Executive Director of Emergency Management and Public Safety

Responsibilities of the Position

Summary

Reporting to the Senior Vice Provost for Academic and Student Affairs, the Executive Director of Emergency Management and Public Safety (ED) provides comprehensive leadership and oversight for both of Seattle University’s (SU) campuses: the First Hill campus and the South Lake Union campus. The Executive Director leads all safety and security efforts, including oversight of the university’s emergency management system, and serves as the institutional leader for emergency preparedness, operations, response, recovery, and mitigation.

The Executive Director oversees the daily operations of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), including the development, administration, and evaluation of safety and security programs, policies, and protocols within a risk-based framework. This role advises faculty, staff, and students regarding threats or perceived threats and ensures appropriate safety and crisis response training to the campus community. In close collaboration with the Vice President of Information Technology and the Associate Vice President of Facilities, the Executive Director ensures the protection of critical infrastructure, facilities, property, and physical assets; collaborates closely with aligned risk units to mitigate community exposure to safety and security risks; and develops integrated strategies in compliance with applicable federal and state laws.

The Executive Director leads and manages a dynamic team of 35 professionals, including two direct reports, oversees a series of private security contracts, and administers an annual operating budget of approximately $2.7 million.

Specific Responsibilities/Essential Functions

• Provide vision, leadership, and direction for the Department of Public Safety and the university’s emergency management system, ensuring that all practices and objectives are aligned with the university’s mission.
• Facilitate and oversee the integration of the department’s services into the broader campus community and actively promote positive relations with the surrounding local community.
• Provide leadership and guidance during crises, conflicts, and other challenges related to campus community safety.
• Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate DPS activities, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state laws and adherence to university policies and procedures.
• Provide administrative oversight and operational support for a 24-hour/365-day-a-year department of non-sworn, uniformed, officer-level staff, dispatchers, and shift supervisors, as well as administrative leadership and support staff.
• Direct and participate as needed with investigations, crime prevention, community relations, special events, and security functions.
• Assist with the analysis of risk exposures related to the health, safety, and security of the university.
• Serve on campus-wide committees related to public safety, including the Threat Assessment and CARE Teams and lead the Emergency Management Working Group.
• Maintain positive working relationships with local, regional, and state law enforcement and emergency response officials (police, fire, rescue, emergency management, etc.), including serving on local and regional councils and task forces.
• Develop, establish, and administer the department’s operating budget and strategically allocate resources for the facilities, equipment, systems, personnel, and operating needs of DPS.
• Oversee all emergency management operations, systems, and technology.
• Update, maintain, and implement the university’s all-hazards Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), and associated annexes.
• Lead the emergency management team, coordinating training, drills, tabletop, and functional exercises for campus partners and first responders.
• Serve as the primary liaison with local, state, and federal emergency management agencies (e.g., Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Washington State Emergency Management Division, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA]).
• Manage the activation of the Emergency Operations Center when needed and serve in a key leadership role during critical incidents.
• Ensure training opportunities for university administrators, faculty, staff, and students on safety, security, and emergency management/response.
• Lead the department’s strategic planning, assessment, and accreditation efforts.
• Complete necessary reports and ensure the timely dissemination of pertinent information to the appropriate constituencies, including the preparation and distribution of the Annual Campus Security Report.
• Collaborate with key campus stakeholders to review Clery Act crime statistics for accuracy before publishing the Annual Campus Security Report.
• Ensure ongoing professional training and development for the DPS staff and campus partners/stakeholders.

Qualifications and Characteristics of the Successful Candidate

Requirements include a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred) in criminal justice, public administration, education, or a related field; progressively responsible experience in public safety, emergency management, or a related field, including at least three years in a supervisory or managerial role; and demonstrated training and experience in responding to crimes in progress, crises, and emergency situations. Additional requirements include demonstrated knowledge of current security technologies; experience in emergency planning, hazard mitigation, and incident command (ICS/NIMS); a strong understanding of the Clery Act, Title IX, and other relevant higher education laws and regulations; excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a diverse campus community; and a proven ability to manage complex projects, budgets, and personnel.

The ideal candidate is a thoughtful, decisive, and highly collaborative leader who can effectively guide organizational growth and change. They will demonstrate a strong commitment to staff development and accountability, with a proven ability to lead through a people-centered approach, cultivate a high-performing and accountable work culture, and advance safety and emergency operations planning. The successful candidate will also bring a track record of innovative problem-solving and experience developing and implementing urban safety education programs.

Preferred qualifications include professional certifications such as Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Associate Emergency Manager (AEM), Certified Protection Professional (CPP), or Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP); an understanding of and appreciation for campus public safety within the framework of a Jesuit/Catholic institution of higher education; experience working in a higher education or similarly complex institutional setting; and experience with emergency mass notification systems and security technology platforms.

In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders identified the following capabilities and attributes of a successful candidate:

• Solid leadership and organizational development experience, with the ability to use data-driven metrics to assess the strengths and pain points of the department and then effectively allocate resources as needed.
• Professionalism, authenticity, emotional intelligence, humility, and approachability.
• Clear and timely communication and engagement, especially in crisis mode, across all levels of staff, administration, and the public.
• Care and empathy, with the ability to connect with the staff as people, not just employees, and an understanding of work/life integration for themselves and their staff.
• An understanding of student affairs and its approach to the development of students, their changing needs, and the promotion of an excellent student experience.
• The ability to comprehensively review, assess, update, and discontinue (as needed) policies and procedures and educate stakeholders on the importance and application of operating standards, rules, regulations, and protocols.

