Job Description

Director of Safety Services

Job Description for Director of Safety Services

Position Title: Director of Safety Services Job Status: Full Time

Reports To: Chief of Staff to Superintendent FLSA Status: Exempt

Classification: Non-Licensed Adm. Director Amount of Travel: Minimal

Date Revised: July 2026 Level: District Administration

Salary Range: $73,268.70 to $102,001.59 Work Schedule: 245 Days

Position Summary: The North Little Rock School District (NLRSD) is seeking exceptional applications for the executive leadership position of Director of Safety Services. This position is responsible for the highest level of safety, security, and emergency medical services across all 15 school sites and across all central office departments and functions. The position assists the Superintendent substantially and effectively in the task of providing for a safe, healthy, and supportive learning and working environments across the entire district. The Director of Safety Services serves as the top advisor to the Superintendent on all aspects of safety, security, and emergency medical management in the NLRSD.

The Director of Safety Services will assist the Superintendent and Chief of Staff in working directly and collaboratively in establishing and maintaining a high performing district safety and security committee with direct supervision over all school safety and security systems administration, internal investigations, and school nursing while providing guidance to school principals and supervision to all safety services staff and school crossing guards. Further, the director serves as the NLRSD liaison to local law enforcement and emergency services agencies to include the North Little Rock Police Department, School Resource Officers, North Little Rock Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, and the Health Department and other key leaders to ensure aligned support and services to schools focused on safe, healthy, and supportive learning and working environments.

In addition, ideal candidates should be committed to high standards for safety and security with a successful background and record of improving safety, security, and emergency medical services, systems, processes, procedures, structures, and training to ensure maximum levels of safety and security performance. NLRSD is seeking experienced leaders who will assist the Superintendent in maintaining the high level of safety, security, health and well being of more than 7500 students and over 1300 employees.

Essential Functions: The following duties are representative of performance expectations. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Director of Safety Services responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Maintain constant daily communication and contact with the Superintendent and Chief of Staff concerning the day-to-day operations of school safety, security, and emergency medical services.
• Coordinates a comprehensive district security/school safety, security, and emergency medical services program plan which includes a District level Crisis Response Plan with key metrics and strategies for implementation.
• Serves as a liaison with local law enforcement agencies to monitor the daily operation of the School Resource Officer (SRO) program and other law enforcement issues on the school campuses including a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the North Little Rock Police Department and NLRSD.
• Act as top advisor to the Superintendent on the NLRSD Central Office Crisis Response Team and serves as Emergency Management Liaison as needed and responds to NLRSD sites in a crisis and works closely with Superintendent and Executive Team, Law Enforcement, Fire Department and other first responding agencies in the event of a crisis or emergency.
• Provides training to the Superintendent's Executive Leadership team on the National Incident Management System (NIMS) in the areas of resource management, command and coordination, incident command systems, and communication and information management.
• Works with local law enforcement agencies to encourage community-policing efforts and serves as the district liaison regarding issues related to juvenile crime and prevention.
• Serves as a liaison to Pulaski County Juvenile Courts and Juvenile Detention Center.
• Oversees the day-to-day operations of district safety and security systems to include fire alarms, intrusion alarms, employee credentials, employee badge access, and video surveillance in collaboration with other key departments to include Information Technology (IT), Maintenance, and Human Resources.
• Assists in the development and implementation of security plans for special events involving the school facilities within the jurisdiction of the North Little Rock School District.
• Coordinates and provides on-going training and assistance to site-based administrators and central office administrators in matters of safety, security, and emergency medical services.
• Advises and assists site-based administrators in matters involving criminal activities on school campuses.
• Advises and assists site-based administrators with their direct supervision of campus supervisors and school crossing guards while providing annual and ongoing training.
• Assists/advises in the development of crisis management/emergency response plans as part of each school's safety plan.
• Directs/coordinates the periodic assessment/audit of school facilities and grounds to determine safety and security issues.
• Coordinates with site-based administrators, Maintenance and Facilities to address and correct safety/security issues on school campuses.
• Reviews NLRSD policies and procedures related to school safety and security to ensure compliance and implementation of best practices for NLRSD schools and programs.
• Prepares memos, reports, drawings, etc. related to safety and traffic issues on school campuses and forwards those to Maintenance or other appropriate locations.
• Oversees internal investigations as assigned by the Superintendent and in collaboration and coordination with Human Resources.
• Works in collaboration with Human Resources to support new and current employees with background checks and fingerprinting.
• Serves as a liaison to the Department of Health and coordinates the NLRSD response to health related issues or concerns.
• Oversees school nursing and emergency medical services and works directly with school administrators to address the district's handling of student health issues such as medication administration, communicable disease transmission, and immunizations to meet student needs and state regulations.
• Serves as a liaison with other agencies such as local and state Departments of Transportation, Health, Center of School Safety, and others to provide resources and information related to school safety and health.
• Receives all reports of school crime from site-based administrators and/or School Resource Offices and maintains statistics regarding this information.
• Directs the district's effort to collect and compile annual school crime reports in an accurate and timely manner.
• Provides periodic reports to the Superintendent and the School Board on matters pertaining to school security, safety, and emergency medical services.
• Takes a lead role in the continuing development of software related to reporting and analyzing school crime incidents.
• Serves as the chair of the NLRSD School Safety and Security Committee to develop and revise the District's School Safety and Security Plan.
• Communicates with the media on matters involving school safety, security, and emergency medical management.
• Performs basic personnel administration duties, including hiring, orienting new staff, assigning work, scheduling, disciplining, evaluating, and granting leave; prepares program budget and related reports; monitors expenditures.
• Participates in the National Association of School Resource Officers, Association of School Safety and other professional organizations as well as various committees related to school safety, security and emergency medical preparedness.
• Works directly with local law enforcement agencies during critical incident situations and organizing debriefing sessions for ongoing improvement.
• Perform other related work as required and directed by the Superintendent and Chief of Staff.

