Assistant Vice President and Director of Public Safety
The University of Iowa seeks an experienced law enforcement professional to provide vision, leadership, and management for a comprehensive integrated public safety program dedicated to the 24-hour, year-round safety and protection of approximately 32,000 students, over 22,000 faculty and staff, thousands of daily visitors and guests, including patients and visitors to UI Health Care facilities, and property throughout the University of Iowa campus. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations, the Assistant Vice President and Director of Public Safety is responsible for the establishment, implementation, enforcement, and assessment of the University’s safety and security policies, protocols, and regulations and for the review and investigation of all campus incidents with the overall goal of providing a safe and secure environment for the University of Iowa community.
Specific Job Duties Include:
• Direct the operations for the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety. Make commitments on behalf of the organization. Provide advice and guidance to the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations and other top-level administration on high-level projects, services and activities. Contribute to University policies and procedures relevant to safety and security issues on campus.
• Provide leadership and oversight of the following Department of Public Safety programs and initiatives, including, but not limited to: community policing/patrol operations; community outreach and education; emergency planning, management, and critical incident response; dispatch and emergency communications; University crime statistic reporting for the main campus and multiple University of Iowa regional centers; fire safety; escort and shuttle services, threat assessment, campus traffic control and enforcement; event security; and campus security.
• Develop policies, procedures and directives that support best-practices for a comprehensive University-based law enforcement function with an emphasis on community policing models, working in collaboration with key campus partners in Student Life, IT, General Counsel, Strategic Communications, Office of the Sexual Misconduct Response Coordinator and other campus colleagues; maintaining and strengthening partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and community leadership.
• Coordinate University response related to critical incidents and emergencies affecting the University. Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations; and provide appropriate, timely response to all safety and security issues.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTRIBUTES
• A contemporary, forward-thinking leader who is willing to embrace changes for a better/stronger model of law enforcement.
• Ability to work effectively and build partnerships with a wide variety of constituents.
• Ability to understand multiple views and see through the lens of faculty, staff, and students on campus.
• Ability to manage conflict in a variety of situations – emergent and other.
• Demonstrated ability to be a good listener and an open-minded, team-oriented leader.
• Be an individual of integrity and high ethical standards.
• Demonstrated ability to support a community of diverse perspectives and cultures in an equitable, meaningful, and inclusive manner.
• Demonstrated cultural competence with addressing issues of structural racism, implicit bias, and inequitable treatment in the execution of campus safety activities.
• Experience serving as a visionary leader with the uncanny ability to inspire and encourage staff, challenge the status quo, and create buy-in for departmental and university goals.
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, ability to provide clear and efficient communications; ability to communicate with external parties and leadership at the highest levels.
About the Department of Public Safety:
The Department of Public Safety, a department of, has a mission to provide each member of the UI community with a sense of security throughout campus by creating a safe learning environment at all times and educating students, faculty and staff in matters of protection and personal responsibility.
Our department’s philosophy is that, by breaking down barriers between the students and police, a more meaningful channel of communication can be opened up for the department to receive candid feedback from students that will enable the department to better fulfill its mission.
We try to achieve this by:
• Encouraging officers to have positive interactions with students where the students feel most comfortable (through participation in intramurals, community service projects, and other student-centered activities).
• Hiring student security officers who can play an active role in peer education and enhancing campus safety.
• Implementing other educational programs and activities that bring students and officers together.
The University of Iowa:
The University of Iowa is one of America's premier public research universities. Founded in 1847, it is the state's oldest institution of higher education and is located in Iowa City.
A member of the Association of American Universities since 1909 and the Big Ten Conference since 1899, the University of Iowa is home to one of the most acclaimed academic medical centers in the country, as well as globally recognized leadership in the study and craft of writing. Iowa is known for excellence in both the arts and sciences, offering world-class undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic programs in a wide variety of fields. Iowa draws nearly 32,000 students from more than 100 countries and all 50 U.S. states, and employs about 29,500 faculty and staff.
For more information about the University of Iowa go to uiowa.edu/about-iowa.
Iowa City:
The university is located along the picturesque Iowa River in Iowa City, a city of some 77,000 people (170,000+ in the metro area). Iowa City is less than four hours from Chicago and within five hours of Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Kansas City, readily accessible via interstate highways and a regional airport 30 minutes away.
Iowa City is considered one of the best places to live in the country. After just one visit, you'll see why.
Our campus seamlessly blends into downtown Iowa City, which makes it easy to get wherever you need to go. In fact, most first-year classes are located within the same three-block radius. And the center of it all is just across the street from a lively downtown with all the restaurants, entertainment, and amenities you'd find in a big city. Iowa City is a bicycle friendly community with a number of biking and hiking trails in the area.
Iowa City is both a destination for artists from around the world and the home of Hawkeye sports. Whatever you're interested in, there's a place for you in Iowa City. All of this activity lives in one accessible, welcoming place.
Qualifications:
Required:
• A Master's degree in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement or related discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Extensive (typically10+ years) administrative and/or supervisory experience in law enforcement or industrial security or public security.
• Demonstrated commitment and experience related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice.
• Demonstrated ethical leadership skills, diplomacy, and good judgement.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, managerial, and communication skills focused on relationship building and partnerships with local and state-wide agencies.
• Proven experience in developing public safety and emergency management policies, protocols, and procedures.
• Demonstrated risk assessment, threat assessment, crisis management, and conflict resolution abilities as well as analytical negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated understanding and ability in navigating, planning, assessing risk, and implementing large-scale, population-level events.
• Ability to be available on-call and during weekends and holidays as needed will be important considerations.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet and maintain UI Fleet Safety standards.
• Certification or eligibility for certification as a peace officer.
Desired:
• Experience in a University-based or University community law enforcement function, with an emphasis on community policing models and best public safety practices in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated understanding of the changing needs within public safety and law enforcement regarding dedicated support for and appropriate response to mental health concerns, including building and maintaining partnerships with campus and community resources to support faculty, staff, and student needs.
• Demonstrated experience and/or familiarity with a robust and integrated medical campus that crosses into multiple communities and municipalities.
• Advanced understanding of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
• Experience with managing a successful and smooth transition from current to desired culture, practices, structure, and overall organizational environment.
The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preference, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran.