Director of Security Safety

Adjacent to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the country, Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, provides an amazing work environment with refreshing mountain breezes and spectacular views of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains. As a member of the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort team, you will meet and engage with guests who have arrived to enjoy all the Great Smoky Mountains have to offer and help them experience our world-class amenities such as the state-of-the-art Wild Bear Falls water park. As part of Westgate Resorts, recognized by U.S. News as one of the Best Companies to Work For, you’ll be joining a team committed to excellence and creating unforgettable vacation experiences and supporting your career growth where you are or at 60+ resorts across the company.

The Director of Security & Safety is responsible for leading resort safety and security operations, protecting our guests, team members, and property, and maintaining a safe and secure environment. This role oversees security personnel, safety programs, investigations, emergency response, security systems, loss prevention, and regulatory compliance.   The Director will build strong relationships with law enforcement and emergency services personnel and serves as the primary contact and liaison for health and safety organizations. This role also oversees departmental budgets, records, inventory controls, and loss management systems.

If you possess exceptional leadership skills, a strong commitment to safety and security, and a passion for maintaining a secure environment, we invite you to apply for this critical position at Westgate Resorts.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead, hire, train, and manage Safety & Security personnel, including establishing procedures, responsibilities, schedules, field training, and performance expectations.
• Implement and manage government-mandated safety and security programs, including bloodborne pathogen, hazardous communication, and ongoing safety inspection programs.
• Conduct routine safety and security inspections and ensure compliance with corporate policies, state laws, regulations, and licensing requirements.
• Direct and/or conduct internal criminal and civil investigations and serve as a liaison to law enforcement and emergency services personnel.
• Serve as the point of contact and liaison to OSHA and other government health and safety organizations.
• Coordinate and/or instruct employee health, safety, and security training programs in cooperation with Risk Management and the Regional Director of Security.
• Serve as task force coordinator for events requiring specialized or enhanced security services, including dignitary protection and high-profile events.
• Respond to critical incidents, assume control of incident scenes, and remain on call and available to respond to incidents 24/7.
• Oversee security operations, including patrols, fire and burglar alarm response, security systems, electronic lock security, and key control access systems.
• Implement inventory controls and loss management systems and oversee security inventory and assets.
• Manage interdepartmental Safety & Security programs and participate in operational, executive, safety committee, and risk management meetings.
• Oversee the Lost & Found Department and departmental budget.
• Interact with and assist guests and team members while maintaining a professional, service-focused environment.

To excel in this role, you must embody our core values of integrity, passion, and a strong work ethic. These qualities are essential to our success, and we seek individuals who share our commitment.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

What You Will Bring:

Education, Licenses & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.
• American Red Cross certification required.
• CPR, AED, and First Aid certification required.

Experience:

• 8+ years of proven leadership experience overseeing security teams, supervisors, and contracted personnel.
• Experience managing security for multiple properties or large-scale resorts.
• Proven experience with conflict de-escalation, dispute resolution, crisis management, and emergency response coordination.
• Extensive experience writing and reviewing incident investigations, documentation, and reports.
• Knowledge of local, national, and international security regulations, as well as hospitality laws related to security and guest privacy.
• Experience with budgeting and resource allocation for security operations.
• Experience with training and development of security personnel.
• Demonstrated experience professionally handling intoxicated guests, domestic disputes, and disruptive behavior.

Minimum Requirements

• Must pass a criminal background check and a drug & alcohol test.
• Must have a valid driver's license and pass a company insurance driver's license check.
• Must be at least 18 years old to operate company golf carts and at least 21 years old to drive tagged company vehicles.
• Must comply with the company vehicle insurance policy.
• Must be available to work weekends, holidays, nights, and any shift in all weather conditions.
• Must be on call and available 24/7.
• Frequently required to stand, walk and regularly required to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift/move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift/move up to 50 pounds.
• Frequently exposed to outdoor weather condition.

Travel Requirements: 

• May be required to travel between properties.

Why Westgate?  

• Comprehensive Health Benefits – Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Paid Time Off – Vacation, Sick, and Personal Time to Recharge
• Paid Holidays
• 401(k) with Generous Company Match to Support Your Future
• Daily Pay – Access Your Earnings When You Need Them
• Family-Focused Benefits – Pregnancy, Parental Leave, and Adoption Assistance
• Wellness Programs to Support Your Well-Being
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Tuition Assistance to Help You Grow Your Career
• Military Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Support When You Need It Most
• Life, Disability, Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Insurance
• Pet Insurance for Your Furry Family Members
• Loyalty Program – Exclusive Discounts on Hotels, Cruises, Resorts, Restaurants, Entertainment, and More
• Low-Cost Gym Membership
• NEW! David A. Siegel Legacy Scholarship – Up to $40,000 for Team Members’ Dependents
• Career Growth and Advancement Opportunities
• Community Involvement – Give Back and Make an Impact

Westgate Resorts is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other protected status under federal, state or local law. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to complete your application or any part of the recruiting process, please email WGAccommodations@wgresorts.com with the job title and the location of the position for which you are applying.

This job posting is intended to provide a general overview of the position and may not include every responsibility, duty, or qualification required. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.