hands-on administration of security systems and their data
• Building analytical dashboards to measure program effectiveness
• Strong knowledge of physical security, life safety, emergency management and business continuity principles, including Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Benefits Highlights: 

Employees who meet benefit eligibility guidelines and work 30 hours or more weekly, have the ability to enroll in Group 1001’s benefits package. Employees (and their families) are eligible to participate in the Company’s comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plan options.  Employees are also eligible for Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability. All employees (regardless of hours worked) have immediate access to the Company’s Employee Assistance Program and wellness programs—no enrollment is required.  Employees may also participate in the Company’s 401K plan, with matching contributions by the Company.

Group 1001, and its affiliated companies, is strongly committed to providing a supportive work environment where employee differences are valued. Diversity is an essential ingredient in making Group 1001 a welcoming place to work and is fundamental in building a high-performance team. Diversity embodies all the differences that make us unique individuals.  All employees share the responsibility for maintaining a workplace culture of dignity, respect, understanding and appreciation of individual and group differences.

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