Department Oversight- Manage muti-faceted teams
including the following departments: Environmental Health and
Safety, Emergency & Risk Management, and University Police.
Direct oversight of the following positions: Chief of Police,
Manager-Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Management
Specialist, and Risk Management Coordinator.
Partnership & Liaison- Build and maintain
cooperative working relationships with students, faculty, staff,
local, state, and federal agencies as well as community
stakeholders.
Compliance and Policy- Ensure compliance with applicable
regulations while advancing best practices in risk management,
environmental health and safety, emergency preparedness, and public
safety operations.
Risk & Incident Analysis- Evaluate threat reports,
crime data, and physical vulnerabilities. Utilize data-informed
decision-making, emerging technologies, and innovative practices to
proactively identify risks, improve outcomes, and advance
institutional priorities.
BENEFITS :
South Dakota State University is the state’s largest, most
comprehensive university with over $60 million annual research
expenditures, more than 200 academic programs and an enrollment of
approximately 12,000 students. We offer a rich academic experience
in an environment of inclusions and access. The university is part
of a dynamic community for families, students, young professionals,
and retirees, which offers an abundance of attractions and
activities. South Dakota State University offers a wide range of
excellent benefits including medical, dental, and flexible
benefits, retirement plans, compensation packages, paid holidays,
and vacation leave. Employees also have access to internal and
state-sponsored training as well as reduced tuition for
state-supported courses at all State of South Dakota academic
institutions.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS :
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in
Business or Public Administration, Administrative or Management
Services, Criminal Justice, Public Safety, Homeland Security,
Emergency Management, or related field by date of application;
- At least 7+ years of demonstrated experience providing
strategic, enterprise-level leadership in areas related to physical
security, emergency preparedness, environmental compliance, or risk
mitigation by setting organizational direction; developing and
executing long-term strategic and operational plans; leading
people, teams, and high-performing programs; directing complex,
high-impact initiatives and organizational change; aligning
resources, partnerships, and organizational priorities; influencing
decision-making at senior and executive levels; developing
leadership capacity; and translating vision into measurable,
sustainable outcomes through effective planning, programming,
accountability, innovation, and execution.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to maintain proper
certifications and licenses required by the state;
- Effective communication skills, both verbally and written, with
all levels of the university community and regulatory agencies to
accurately represent the University’s goals and objectives;
- Exceptional leadership, organizational, interpersonal, and
management skills;
- Knowledge of the federal and state statutes and their
implementing regulations, particularly as they relate to the
overseen offices and the University community;
- Ability to work with leadership and others to establish and
foster partnerships to promote the safety and security of the
university and local community; and
- Ability to coordinate with local, state, and federal
enforcement, emergency services, and government agencies.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS :
- Master’s degree;
- Demonstrated experience in enterprise-level risk
management;
- Professional experience in a land-grant university
environment;
- Familiarity with pertinent local, state, and federal crime
reporting (including NIMS / ICS, Clery Act, FERPA, ADA, etc.);
- Demonstrated training with communications, implementation of
emergency plans, training and exercises, and assessment of these
activities;
- Demonstrated experience with compliance and reporting, threat
assessment, and behavioral intervention teams;
- Knowledge and experience related to environmental health and
safety requirements;
- Demonstrated leadership and knowledge of all phases of
emergency management, including planning, preparedness, full scale
training exercises, all hazards responses, and business continuity
and disaster recovery;
- Professional certifications: Certified Protection Professional,
Physical Security Professional, OSHA, or equivalents;
- Experience in environments requiring 24/7 on-call response and
multi-jurisdictional coordination.
APPLICATION PROCESS :
The system will guide you through the electronic application form.
This employment site will also require the attachment of a cover
letter, which should specifically address how the candidate meets
the qualifications as outlined in the advertisement, resume, and a
reference page with the contact information for three professional
references. Email applications will not be accepted. Please contact
SDSU Human Resources at (605) 688-4128 if you require assistance
with this process.
