Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police – Wellesley College (MA)

An icon in women’s higher education since 1870, Wellesley College is excited to announce an opening for Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police.

Wellesley College spans a sprawling 500-acre campus with over 70 architecturally stunning buildings overlooking Lake Waban. Renowned for its accomplished faculty, inclusive campus environment, 56 liberal arts majors, and more than 150 student organizations, Wellesley secured the #5 spot in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 ranking of National Liberal Arts Colleges.

The student body comprises over 2,400 bright minds, 53% of whom identify as minorities and 20% as first-generation college students. The educational setting reflects the diversity of our global society. 47% of students speak a language other than English at home and over 30 languages are spoken on campus. Students hail from 87 countries of citizenship, 59 countries of residence, and all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

The Wellesley College Campus Police and Public Safety Department consists of 16 officers, dispatchers, and professional staff. Reporting to the Vice President and Dean of Students, the Director of Public Safety / Chief of Police is responsible for leading and managing the department, including creating campus-wide strategic initiatives, fiscal management, policy development, recruitment, training, and disciplinary matters, and must emphasize a solid team culture, transparency, accountability, and service to the community. This position also has a dotted line supervisory relationship with the Manager of Museum Security and Visitor Experience. The successful candidate will collaborate broadly across the institution and with local officials to promote safety in both the residential and academic spaces, including the new science center and the art museum.

The Director will spearhead a reimagined, humanistic approach to public safety, emphasizing safety awareness and education, campus protection, emergency preparedness, and a multidisciplinary response to non-criminal situations. The successful candidate must be knowledgeable and proficient in best-practice compliance protocols, national trends related to campus safety/security, cultural awareness, and legal issues affecting higher education.

At a minimum, applicants must have an undergraduate degree with ten years of progressive public safety experience, including five years in a managerial role or the equivalent combination of training and experience as well as experience leading in a unionized environment.

Applicants also must meet — or be eligible to meet within six months of date of hire — and maintain all requirements for certification under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 22C, Section 63 as a Special State Police Officer; and must be POST Certified in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or eligible to become POST Certified within six months of date of hire.

Prior experience within higher education would be an asset, along with proven experience working in a diverse, multicultural organization. Experience as an adjunct faculty member, teaching and/or training experience with a college population, is also a plus.

The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is assisting the college in the selection process. For questions about this position, contact Antoinette Tull at [email protected] or (804) 640-0323 or Rebecca Neuburger at [email protected] or (202) 997-6287.

The full job profile can be found here: https://www.policeforum.org/assets/WellesleyCollegejobprofilefinal.pdf

Qualified and interested candidates who resonate with this vision and believe you can make a difference may apply by October 9, 2023, with a cover letter, resume, and five references in confidence to:

[email protected]

Wellesley College is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to increasing the diversity of the college community and the curriculum. Wellesley College and all its subcontractors shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60–1.4(a), 60–300.5(a) and 60–741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that Wellesley College and all of its subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status.