Executive Director, Community Safety and Security
Top Benefits
About the role
About Toronto Metropolitan At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our institutional culture. Our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.
TMU welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us in realizing the benefits of embedding these values into the work at every level and in every unit of the university. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada and to bring lived experiences to the work, we encourage applications from members of equity deserving groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples in Canada, First Nations Peoples in the United States, racialized people, Black people, persons with disabilities, women, and 2SLGBTQ+ people. Preference will be given to candidates with lived experiences as people from equity deserving groups, as well as experience working with these communities with which the University works every day. Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply and we welcome newcomers and immigrants to Canada.
In April 2022, the university announced its new name of Toronto Metropolitan University. Learn more about our next chapter.
The team The safety and security of the Toronto Metropolitan campus community is our top priority. We’re located at the busiest intersection in Canada, and the fourth busiest in North America. Being at the heart of downtown Toronto with a campus that’s open to the public means that the societal issues surrounding us can impact the TMU community as well.
The Opportunity Lead the Future of Community Safety at Canada’s Most Urban University Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is looking for an Executive Director, Community Safety and Security, who is an ethical, emotionally intelligent leader and a strong communicator, capable of building trust with their team and our broader community to champion a bold, people-first approach to campus safety. TMU is leading the way with a progressive, community-informed model that prioritizes engagement, prevention, equity and wellbeing.
In this pivotal role, you’ll design and lead a transformational safety and security strategy that is culturally responsive reflecting the diverse voices of our campus. The strategy will outline how we can foster a culture of care, and build trust through collaborative partnerships—both on and off campus. In addition to supporting our vibrant downtown campus, this position also extends its impact to TMU’s Brampton campus—home to Ontario’s newest School of Medicine.
From threat assessment and public safety innovation, you’ll guide a holistic approach that centres human rights, inclusivity, trauma-informed practices, and organizational resilience.
You’ll also support the University’s Emergency Response Team and senior leadership in navigating critical incidents with clarity and compassion.
If you’re a leader with a strong political acumen who believes that community safety starts with community connection and engagement, this is your opportunity to shape a national model for inclusive safety in post-secondary education—right in the heart of downtown Toronto.
Here are some of the things you can expect to do in this role:
- Provide Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development - Champion and lead the development and implementation of a long term strategic plan for university safety and security that aligns with the institution's mission, values, and strategic goals integrating evidence-informed, equity-based, and community-focused approaches in all planning activities.
- Community Engagement, Crime Prevention and Stakeholder Engagement - Fosters collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external agencies to support trust-building, coordinated response efforts, and effective public safety governance. Incorporates community-based safety principles and a culturally responsive, trauma-informed lens to promote accountability, transparency, and inclusive engagement across campus.
- Security Operations, Risk Management and Emergency Management - Oversee and manage all aspects of daily security operations including patrols, access control, alarm monitoring, video surveillance, and incident response across a diverse range of campus environments such as academic buildings, student spaces with extended hours, residences (on and off campus), parking areas, and other university facilities.
- Coordinate the University’s response to critical incidents, applying strong de-escalation skills, trauma-informed care, and harm reduction practices to support individuals experiencing mental health crises, substance use challenges, or housing insecurity.
- Governance, Reporting and Institutional Relations - Foster due diligence within the University environment by presenting policies, reports and recommendations to governance bodies and senior leadership on community safety issues. Provide reports and strategic briefings to senior leadership on safety, emergency management, and risk mitigation matters.
- Departmental Operations, Finance and Resource Management - Provide strategic and operational oversight of department activities.
- People Leadership and Talent Development - Lead, support, and empower a passionate and dedicated team of community safety professionals through clear direction, coaching and inclusive leadership. Oversee recruitment, onboarding, professional development, and performance management by setting goals, clarifying roles and accountabilities, and ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, while proactively addressing performance issues with fairness and transparency. Foster a culture of trust, continuous learning, and excellence. Actively identifies opportunities to strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion across the team, ensuring all staff are equipped and supported to succeed.