Opportunities and Challenges of the Role

In transitioning to Seattle University, the Executive Director of Emergency Management and Public Safety will encounter the following opportunities, priorities, and challenges, as shared by key campus stakeholders:

• Above and beyond the public safety duties inherent in this role, there is a strong expectation that the Executive Director serve as a dynamic, strategic leader for the campus’s emergency management initiatives, including the practical and operational implementation of trainings, development and promotion of comprehensive strategic and operational plans, and the design and execution of a marketing and communication strategy for informing the community of the roles that each key partner must play. Developing a short- and long-term vision for emergency management in conjunction with public safety will be a top priority of the Executive Director.

• Relationships are at the heart of success at Seattle University, particularly within the Department of Public Safety. The Executive Director will begin by taking the time to get to know each officer and staff member as an individual through a comprehensive “listening tour,” learning about their strengths, understanding their needs, and building trust and confidence across the team. Equally important are developing a clear appreciation for each person’s role, remaining accessible and genuinely open to listening, holding supervisors and officers accountable for their respective responsibilities, and maintaining a healthy workforce and culture within DPS. In doing so, the Executive Director will foster a cohesive, energized team in a positive, supportive work environment. As a senior campus leader, the Executive Director will cultivate strong, collaborative partnerships across the university, working closely with colleagues in Information Technology Services (ITS), Facilities, Finance, Academic Affairs, and other key departments to support effective emergency management and public safety operations. Beyond campus, a trusted and active partnership with the Seattle Police Department is essential. At the heart of all of these relationships are the students, who are eager to engage with an Executive Director who is friendly, approachable, and willing to listen. Together, these relationships help ensure that the entire campus community feels safe and supported both on and off campus—an essential foundation for the university’s mission and daily life.

• The Executive Director, as a member of the leadership of the Division of Student and Academic Affairs, must possess a demonstrated understanding of and respect for Seattle University’s Jesuit values, leading with “cura personalis” (care of the person), justice, integrity, and service. The ED must carefully align and integrate these principles into the department’s daily and ongoing operations to ensure practices that support the holistic flourishing of the SU community.

• A key priority for the Executive Director will be the continuous advancement of Seattle University’s safety, security, and emergency management efforts with a clear emphasis on innovation and forward-thinking practices. There is strong institutional support for collaboration with ITS to explore and implement new ideas, emerging technologies, and nationally recognized best practices. As ITS leads the campus-wide purchase and integration of technology, proposals grounded in thorough research and supported by data-driven analysis will be thoughtfully considered and carefully evaluated. The Executive Director will also be encouraged to stay connected to the broader professional landscape—seeking out best practices at peer institutions, engaging in benchmarking opportunities, and actively participating in organizations such as IACLEA, IACP, and IAEM, along with other relevant law enforcement and emergency management associations.

• With the recent integration of Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle University now operates across two locations—the First Hill campus and South Lake Union campus—located just one mile apart. While geographically close, the campuses reflect very distinct cultures, and DPS is still adjusting to this transition. Operational differences are also notable: unlike the First Hill campus, South Lake Union is not an open campus, and its technology infrastructure is currently limited. In this context, the incoming Executive Director should prioritize a comprehensive assessment of DPS functions on both campuses, develop a thoughtful integration plan, and advance a clear, unified vision that aligns operations while respecting the unique character of each community.

Measures of Success

The items listed below will define success for the Executive Director of Emergency Management and Public Safety throughout the first year of employment:

• The Executive Director is leading and coordinating all emergency response efforts for the SU community, an emergency response plan has been established, and the ED has clearly articulated and communicated this plan throughout the institution, including the roles for which upper administration is responsible.
• The Executive Director is recognized as a dynamic partnership-builder and has fostered strong collaborative relationships internally among DPS and externally with the greater Seattle University community, including academic and administrative departments, faculty, students, upper administration, local partners, and the Seattle Police Department.
• The DPS staff are working cohesively as a team, the command team feels valued and confident in their roles, morale is high across the department, the ED is consistently available and willing to listen to staff, professional development and training opportunities are available to all staff, and there is an upbeat, positive culture of service to the SU community present throughout DPS.
• Communication from DPS around emergency management and public safety is frequent, a culture of transparency has been developed and promoted, and the “story” of DPS is being told to all campus constituents such that the community knows who DPS is, what it does, and how it fits into the greater SU mission.
• DPS finances are in order, and the Executive Director demonstrates a solid command of the budgeting process and the department’s overall fiscal health.
• Students indicate high levels of trust in DPS—there is a strong sense of safety on campus, a belief that DPS hears their concerns, and an overall positive perception of the department; the Executive Director is recognized as the “face” of Seattle University’s public safety efforts and is viewed as an engaging, trustworthy leader.
• The Executive Director works daily to live out the Jesuit identity and integrates these principles into DPS’s operations, policies, and culture.

Division Leadership

Organizational Chart for Academic and Student Affairs

The Student Body

Total Enrollment: 7,189

Undergraduate: 4,078

Graduate: 3,111

Male: 37%

Female: 63%

African American/Black: 6%

Asian: 28%

Hispanic/Latino: 16%

White: 37%

Two or More Races: 9%

Unknown: 1% Non-Resident: 3

Institutional Leadership

Senior Leadership Organizational Chart

Mission, Vision, & Values

Strategic Direction

Application

Review of applications will begin on May 22, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. To apply for this position, please click the blue “Apply for Position” button, complete the brief application process, and upload your resume and a position-specific cover letter. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email info@spelmanjohnson.com.

Visit the Seattle University website at https://www.seattleu.edu.

Seattle University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political ideology, or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran in the administration of any of its education policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics, and other school-administered policies and programs, or in its employment-related policies and practices. In addition, the University does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information or status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking in its employment-related policies and practices, including coverage under its health benefits program.

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About Seattle, Washington