Director of Campus Safety-Bates College; ME

D. Stafford & Associates (DSA) invites applications for the position of Director of Campus Safety at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

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.

• 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,…