Competencies:

• Comprehensive knowledge of state and local policies and procedures regarding the administration of security/school safety programs.
• Comprehensive knowledge of applicable laws and regulations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the current literature, trends, methods and developments in the areas of security and school safety.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the ethical guidelines applicable to the position as outlined by professional organizations and/or federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
• General knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization and administration.
• Ability to effectively present information to management, public groups, and/or boards.
• Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and make recommendations for improvements.
• Ability to use common office machines and popular computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet and file maintenance.
• Ability to maintain complete and accurate records and to develop meaningful reports from them.
• Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Eight (8) years' experience in law enforcement or related experience to the assigned job duties and responsibilities.
• Three (3) years' of progressive leadership and management experience, or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities of the assigned job duties and responsibilities.
• Bachelor's degree in field or related field preferred.

Preferred Experience or Training:

• Approved Police Academy or equivalent
• FBI National Academy Program
• Advanced Police Management Program
• National Fire Academy
• Emergency Management Institute
• Security Training Programs or other comparable training programs
• Tactical Response Training
• Emergency Management Certification
• CPR/First Aid Certificate
• Experience working in an urban setting

Skills and Abilities Required: The following characteristics and physical skills are important for the successful performance of assigned duties.

Knowledge and Expertise:

• Proven ability to develop and deliver programming that drives improved safety, security, and emergency medical services, systems, procedures, and protocols for organizational effectiveness.
• Deep understanding of safety, security, and emergency medical services models, frameworks and services; experience developing and implementing organizational improvements in all aspects of safety and security.
• Strong knowledge of highly effective safety and security practices and the ability to lead others to implement these practices consistently across all school sites and central office departments while working collaboratively with local law enforcement and emergency medical agencies.

Work Environment:

• Work is primarily conducted in an office or school setting. Prolonged stationary work and attention to desk or computer tasks are required. This position is cognitively demanding and requires especially well developed professional social skills and communication skills. Movement in and about schools and office buildings/grounds is a frequent requirement and ability to carry or lift items 75 lbs. or less.

Empathy and Commitment to Cause:

• Deep commitment to improving safety, security, and emergency medical services to support the organizational effectiveness of NLRSD.
• Passionately believes that all students and staff have a safe, security, and health environment to learn and work.
• Demonstrates cultural competence, equity, and a deep understanding of and empathy for issues facing minority and economically disadvantaged families and students requiring special services.

Problem Solving and Systems Thinking:

• Understands how various systems and departments interact to achieve district goals.
• Makes decisions using data and technology.
• Takes initiative to solve problems and create stakeholder buy-in.
• Identifies and prioritizes mission critical issues with alignment of people, time and

resources.

• Offer innovative solutions to seemingly intractable challenges.
• Exhibits strong focus on goals and results. Sets clear metrics for success.
• Removes barriers or obstacles that make it difficult for principals to achieve their goals and ensures that school leaders have the resources they need to succeed.
• Demonstrates excellent execution and project management skills, including attention to detail, organizational skills, ability to balance the big picture with detailed steps to reach the end goal, and ability to balance multiple projects under tight deadlines.

Leadership Skills:

• Motivates, inspires, and moves other adults to action to achieve ambitious goals.
• Skilled at re-envisioning, building, and managing a team, especially in a time of growth and change; excellent at identifying talent and taking advantage of each person's skills and contribution to team effort.
• Builds and maintains positive relationships with individuals and groups.
• Moves groups to consensus and resolves conflicts. Exhibits willingness to have difficult conversations.
• Builds coalitions and wor