Director of Public Safety

Philadelphia, PAFull-timePosted Jul 29, 2026

SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Assistant General Manager, the Director of Public Safety directs, plans, and coordinates the activities of the Security Services Department at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Director of Public Safety is also responsible for the attainment of short and long term financial and operational goals of the department.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Responsible for the physical safety of employees, vendors, exhibitors, contractors, visitors, and anyone else while on the premises of PCC building.
  • Coordinates with Legends Global Corporate Security team to assure the Center is adhering to the latest security standards and protocols.
  • Responsible for the protection of all PCC assets such as building, equipment, furniture and fixtures.  Responsible for the protection of damages and theft. 
  • Acts as one of six Emergency Response Leaders of the Crisis Management Team.
  • Develops & writes Standard Operating Procedure Manual for the Security Services Department.
  • Manages PCC security staff, contractors and vendors. 
  • Confers with Show Manager and/or Show Security Staff during the planning process as well as during the event to ensure the event’s security needs are addressed.  Confers with Event Security staff when issues arise, helps resolve and in event of emergency ensures everyone is safely removed from the building.
  • Reviews show security plans to assure they meet the standards and requirements established.
  • Communicates regularly with approved show security vendors to assure they are providing the levels of protection established by the Center.
  • Notifies appropriate PCC department manager if issues arise that pertain to that department.
  • Coordinates and distributes the two-week schedule to local businesses and parking facilities and all Public Transportation services around the PCC. 
  • Manages and oversees third party 24 hour security contractor.
  • Oversees and interacts with show security during an event.  Approves list of Show Security Companies.  Makes suggestions regarding level of security necessary during an event.
  • Oversees and interacts with event medical personnel that are required for shows larger than 5,000 attendees or for events geared towards specific entities. 
  • Attends all pre-conference meetings to aid show management in planning the security for the event.
  • Meets with participants of required 32-hour Security Training Program to answer questions/concerns/etc.
  • Oversees day-to-day operations of Security Department.
  • Reviews Daily Activity Reports (DAR) for irregularities that may warrant changes in policies and procedures.  Makes recommendations to Vice President.  Notifies other department managers if report involves their department.
  • Reviews and investigates Daily Incident Reports; researching information, questioning individuals, completing required paperwork, determining the severity of the situation and need for further action.   Notifies Philadelphia Police Department if necessary.
  • Works closely with Legal Department on defending liability claims be ensuring a thorough investigation, gaining as much information as possible to avoid lawsuits.
  • Meets with Philadelphia Fire Marshall concerning show set-up and ensures all fire code is adhered to.
  • Coordinates and meets daily with Philadelphia Police and PCC sub-station staff regarding issues in and around the PCC.
  • Creates & writes PCC Emergency Response Plan in coordination with Philadelphia Police. 
  • Works closely with State and Federal Law enforcement and advance staff for VIP/Dignitary visits to the PCC including motorcades, walking route, and internal logistics to ensure everyone’s safety.
  • Monitors union workers for any issues pertaining to security, refers all other issues to department manager. Notifies Police if necessary. 
  • Monitors and enforces the PCC Code of Conduct.
  • Works with Philadelphia Police Department to monitor protests and civil disturbances that may affect the PCC.
  • Requires a very flexible work schedule, including holidays, weekends, and evenings on occasion.
  • Accessible by electronic device of some kind (computer, phone, or some other personal device) 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, including holidays, in the event of an emergency situation impacting the PCC.
  • Knows and models the operating policies and procedures of the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the PCCA’s Code of Ethics.
  • Interfaces with other department heads to create seamless client experiences.
  • Operates across several disciplines and deals with a wide variety of situations.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Directly supervises the Public Safety Manager, Security Supervisors and Command Station Technicians. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Legends Global policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding; disciplining employees in conjunction with Human Resources; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, one must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice preferred and minimum 5 years’ experience in security/law enforcement or
    • minimum 7 years’ experience demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility and leadership ability in the security/law enforcement field
  • Minimum 5 years of experience in hospitality industry is very helpful
  • Minimum 5 years of management experience with the ability to coach and mentor staff
  • Experience in crowd control required
  • Strong computer skills

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

  • Knowledge of Convention Center/Hospitality Industry
  • Must be available 24/7/365 depending on event schedules
  • Ability to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of security principles and procedures
  • Ability to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of Security Department principles and procedures
  • Must be agile and have the ability to move about, sometimes in a quick manner
  • Excellent oral, communication and presentation skills
  • Excellent negotiation skills
  • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents
  • Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints
  • Ability to relate to all peoples at all levels of the organization
  • Must be energetic, forward-thinking, creative individual with high ethical standards
  • Must be self-motivated
  • Ability to work within the Momentous Event Management software application
  • Excellent leadership skills, inspiring and motivating others to perform at the highest level
  • Excellent management skills including staff planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; makes self-available to staff; provides regular performance feedback; develops subordinates’ skills and encourages growth
  • Ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner, gathers and analyzes information accurately and skillfully
  • Excellent delegation skills- delegates work assignments, gives authority to work independently, and sets expectations and monitors delegated activities

COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have working knowledge of the event booking and scheduling software, spreadsheet software and word processing software and be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Crowd Management certification preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to work both indoors and outdoors as required by the function. Must have the physical ability to maneuver around PCC, at times, walking and/or standing up to 8-10 hours daily. The employee is regularly required to sit for long hours; using hand to handle files, type and operate offices machines; to talk and hear on the telephone. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision to handle contracts, other office correspondence, etc.

HOURS OF WORK AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Irregular hours and land and/or travel may be required.

NOTE: The essential responsibilities of this position are described under the headings above.  They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.  Also, this document in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.

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