Head of Museum Security and Safety Position Available In Richland, South Carolina

Head of Museum Security and Safety State of South Carolina – 2.9 Columbia, SC Job Details Full-time $61,800 – $70,000 a year 1 day ago Qualifications 5 years Employment & labor law Bachelor’s degree Organizational skills Law Enforcement Senior level Leadership Communication skills Full Job Description JOB The South Carolina State Museum is a premier cultural institution dedicated to showcasing the rich history, natural history, art, and science of South Carolina. This is an exciting moment for the South Carolina State Museum as it embarks on its Reimagine the Experience campaign to revolutionize the museum experience for our visitors and expand our impact state-wide. This collaborative campaign will allow the museum to share more of its extensive collection of over 1.1 million objects and specimens and renew over 150,000 square feet with updated permanent exhibitions and immersive multimedia experiences which highlight fascinating stories and people throughout South Carolina’s history. Through these revitalized spaces, the museum will offer our guests the opportunity to connect with each other and the many communities that call our state home. Come be a part of our team “reimagining” what the South Carolina State Museum can be for our next generation of visitors, students, and scholars.

We are seeking a Head of Museum Security and Safety who is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive security strategies that protect museum visitors, staff, and collections while aligning width the institution’s operational and financial goals. This role ensures compliance with American Alliance of Museums (AAM) facilities and risk management standards, balancing risk mitigation, emergency preparedness, and visitor experience.

Develop and implement security policies in compliance with AAM Facilities and Risk Management Standards for accredited museums and align with the State Security and safety guidelines for state-administered buildings; conduct risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and mitigate threats; oversee physical security measures, including surveillance systems, access control, and alarm monitoring.

Work closely with museum leadership and external agencies to align security strategies with institutional priorities; set clear security objectives that align with the museum’s mission, balancing protection with accessibility: ensure security policies support museum accessibility and engagement; stay updated on industry best practices and emerging security technologies.

Supervise and train security personnel, ensuring professionalism and readiness; training all-staff in basic security/evacuation protocols and ensure all mandatory state-drills are carried out; foster a customer- service- oriented security approach, balancing protection with visitor experience; conduct performance evaluations and implement professional development programs in accordance with established policies and procedures and in coordination with Human Resources; optimize staffing levels and security infrastructure to balance safety and operational efficiency; work closely with HR to develop and implement security policies, procedures, and protocols which is essential for creating a safe work environment; ensures that all employees are aware of and comply with all policies, contributing to a culture of safety and security within the organization.

Design and maintain emergency response plans for incidents like fire, theft, and natural disasters; train staff on evacuation procedures, first aid, and crisis management; coordinate with local law enforcement and emergency services for incident response; ensuring shifts are covered while accounting for workload balance, compliance with labor laws, and emergency response readiness, assigning staff based on risk assessments, crowd control needs; responsible for the safety of the movement of the collection as Reimagine the Experience (RTE) begins.

Additional duties as assigned.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

Bachelor’s degree in security management, law enforcement, or a related field, at least 5+ years in security leadership.

Certification by the SC Law Enforcement Training Council in accordance with state law (23-23-40),Significant experience managing security and safety functionsAt least 5 years of experience managing public safety or related staff.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present effectively internally and externally from Board level to peers, contractors, partners, and subordinates as well as visitors, donors, oversight agencies and others in the community.

Considerable knowledge dealing with situations and hazards that could affect an organization.

Knowledge of theory, practices, and techniques of safety, security, and fire protection.