Position Summary:

The Chicago Bulls are looking to hire a full-time Director of Safety and Security. We are seeking an individual who understands the strategic objectives of an organization and how to integrate safety and security needs with those objectives. In this role, you will report to the Executive Vice President – Basketball Operations and Vice President Financial & General Counsel and will be responsible for developing, implementing, and managing all of the organization’s safety and security strategies, programs, and procedures.

As the Director of Safety and Security, you will identify and be fully informed about the nature and types of safety and security risks that may affect the organization, its personnel and its constituents, including fans and sponsors, whether it be at the United Center, the team’s practice facility, corporate offices, NBA Gatorade League venues or elsewhere. In cooperation with senior executives, you will direct the development of an effective strategy to assess and mitigate these risks, maintain continuity of operations, and develop protocols and procedures for handling crises should they arise. You will also have the opportunity to liaise and collaborate with United Center on programs and protocols in and around the United Center campus.

Functional Responsibilities:

You will coordinate and lead implementation of security operations and activities to ensure protection of owners, executives, players, managers, employees, customers, partners, visitors, etc. and physical and information assets, while ensuring optimal use of personnel and equipment. Additional general responsibilities include:

Manage full and part-time security personnel assigned to various functions (e.g. team travel, practice facility security)
Advise on practices surrounding building and team security
Stay current on and, where practicable, deploy state-of-the-art technology solutions and innovative security management techniques to safeguard assets and property. Establish appropriate standards and associated risk controls.
Form and manage relationships with high-level, local, state, and federal law enforcement and other first responder personnel as well as private sector counterparts, including NBA security.
Consistent with our policies, conduct timely investigations into matters that may adversely impact the safety of our personnel, the public, or the venue, including all accidents or incidents that occur on the premises of Chicago Bulls facilities or during Chicago Bulls events.
Maintain accurate files, logs, and reports for the required period of time to ensure quick and accurate recall of any required/requested information.
Maintain a positive and productive work environment and ensure that the Organization’s commitment to this environment is communicated and adhered to by all subordinates and contractors.
Develop and review emergency response and crisis management procedures, and conduct periodic training exercises relating to such procedures.
Prepare and run the budget for the Safety and Security function.

More specific duties of this role include, but are not limited to, the following:

Organization and Team Travel

In this role, you will prepare and implement a security plan for each season that efficiently deploys security personnel and resources for team home and away games and other team or player events (e.g., All-Star weekend) in accordance with NBA rules and industry standards and ensures safety and security of team members, guests, staff and company property. In addition, you will also:

Establish contact with hotel and ground transportation staff regarding any security-related concerns or threats.
Ensure that traveling members are on the buses at the scheduled time for practices, shoot-around, games and that all luggage and equipment is monitored until it is stored and/or delivered to the rooms upon arrival at the hotel.
Prepare and implement a security plan for each off-season that efficiently deploys resources for off-season workouts, NBA Summer League and other team or player off-season commitments in accordance with NBA regulations.
Assist with TSA and other travel requirements for all members of the traveling party to and from destinations.
Keep apprised during travel of other team and venue security departments regarding security procedures that would improve Organization security protocols.
Advise personnel on safety concerns and precautions (and assisting with such precautions where necessary) as they pertain to travel overseas or domestically where undue risk may be present.
Keep apprised of immigration and customs requirements for affected Organization personnel in the U.S. and countries of frequent destination.

NBA and Game Security

You will build a working relationship with United Center security personnel and NBA security representatives, and facilitate consistent communication with these individuals to maintain awareness and mitigate any current security concerns or issues. More specifically, you will:

Communicate and coordinate on measures for arrival and departure of players, their families and guests and their vehicles.
Participate in periodic conference calls with NBA Vice President of Security to stay informed of any pertinent information and attend annual NBA security conferences.
Monitor activity and communication between the fans and players around the bench vicinity during all games.
During the game, ensure that there are no league violations that need to be dealt with immediately.
Attend security briefings with NBA referees, NBA security representative, arena security director and, for away games, home team security representative prior to the start of all games.

Player Support

Make contact with all players prior to season’s start and outline your responsibilities and capabilities so that players have an understanding of your role.
Manage compliance of all players with NBA rules regarding ownership of firearms and assist players with vehicle and driver’s license registrations.
Assist with off-court training and education programs.

Qualification Requirements:

The team is looking to place a highly organized self-starter who works well across departments and has direct experience into this role. You could be a potential match for this role if you have a strong mix of the following:

A minimum of 10 years in law enforcement or high-level security experience.
Direct experience with security and special event planning, threat assessment / risk analysis and deep understanding of crowd control and management strategies.
CPP certification encouraged but not required.
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Proven people management skills and experience working collaboratively with management, staff, contractors, partners, and the public.
Flexibility to work within a dynamic environment, along with the practice of handling multiple projects at a time.
Ability to think strategically, and be resourceful, innovative and visionary.
Ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with local law enforcement.
Strong computer aptitude, including proficiency in spreadsheet, database, and word processing programs.

This position will require working evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed and to be present to respond to emergencies within a reasonable time. Willingness to travel throughout the year, and particularly during the NBA pre-season, regular season and post-season is a requirement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.