Leadership Competencies Leaders at TMU are required to demonstrate the following Leadership Competencies:
- Acts with Integrity: Demonstrates behaviors aligned with high ethical standards and personal integrity and acts in accordance with TMU values.
- Builds Relationships of Trust & Collaboration: Actively builds a culture of trust and fosters meaningful relationships.
- Leads Inclusively: Creates an inclusive environment where everyone is respected, recognized, empowered to achieve their potential, and valued for their differences.
- Demonstrates Organizational Acumen: Understands and respectfully navigates complex internal and external environments using sound judgment, diplomacy, and tact.
- Drives Vision & Results: Creates and implements a vision grounded in sound decision-making to achieve desired outcomes.
Qualifications To help us learn more about you, please provide a cover letter and resume describing how you meet the following required qualifications:
- Completion of a graduate degree in a relevant field such as emergency management, community development, youth justice, criminology, social work, public health, equity studies, conflict resolution, or public administration.
- A minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in community safety, emergency management, security services, or a related field, preferably within a post-secondary or complex public-sector or community service oriented environment.
- Demonstrated success in strategic planning, policy development, and organizational change management.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing large operational units, including human resources and budget oversight.
- Demonstrated ability to remain abreast of current political, historic, and social realities faced by diverse communities, especially the most vulnerable ones and ensuring this understanding profoundly informs engagement strategies and community safety practices.
- Demonstrated lived experience or direct experience working with individuals from equity-deserving communities, along with a strong understanding of the realities, concerns, and systemic barriers faced by groups such as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples; African, Caribbean, and Black communities; racialized groups; persons with disabilities; 2SLGBTQ+ individuals; and others who experience marginalization. Experience in people-centred, community-based work with these communities is a strong asset.
- Knowledge of public safety regulations, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act, fire codes, and municipal bylaws.
- Knowledge of risk assessment methodologies, business continuity planning, and threat management.
- Understanding of security systems and technologies including access control, security and CCTV systems. Determining viability to safety and security along with financial requirements for short and long term needs.
- Knowledge of equity-informed and trauma-informed approaches to safety and community care.
- Understanding of privacy legislation and reporting requirements (e.g., FIPPA and various reporting practices in Canada).
- Knowledge of the criminal code, municipal bylaws and provincial statute applications including understanding of legal protocols and understanding of incident response protocols.
TMU Perks Benefits There is something for everyone! Employees are eligible for many benefits, services, and discounts that Toronto Metropolitan University has to offer:
- Mid-year break that provides two weeks of paid time off in addition to your vacation.
- Group benefits include health and dental, employee and family assistance programs (EFAP), and more!
- Tuition waiver for eligible employees and their spouse and/or dependent(s) and Tuition Rebate for eligible employees.
- Toronto Metropolitan University Retirement Planning. A defined benefit pension plan.
Additional Information (MAC) Position Number(s) 10003099 Reports To Vice President, Administration and Operations Department Community Safety and Security Employee Group Senior Admin Vacancy Type FTCE
This is an existing position.
Work Location On site - Downtown and Brampton campus Start Date ASAP End Date Not Applicable Hours of Work 36.25 Grade E82 Hiring Salary Range $190,000 - $200,000 TA Specialist Claudiu Posting Date July 21, 2025 Application Close Date August 1, 2025
- Equivalent experience or a combination of equivalent experience and education may be accepted in place of education.
- As part of the selection process, candidates may be required to complete an occupational assessment.
- Applications will only be accepted online through Toronto Metropolitan University's career site.
- We will provide an accessible experience for applicants, students, employees, and members of the Toronto Metropolitan University community. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the recruitment process. If you have restrictions that need to be accommodated to fully participate in any phase of the recruitment process, please submit your request through the AskHR webform. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
About Toronto Metropolitan University
Toronto Metropolitan University is located in the heart of Canada's largest city. Its distinctly urban campus features a culture that's innovative and entrepreneurial, a community that's welcoming and inclusive, and a learning environment that's incredibly creative. Our mission is to serve societal need and engage communities both locally and across the globe.
