Director of Protective Services

About the Role

The Director of Protective Services will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library's comprehensive protective services program, ensuring the safety and security of visitors, staff, volunteers, artifacts, collections, distinguished guests, and campus infrastructure. This senior leadership role oversees protective services strategy, emergency preparedness, risk management, physical security systems, investigations, and operational resilience across the Library campus and related Foundation properties.

The Director will lead a growing team of managers, supervisors, officers, contractors, and external partners while helping shape a culture of safety, preparedness, and hospitality. The Director is responsible for protecting people, facilities, collections, and reputation during daily operations as well as high-profile visits involving presidents, dignitaries, donors, public officials, and nationally recognized guests. This position also oversees security planning for Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation programs, traveling exhibitions, executive travel, and special events throughout North Dakota and the United States.

Working closely with executive leadership, operations, facilities, visitor experience, exhibitions, events, IT, and public safety agencies, the Director balances sophisticated protective operations with exceptional guest experience, accessibility, and public trust. This is a unique opportunity to build and lead a world-class protective services program at one of America's most ambitious cultural institutions.

Core Competencies

• Strategic leadership and department development
• Emergency preparedness, incident command, and business continuity
• Physical security systems including CCTV, access control, intrusion detection, and communications
• Executive protection and high-profile event security
• Risk assessment, investigations, and crisis management
• Team leadership, coaching, and accountability
• Interagency collaboration with federal, state, and local partners
• Visitor-focused security philosophy emphasizing hospitality, professionalism, and accessibility

Responsibilities

• Lead all protective services operations across the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library campus and Foundation properties.
• Develop long-term security strategies, policies, SOPs, and departmental goals.
• Supervise protective services managers, supervisors, officers, contractors, and security vendors.
• Serve as the primary liaison with law enforcement, fire/EMS, emergency management, federal agencies, and the United States Secret Service.
• Direct protective operations for executive leadership, distinguished visitors, donors, dignitaries, public officials, and high-profile events.
• Oversee security technologies including surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, dispatch, credentialing, and emergency communications.
• Lead enterprise-wide emergency preparedness, continuity planning, drills, tabletop exercises, and after-action reviews.
• Oversee investigations, incident response, reporting, evidence management, and operational risk assessments.
• Partner with Facilities, IT, Visitor Experience, Events, and Exhibitions to integrate security into daily operations and future campus development.
• Develop departmental budgets, staffing plans, performance metrics, and training programs covering emergency response, de-escalation, workplace violence prevention, active threats, and operational readiness.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, ADA, NFPA, FEMA/NIMS, museum standards, and applicable regulations.
• Foster a culture of safety, professionalism, accountability, and exceptional visitor service while protecting collections and organizational assets.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Public Administration, Security Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in protective services, law enforcement, military, emergency management, executive protection, or a related field.
• Experience leading teams, managing budgets, vendors, and cross-functional partnerships.
• Full-time, exempt position based onsite in Medora, North Dakota.
• Must reside within one hour (60 miles) of Medora.
• Periodic travel throughout North Dakota and the United States.
• Ability to respond to emergencies and support evening, weekend, holiday, and on-call operations.
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions and perform routine walking, standing, stair climbing, and computer-based work.
• Proper use of required PPE and compliance with workplace safety protocols.

Preferred:

• Master's degree and/or professional certifications such as CPP, PSP, CHPA, EMT, or FEMA ICS/NIMS.
• Experience supporting museums, cultural institutions, government facilities, large public venues, hospitality environments, universities, or nationally significant public events.
• Experience coordinating with federal protective agencies and executive protection operations.

Benefits

• Employees receive discounts on food & beverage, retail purchases, and free museum tickets.
• Full-time employees earn 20 days of paid time off per year and 10 holidays per year.
• 100% paid health coverage including medical, dental, vision, life, short and long term disability benefits.
• Choice of medical flex spending accounts (HSA or FSA).