Description
Bates College is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and proactive public safety leader to lead its Department of Campus Safety and advance a community-centered approach to safety, service, prevention, preparedness, and trust.
This is an exceptional opportunity for a leader who understands that contemporary campus safety requires more than effective incident response. The next Director will lead a comprehensive, non-sworn campus safety operation while building strong relationships with students, faculty, staff, College leadership, and community partners.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Associate Vice President & Dean of Students, the Director provides strategic and operational leadership for a multidisciplinary department responsible for:
24/7 campus safety operations and incident response
Communications and dispatch
Emergency management and crisis preparedness
Access control and campus security systems
Parking, transportation, and shuttle services
Crime prevention and safety education
Clery Act compliance and related reporting responsibilities
Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) responsibilities
CALEA accreditation and continuous improvement
Administrative and campus-policy investigations
Coordination with law enforcement, fire, EMS, and other public agencies
Bates Campus Safety operates as a non-sworn department whose officers do not possess arrest authority. The successful candidate will understand how to lead effectively within this model while ensuring strong operational practices, appropriate accountability, effective emergency response, and productive relationships with external public safety partners.
THE LEADER BATES IS SEEKING
Bates is looking for a Director who can combine strong operational leadership with genuine community engagement.
The successful candidate will be prepared to lead a complex 24/7 operation, develop and support employees, strengthen policies and systems, manage resources responsibly, and make sound decisions during emergencies and sensitive situations.
Just as importantly, the next Director must be comfortable being a visible member of the campus community.
Competitive candidates will demonstrate:
Progressive leadership experience in campus safety, public safety, law enforcement, emergency management, or a closely related field
Experience supervising personnel and managing complex operations
Strong judgment and composure during emergencies and high-pressure situations
Knowledge of the Clery Act and contemporary higher education safety practices
Experience with emergency preparedness, crisis response, and interagency coordination
A commitment to de-escalation, trauma-informed response, and relationship-centered problem solving
Strong communication and collaboration skills
The ability to build credibility and trust across a diverse residential college community
Experience in higher education, leadership of a non-sworn campus safety operation, CALEA accreditation, NIMS/ICS, emergency exercises, public safety technology, and crisis communications are particularly valuable.
LEAD A COMPREHENSIVE CAMPUS SAFETY OPERATION
The Director will lead a multidisciplinary department of approximately 30 employees across patrol, communications, access control, transportation, and operations.
This is a hands-on senior leadership position with responsibility for departmental strategy, personnel, training, policy, budget, technology, compliance, emergency readiness, service quality, and continuous improvement.
The Director will also serve as a trusted adviser to College leadership and work closely with partners throughout Student Affairs and across Bates, including Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance, Community Standards, Residence Life, Human Resources, Facilities, Environmental Health and Safety, Communications, and Athletics.
ABOUT BATES COLLEGE
Located in Lewiston, Maine, Bates College is a nationally recognized residential liberal arts college. The Director of Campus Safety will have the opportunity to shape the future of campus safety within a close-knit educational community and lead a department where operational excellence, preparedness, service, and relationships are central to the mission.
TO APPLY
D. Stafford & Associates is conducting this search on behalf of Bates College.
Candidates should submit application materials through the D. Stafford & Associates search portal: https://scout.dstaffordandassociates.com/bates
Review of applications will begin September 18 and close on November 13, 2026
To discuss specifics about the position, contact Darryl Madden at searches@dstaffordandassociates.net
For assistance with the application process, contact Kim Braun at kbraun@dstaffordandassociates.com
Requirements
REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, public administration, emergency management, higher education, student affairs, or a related field.
At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in campus safety, law enforcement, emergency management, public safety, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated supervisory and leadership experience, including responsibility for personnel, performance management, training, policy implementation, and complex operations.
Experience supporting or leading operations that require 24/7 staffing, on-call response, or crisis decision-making.
Working knowledge of the Clery Act and current higher education safety and emergency management practices, with the ability to apply other relevant federal and state requirements.
Demonstrated experience with budgets, operational planning, public safety technology, policy and procedure development, performance measures, and continuous improvement.
Ability to lead a community-focused, non-sworn safety program and coordinate effectively with law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and other public agencies.
Demonstrated competence in de-escalation, trauma-informed response, conflict management, and relationship-centered problem solving.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a culturally and educationally diverse community and to advance equitable, inclusive, and respectful practices.
Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, facilitation, and public communication skills, together with sound judgment, discretion, emotional intelligence, and crisis composure.
Valid driver's license and ability to satisfy the College's applicable pre-employment, driving, scheduling, on-call, and emergency-response requirements.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Master's degree in a relevant field.
Progressively responsible leadership experience in a college or university setting, particularly within a non-sworn or community-centered campus safety model.
Experience with CALEA or another recognized professional accreditation program.
Training or substantial experience with NIMS/ICS, emergency operations centers, exercises, continuity planning, and after-action improvement.
Experience overseeing communications and dispatch, access control, parking, transportation, event safety, and public safety technology.
Experience with media relations, crisis communication, or public communication during high-profile incidents.
