REPORTS TO: Executive Director of Safety, Security, and School Crisis Response
POSITION OVERVIEW:The Deputy Director of Safety Services is a senior operational leader within the Office of Safety Services and reports to the Executive Director of Safety, Security, and School Crisis Response. The Deputy Director is responsible for helping Boston Public Schools (BPS) provide safe, welcoming, student-centered learning environments. At the direction of the Executive Director, the Deputy Director leads day-to-day safety operations; supervises safety personnel; supports emergency preparedness and incident response; and builds productive relationships with school leaders, students, families, City agencies, and community partners.
This mid level position should balance effective safety and security practices with BPS's commitments to equity, restorative approaches, prevention, student belonging, and culturally responsive service. BPS Safety Services includes emergency management and the Boston School Police, and works in partnership with school leaders, City agencies, community organizations, and law-enforcement partners
RESPONSIBILITIES/ ESSENTIAL DUTIES - Direct the daily operations of Safety Services across BPS schools, offices, programs, events, and transportation-related settings.
- Serve as the Executive Director designee when assigned, including representing Safety Services in senior district meetings, incident-command structures, school-community meetings, and interagency coordination.
- Supervise, coach, evaluate, schedule, and discipline assigned safety personnel in accordance with applicable collective-bargaining agreements, City of Boston policies, BPS procedures, and legal requirements.
- Establish staffing plans and deployment protocols that provide appropriate coverage during arrival, dismissal, transitions, athletic events, evening programs, school breaks, and critical incidents.
- Ensure school-based safety staff maintain a visible, supportive, prevention-oriented presence and function as proactive links between students, school leaders, support staff, families, and community partners.
- Partner with school leaders and designated school safety teams to develop, review, and implement building-specific safety plans, emergency procedures, and post-incident recovery plans.
- Coordinate with the Office of Emergency Management on safety and risk assessments, hazard mitigation, emergency drills, tabletop exercises, continuity planning, and preparedness training. Office of Emergency Management work encompasses mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery from critical incidents and disasters
- Lead or coordinate responses to significant incidents, including threats, violence, fights, medical emergencies, missing students, campus disruptions, severe weather, fires, hazardous conditions, and other emergencies.
- Activate and support incident-command procedures; coordinate real-time communication; document operational decisions; and facilitate appropriate transition from emergency response to recovery and follow-up.
- Ensure that staff respond to disturbances and incidents in accordance with building security plans, district procedures, student-rights protections, and applicable law.
- Oversee the timely, accurate, and confidential documentation of incidents, investigations, referrals, and required notifications.Ensure adherence to specific Safety Services procedures concerning student searches, weapons and dangerous objects, lockers, and incident-data reporting, as well as release of information
- Review incident trends, staffing data, response times, safety assessments, and school feedback to identify risks, allocate resources, and improve prevention strategies.
- Develop and deliver staff training in de-escalation, conflict resolution, trauma-informed practices, restorative approaches, youth development, crisis response, emergency protocols, report writing, investigation, and culturally responsive engagement.
- Ensure that safety practices protect student dignity, minimize unnecessary exclusionary or punitive responses, and prioritize prevention, de-escalation, and connection to appropriate student-support services.
- Coordinate, as appropriate, with the Boston Police Department, Boston Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, emergency-management agencies, transportation partners, courts, and other government partners while maintaining BPS's student-centered mission.
- Serve as a liaison to families, students, school administrators, labor partners, and community organizations in matters involving school safety, high-profile incidents, and departmental initiatives.
- Support investigations of significant incidents; preserve records and evidence appropriately; prepare reports and briefings; and ensure follow-through on corrective actions.
- Assist the Executive Director in developing and administering budgets, procurement plans, equipment standards, technology initiatives, contracts, and other resources necessary for effective safety operations.
- Oversee readiness and appropriate use of safety-related equipment, communications systems, access-control systems, cameras, radios, emergency supplies, and vehicles, as applicable.
- Prepare briefings, presentations, reports, and recommendations for the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, School Committee, City leadership, and other stakeholders.
- Participate in on-call, after-hours, weekend, holiday, and emergency-response rotations, with the ability to report promptly to district locations when conditions require.
- Perform other related duties consistent with the scope and level of the position, as well as other tasks deemed necessary, as directed by the Executive Director of Safety, Security, and Crisis Response.
Qualifications - Required: - Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in criminal justice, emergency management, public administration, education, social work, psychology, security management, or a closely related field.
- Relevant professional certifications may be considered in combination with education and experience, subject to BPS and City of Boston hiring requirements.
- At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in school safety, public safety, emergency management, security operations, law enforcement, youth-serving organizations, education administration, or a related field.
- At least three years of supervisory or management experience leading personnel, teams, shifts, or cross-functional operations.
- Demonstrated experience managing emergency incidents, operational response, or complex safety matters involving multiple stakeholders.
- Some experience working directly with adolescents and families, preferably in an urban public-school district or comparably diverse youth-serving environment.
- Demonstrated knowledge of school emergency planning, threat assessment, incident management, investigations, and safety-risk mitigation.
- Experience working collaboratively with school leaders, municipal agencies, law-enforcement partners, community organizations, and culturally diverse communities.
- Experience using data, reports, and operational indicators to identify trends, improve service delivery, and make resource-allocation decisions.
- Must possess a valid Massachusetts driver's license, acceptable driving record, and ability to travel among district sites.
- Must reside in the City of Boston
- Current authorization to work in the United States
- An understanding of and commitment to gain greater understanding of what is necessary for an urban school system to enjoy continuous improvement in an increasingly complex and competitive environment.
- A deeply held and unyielding belief in the overarching mission of public education.
Qualifications - Preferred: - Master's degree in emergency management, public administration, education leadership, criminal justice, social work, or a related discipline.
- FEMA Incident Command System training, such as ICS-100, ICS-200, IS-700, IS-800, and advanced incident-command coursework.
- Certification or documented training in threat assessment, crisis intervention, violence prevention, school emergency operations planning, restorative practices, mediation, or trauma-informed practice.
- Experience in a large urban school district, municipal public-safety agency, higher-education campus-safety operation, or comparable multi-site organization.
- Experience managing unionized personnel and working within a public-sector environment.
- Current CPR/AED/First Aid certification or willingness to obtain and maintain certification.
- Fluency in one or more languages commonly spoken by BPS families, including Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, or Somali.
- Familiarity with Boston and Boston Public Schools
Working conditions: - This position requires frequent travel among BPS schools and administrative locations.
- The Deputy Director must be available for emergency call-in, extended shifts, and work outside normal business hours when required by safety events or district operations or as directed by the Executive Director.
- The position involves regular exposure to stressful situations, including active incidents, emotionally charged interactions, and confidential or sensitive matters.
- Employment is contingent upon meeting applicable City of Boston and BPS requirements, including background checks, work authorization, and any residency requirements in effect for the classification.
UNION/MANAGERIAL/RESIDENCY REQUIRED: Managerial, D71. City of Boston Residency is required.