Executive Director, Community Safety and Security
Top Benefits
About the role
About Toronto Metropolitan At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our institutional culture. Our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.
TMU welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us in realizing the benefits of embedding these values into the work at every level and in every unit of the university. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada and to bring lived experiences to the work, we encourage applications from members of equity deserving groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples in Canada, First Nations Peoples in the United States, racialized people, Black people, persons with disabilities, women, and 2SLGBTQ+ people. Preference will be given to candidates with lived experiences as people from equity deserving groups, as well as experience working with these communities with which the University works every day. Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply and we welcome newcomers and immigrants to Canada.
In April 2022, the university announced its new name of Toronto Metropolitan University. Learn more about our next chapter.
The team The safety and security of the Toronto Metropolitan campus community is our top priority. We’re located at the busiest intersection in Canada, and the fourth busiest in North America. Being at the heart of downtown Toronto with a campus that’s open to the public means that the societal issues surrounding us can impact the TMU community as well.
The Opportunity Lead the Future of Community Safety at Canada’s Most Urban University Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is looking for an Executive Director, Community Safety and Security, who is an ethical, emotionally intelligent leader and a strong communicator, capable of building trust with their team and our broader community to champion a bold, people-first approach to campus safety. TMU is leading the way with a progressive, community-informed model that prioritizes engagement, prevention, equity and wellbeing.
In this pivotal role, you’ll design and lead a transformational safety and security strategy that is culturally responsive reflecting the diverse voices of our campus. The strategy will outline how we can foster a culture of care, and build trust through collaborative partnerships—both on and off campus. In addition to supporting our vibrant downtown campus, this position also extends its impact to TMU’s Brampton campus—home to Ontario’s newest School of Medicine.
From threat assessment and public safety innovation, you’ll guide a holistic approach that centres human rights, inclusivity, trauma-informed practices, and organizational resilience.
You’ll also support the University’s Emergency Response Team and senior leadership in navigating critical incidents with clarity and compassion.
If you’re a leader with a strong political acumen who believes that community safety starts with community connection and engagement, this is your opportunity to shape a national model for inclusive safety in post-secondary education—right in the heart of downtown Toronto.
Here are some of the things you can expect to do in this role:
- Provide Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development - Champion and lead the development and implementation of a long term strategic plan for university safety and security that aligns with the institution's mission, values, and strategic goals integrating evidence-informed, equity-based, and community-focused approaches in all planning activities.
- Community Engagement, Crime Prevention and Stakeholder Engagement - Fosters collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external agencies to support trust-building, coordinated response efforts, and effective public safety governance. Incorporates community-based safety principles and a culturally responsive, trauma-informed lens to promote accountability, transparency, and inclusive engagement across campus.
- Security Operations, Risk Management and Emergency Management - Oversee and manage all aspects of daily security operations including patrols, access control, alarm monitoring, video surveillance, and incident response across a diverse range of campus environments such as academic buildings, student spaces with extended hours, residences (on and off campus), parking areas, and other university facilities.
- Coordinate the University’s response to critical incidents, applying strong de-escalation skills, trauma-informed care, and harm reduction practices to support individuals experiencing mental health crises, substance use challenges, or housing insecurity.
- Governance, Reporting and Institutional Relations - Foster due diligence within the University environment by presenting policies, reports and recommendations to governance bodies and senior leadership on community safety issues. Provide reports and strategic briefings to senior leadership on safety, emergency management, and risk mitigation matters.
- Departmental Operations, Finance and Resource Management - Provide strategic and operational oversight of department activities.
- People Leadership and Talent Development - Lead, support, and empower a passionate and dedicated team of community safety professionals through clear direction, coaching and inclusive leadership. Oversee recruitment, onboarding, professional development, and performance management by setting goals, clarifying roles and accountabilities, and ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, while proactively addressing performance issues with fairness and transparency. Foster a culture of trust, continuous learning, and excellence. Actively identifies opportunities to strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion across the team, ensuring all staff are equipped and supported to succeed.
