Security Programs Specialist

Full Job Description

About Seattle Center:

Seattle Center is where community comes together—an iconic, inclusive destination that delights and inspires the human spirit.

Seattle Center is the region's premier civic, arts and family gathering place in the core of our city and region, home to more than 30 arts, cultural, and entertainment organizations, family attractions, and tourist amenities.

Seattle Center expanded its role recently beyond our well-known 74-acre campus, to serve as the City’s lead for operating Seattle’s new Waterfront Park, a series of new public spaces on Seattle’s downtown waterfront between Pioneer Square and the Seattle Aquarium.

As a department of the City of Seattle, Seattle Center contributes to the quality of life for Seattle residents—and the region's economy and image as its top visitor destination.

About Waterfront Park:

In 2023, Seattle Center expanded its role to provide operations, maintenance and public safety services for Seattle’s new Waterfront Park, a series of new public spaces on Seattle’s downtown waterfront between Pioneer Square and Pier 62.

Seattle Center has brought its deep experience successfully managing public space to the Waterfront in partnership with the non-profit Friends of Waterfront Seattle, which already offers a range of recreational and cultural programming to the community.

Our goal has been to grow Seattle Center’s team by 20% over the last two years to meet this new opportunity, and to build a unified team to support both Seattle Center and the new Waterfront Park.

About this position:

We are seeking a Security Program Specialist to lead and supervise the Waterfront Park Emergency Services Unit.

This position will implement the established Performance Standards for Waterfront Park and help ensure the safety and enjoyment of park visitors.

The Security Program Specialist will report to the Seattle Center Emergency Services Manager and align the Waterfront Emergency Services team with the existing Seattle Center Department and its strong and positive culture.

This will include partnering with peer personnel based on the Seattle Center campus and being part of the Seattle Center Leadership Team.

The Emergency Services Unit places a very strong emphasis upon providing excellent customer service to guests, clients and staff as well as helping to ensure their safety and enjoyment while they are at Seattle Center and the Waterfront Park.

The unit has officers on duty around the clock 365 days a year.

The position exercises discretion and judgment in handling security matters, using security and de-escalation methods and prioritizing the handling of multiple incidents, but does not have the formal arrest authority of a sworn officer.

Requirements

Here is more of what you will be doing:

• Assist with planning, developing, and implementing department-wide security policies and procedures; inspect security operations, review procedures and recommend corrective measures as appropriate.

• Contribute to the administration of the security program and staff by modeling Seattle Center organizational values, overseeing activities, ensuring effective communication, supporting a positive workplace culture, and supervising security officers and security activities.
• Coordinate and monitor staff training and provide expertise and support throughout the annual training cycle to ensure staff are meeting requirements.

• Act as lead point of contact with external law enforcement and other government agencies regarding special event needs or risk considerations.
• Attend meetings with clients and parter organizations to assess security requirements and plan programs to improve security.
• May be needed for after-hours communications regarding emergent events or incident troubleshooting.
• Prepare, review, and maintain security incident reports, procedures and filing systems.
• Schedule staff to shifts with regular adjustments for vacations, call offs, or special needs.
• Review and approve timesheets for subordinate staff.
• Conduct performance management for direct reports as needed, including annual appraisals.
• Monitor vehicles assigned to the Emergency Services unit and report damage to the proper departments. Schedule routine maintenance and ensure vehicles receive service on schedule.
• Perform other related duties of a comparable level/type as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience: Requires three years of experience in security work, including developing security policies and procedures and supervising or leading staff.

Experience and Education Equivalency: Combinations of appropriate education, training, certification, and experience will be evaluated on an individual basis for comparability to the minimum education and experience requirements.

You will be successful in this role if you have:

Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.

Ability to train staff to communicate clearly and diplomatically with the public while enforcing security rules, often under stressful situations.

Ability to resolve conflicts between the public and/or staff and negotiate solutions without resorting to force or provoking unneeded conflict. Ability to persuade.

Ability to elicit cooperation and compliance under difficult or stressful circumstances.

Leadership competencies that encourage open and transparent communication and create a culture of belonging amongst staff.

• Proven ability to function autonomously and effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Proven ability to exercise professional judgment in decision-making and recommendations.
• High organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to take on challenges and work to solve them.
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Prior experience in a governmental agency and management of represented/organized staff experience preferred.
• Experience beyond user level of access control systems..

License, Certification, and Other Requirements:

Requires a valid State of Washington Driver's License.

Work Environment/Conditions:

• Most work is performed in a combination of field work and an office environment.
• Work may involve irregular hours.

Additional Information

The full pay range for this step-progression position is $48.23 - $56.20 per hour (not including 2026 wage increase of 3.6%).

New employees begin at Step 1 of the pay progression, which is $48.23 hourly. Current City employees’ starting rate of pay will be based on Personnel Rules regarding promotions.

How to Apply:

Applications are reviewed after the posting closes. You must submit the following items to be considered for this position no later than 4:00 pm Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 13, 2026:

1. Completed NEOGOV online application.
2. Supplemental questionnaire responses.
3. Cover letter describing how your skills and experience align with the stated job responsibilities and qualifications.
4. Current résumé indicating relevant experience and education.

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To align with our commitment to equity and the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative, Seattle Center is collecting cover letters and resumes without personal identifiers to achieve a blind screening process.

Driving Record - If you are selected to advance in this hiring process, you may be asked to obtain a complete 5-Year (Full) driving record from the Department of Licensing.

Candidates with driving history that does not meet our current safety standards will be disqualified from consideration.

Current City of Seattle Employees in a driving position may be required to submit an updated abstract.

Pre-Employment Physical - Due to the tasks associated with this role, you will be required to successfully pass a preemployment physical.

Background Check - Hiring process involves a background check of conviction and arrest records. The hiring process will be conducted in compliance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain and correct background information.

Why work at the City?

The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism.

Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same.

To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in dismantling racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and create and provide equitable processes and services.

Seattle Office of Civil Rights)

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and covered family-members/most employees-plans

For helpful tips on the application process and recruitment process: Working at the City - Human Resources | seattle.gov