New

Director, Global Safety & Physical Security

AHEAD
vision insurance, paid time off, 401(k)
United States, Illinois, Libertyville
Jan 15, 2026
AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation. At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD. We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived. We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD. The Director, Global Safety & Physical Security will build and lead a scalable, enterprise program that protects our people, facilities, and operations worldwide. Based at our Libertyville, IL campus, this leader will own safety and physical security strategy and execution across all locations, including India and the United Kingdom. The role partners closely with People & Culture, the broader Security and Risk team, Foundry operations, Facilities, Legal, and third-party integrators and consultants to deliver clear standards, reliable operations, data-driven reporting, and a strong safety culture. The focus is of this role is on pragmatic safety, physical controls, and readiness. Responsibilities: Set the global safety and physical security strategy, standards, and roadmap aligned to business growth and site expansion. Establish and oversee site security programs: access control, video management, intrusion detection, visitor management, key management, and badge lifecycle. Partner with Business Resiliency leadership to build and lead crisis management and emergency response, including EAPs, threat assessment, workplace violence prevention, and executive and travel risk. Partner with Foundry operations to implement practical industrial safety controls, safe work practices, and contractor management. Lead security vendor strategy and delivery: requirements, RFPs, selection, service levels, lifecycle refresh, and cost optimization with integrators and guarding providers. Embed safety and security into site design and renovations, including design reviews, device placement standards, and commissioning. Develop policies, playbooks, and training for leaders, managers, and front-line employees; drive drills and tabletop exercises. Track KPIs and KRIs, publish dashboards, and brief executives with clear risk narratives and budget recommendations. Coordinate investigations in partnership with HR and Legal while maintaining confidentiality and evidence handling discipline. Ensure regulatory alignment with OSHA and relevant regional requirements globally; maintain inspection and audit readiness. Lead a 24x7 response posture with on-call coordination and post-incident reviews. Qualifications 10+ years leading corporate safety and physical security across multi-site, global operations. Hands-on expertise with physical security technologies and guard force operations, including vendor and integrator management. Law enforcement or public safety experience is beneficial with clear translation to corporate settings. Experience with EHS program design, audits, incident investigation, and corrective actions. Experience building programs in mixed environments, including office, light industrial, and distributed workforces. Practical knowledge of OSHA and familiarity with UK HSE and India health and safety requirements. Proven crisis management and emergency planning experience with cross-functional partners. Data-driven operator with KPI development, dashboarding, and executive reporting experience. Skilled facilitator and trainer with strong written and verbal communication. One or more certifications such as CPP, PSP, CFE, CSP/ASP, or ICS/NIMS coursework is desirable. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Ability to work on-site in Libertyville and travel globally as needed. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Highly organized and ability to work independently. Success Characteristics Builder mindset that delivers simple, scalable standards and repeatable playbooks. Bias for practical risk reduction, not theoretical controls. Calm, decisive leadership in incidents with strong follow-through on remediation. Vendor-savvy negotiator who balances cost, coverage, and service quality. Clear communicator who turns metrics into action and briefs executives with clarity. High integrity, sound judgment, and discretion in sensitive matters. Ownership mentality with comfort in a 24x7 global support model. Commitment to confidentiality and ethical integrity. Transparent, enthusiastic, respectful, accountable, achieves excellence, and consistently delivers quality service to team members and the organization. Ability to adapt and thrive in a dynamic work environment. Why AHEAD: Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between. We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning. USA Employment Benefits include: - Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance - 401(k) - Paid company holidays - Paid time off - Paid parental and caregiver leave - Plus more! See benefits https://www.aheadbenefits.com/ for additional details. The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings ("OTE") for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount. This OTE range may vary based on the candidate's relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.