Leadership Competencies Leaders at TMU are required to demonstrate the following Leadership Competencies:
- Acts with Integrity: Demonstrates behaviors aligned with high ethical standards and personal integrity and acts in accordance with TMU values.
- Builds Relationships of Trust & Collaboration: Actively builds a culture of trust and fosters meaningful relationships.
- Leads Inclusively: Creates an inclusive environment where everyone is respected, recognized, empowered to achieve their potential, and valued for their differences.
- Demonstrates Organizational Acumen: Understands and respectfully navigates complex internal and external environments using sound judgment, diplomacy, and tact.
- Drives Vision & Results: Creates and implements a vision grounded in sound decision-making to achieve desired outcomes.
Qualifications To help us learn more about you, please provide a cover letter and resume describing how you meet the following required qualifications:
- Completion of a graduate degree in a relevant field such as emergency management, community development, youth justice, criminology, social work, public health, equity studies, conflict resolution, or public administration.
- A minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in community safety, emergency management, security services, or a related field, preferably within a post-secondary or complex public-sector or community service oriented environment.
- Demonstrated success in strategic planning, policy development, and organizational change management.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing large operational units, including human resources and budget oversight.
- Demonstrated ability to remain abreast of current political, historic, and social realities faced by diverse communities, especially the most vulnerable ones and ensuring this understanding profoundly informs engagement strategies and community safety practices.
- Demonstrated lived experience or direct experience working with individuals from equity-deserving communities, along with a strong understanding of the realities, concerns, and systemic barriers faced by groups such as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples; African, Caribbean, and Black communities; racialized groups; persons with disabilities; 2SLGBTQ+ individuals; and others who experience marginalization. Experience in people-centred, community-based work with these communities is a strong asset.
- Knowledge of public safety regulations, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act, fire codes, and municipal bylaws.
- Knowledge of risk assessment methodologies, business continuity planning, and threat management.
- Understanding of security systems and technologies including access control, security and CCTV systems. Determining viability to safety and security along with financial requirements for short and long term needs.
- Knowledge of equity-informed and trauma-informed approaches to safety and community care.
- Understanding of privacy legislation and reporting requirements (e.g., FIPPA and various reporting practices in Canada).
- Knowledge of the criminal code, municipal bylaws and provincial statute applications including understanding of legal protocols and understanding of incident response protocols.
TMU Perks Benefits There is something for everyone! Employees are eligible for many benefits, services, and discounts that Toronto Metropolitan University has to offer:
- Mid-year break that provides two weeks of paid time off in addition to your vacation.
- Group benefits include health and dental, employee and family assistance programs (EFAP), and more!
- Tuition waiver for eligible employees and their spouse and/or dependent(s) and Tuition Rebate for eligible employees.
- Toronto Metropolitan University Retirement Planning. A defined benefit pension plan.
Additional Information (MAC) Position Number(s) 10003099 Reports To Vice President, Administration and Operations Department Community Safety and Security Employee Group Senior Admin Vacancy Type FTCE
This is an existing position.
Work Location On site - Downtown and Brampton campus Start Date ASAP End Date Not Applicable Hours of Work 36.25 Grade E82 Hiring Salary Range $190,000 - $200,000 TA Specialist Claudiu Posting Date July 21, 2025 Application Close Date August 1, 2025
- Equivalent experience or a combination of equivalent experience and education may be accepted in place of education.
- As part of the selection process, candidates may be required to complete an occupational assessment.
- Applications will only be accepted online through Toronto Metropolitan University's career site.
- We will provide an accessible experience for applicants, students, employees, and members of the Toronto Metropolitan University community. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the recruitment process. If you have restrictions that need to be accommodated to fully participate in any phase of the recruitment process, please submit your request through the AskHR webform. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
About Toronto Metropolitan University
Toronto Metropolitan University is located in the heart of Canada's largest city. Its distinctly urban campus features a culture that's innovative and entrepreneurial, a community that's welcoming and inclusive, and a learning environment that's incredibly creative. Our mission is to serve societal need and engage communities both locally and across the globe.