Any offer of employment is contingent on the university’s
verification of credentials and other information required by law
and/or university policies, including but not limited to,
successful completion of a criminal background check.
South Dakota State University is a tobacco free environment. It is
the policy of the University to maintain a drug-free environment
and to thereby establish, promote, and maintain a safe and healthy
working and learning environment for employees and students. This
position is subject to South Dakota State University’s Drug and
Alcohol Testing Policy 4:14.
Posting Date
09/28/2026
Closing Date
Open Until Filled
Yes
First Consideration Date
10/26/2026
Advertised Salary
The salary range for the Assistant Vice President of Safety and
Security is $108,935 - $163,403, commensurate with qualifications
and experience.
Duration of the Term
12 months
If Other, describe duration
Appointment Percent
100%
Work Hours
Typical Hours Worked Per Week
Appointment Type
Regular
Faculty Status
No
Scope of Search
External (includes Internal)
If internal, define scope of search
This position requires
Valid Drivers License
If other, please indicate
Department Description and Cultural Expectations
SDState is
the state’s largest, most comprehensive university with over $94
million annual research expenditures, more than 200 academic
programs and an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students. The
university is part of a
dynamic community for families, students, young
professionals, and retirees, which offers an abundance of
attractions and activities.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
South Dakota State University promotes access to and opportunities
for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education,
research, and service and is especially interested in candidates
that can contribute to this land-grant access mission. SDSU is an
equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive
consideration without regard to, and SDSU prohibits unlawful
discrimination of all legally protected classes in the offering of
all educational programs and employment. Arrangements for
accommodations required by disabilities can be made by emailing
HR@sdstate.edu .
Individuals with concerns regarding discrimination should contact:
Equal Opportunity Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources,
Morrill Hall 100, SDSU, Brookings, SD 57007. Phone: (605)
688-4128.
Contact Information
For questions on the position, contact Human Resources at (605)
688-4128 or Carissa.Redenius@sdstate.edu.
Working Conditions
Cognitive Requirements
Please check the appropriate response that describe the
cognitive requirements for this position.
Analyzing, Comprehend, Frequent Change, Logic, Memory, Multiple
Priorities, Pace-average, Pace-fast, Perform calculations, Reading,
Reasoning, Verbal Communication, Written Communication
Protective Clothing/Equipment
Please check the appropriate response for this position's use of
the following protective clothing or equipment.
If other protection is used please identify
Physical Requirements
Please designate the physical requirements of this
position
Driving, Fine Finger Manipulation (keyboarding, pipefitting, bench
work, etc), Lifting Above Waist, Lifting Below Waist, Lifting
light, Sitting for sustained periods of time, Standing for
sustained periods of time
Describe any of the conditions selected
Sensory Requirements
Please check the appropriate response that describe the sensory
requirements for this position.
Distant Vision, Hearing, Near Vision
Working Conditions & Exposures
Working Conditions or Exposures (or potential exposures) that
this position may encounter during the course of the work
day.
Exposure or Potential Exposure to Blood/Body Fluids, Exposure to
Noise, Use of a firearm
Please describe, in more detail, any of the conditions checked
above
Working Environment
Check the appropriate box(es) that best describes the
environment in which the primary function of the position is
performed.
Office Environment
If you have indicated Other Environment, if work tasks involve
one or more of the above, or if further explanation is necessary,
please use the space provided.
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- Where did you hear about this position?
- LinkedIn
- SDBOR Employment Site
- South Dakota Department of Labor
- Employee Referral
- Department Announcement / Inside State
- Handshake
- Job Board (Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter) - Please specify
- Industry Conference
- Search Engine - Please specify
- Employment Agency - Please specify
- Newspaper - Please specify
- HigherEdJobs.com
- Chronicle of Higher Education
- Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) - Please
specify
- Radio - Please specify
- APLU
- List Servs - Please specify
- Alumni
- Other - Please specify
Documents Needed to Apply
Required Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Reference List
Optional Documents
