Job Description

Head of Physical Security Operations (Americas)

Cadence is seeking an experienced and highly capable Head of Physical Security Operations (Americas) to lead all physical security operations across the United States, Canada, and Latin America.

This leader will serve as the primary regional point of contact for all security matters in the Americasincluding physical security operations, risk management, incident response, insider threat coordination, workplace violence prevention, and security support for high-security engineering environments.

In addition to regional oversight, the selected candidate will assume global program leadership for one strategic domainsuch as Risk Assessments, Executive Protection, Event Security, Security Design Standards, or Travel Riskto contribute both to local execution and global strategic impact.

This role is critical to maintaining the safety, continuity, and resiliency of Cadences most mature and operationally significant region.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Leadership & Ownership

• Serve as the senior-most Global Security authority for the Americas region, acting as the direct POC for site leaders, HR, Legal, Workplace, IT, Engineering, and executive offices.
• Lead the development and implementation of a riskinformed, scalable physical security program across corporate offices, R&D facilities, customerfacing centers, labs, and executive sites.
• Conduct ongoing threat, vulnerability, and geopolitical assessments informed by U.S. regulatory conditions, crime trends, supply chain considerations, protest activity, and criticalinfrastructure risks.
• Ensure compliance with state, federal, and local regulatory requirements, while aligning regional processes with global security standards.
• Support corporate initiatives involving acquisitions, expansions, and realestate strategy.

Operational Excellence & Incident Response

• Oversee daily security operations across all regional sites, including access control, guard force performance, incident tracking, visitor management, video surveillance, alarm systems, and emergency response protocols.
• Serve as incident commander for major eventsincluding workplace violence, threats, natural disasters, protests, cyberphysical convergence incidents, and executivelevel escalations.
• Drive partnership with the Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) to ensure realtime monitoring, accurate intelligence flow, and rapid response to events.
• Manage and refine emergency preparedness, business continuity alignment, and crisis communication workflows within the region.

Global Program Leadership

• Global Risk Assessment Program methodology, tooling, cadence, governance.
• Executive Protection Program planning, protection standards, risk monitoring.
• Event Security Program global protocols, vendor selection, site security design.
• Security Design & Standards for all global expansions and newbuild projects.
• Travel Risk & Duty of Care tools, intelligence, protocols, emergency support.
• Insider Threat Physical Layer coordination with HR, Legal, IT, and Ethics.

Responsibilities Include

• Develop global frameworks, SOPs, standards, KPIs, and reporting structures.
• Lead global working groups, partnering with other regional security leaders.
• Present program updates to executive stakeholders with clear roadmaps and metrics.
• Use an AIfirst mindset to embed automation, analytics, and efficiency into all program elements.
• Continuously mature global governance and operational integration.

CrossFunctional & Executive Engagement

• Advocate for security priorities with executive teams, engineering leadership, and strategic business partners.
• Collaborate closely with HR, Legal, Ethics, Workplace Services, IT, and Business Continuity to align policies, investigations, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Provide security support and planning for executive meetings, board meetings, customer summits, and highvisibility events.
• Participate in realestate planning and design reviews for new sites and major renovations.

People Leadership & Vendor Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Americasbased security managers, supervisors, and contracted personnel.
• Manage regional budgets, cost optimization strategies, vendor performance, and contract compliance.
• Drive high standards of professionalism, accountability, and service delivery across all thirdparty partners.
• Build a culture that emphasizes integrity, collaboration, urgency, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive security leadership experience in largescale corporate security, law enforcement, military, intelligence, or hightech environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multisite or multicountry security operations.
• Strong crisis management, emergency response, and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Proven track record in building security programs (not just maintaining operations).
• Strong understanding of access control, CCTV, SOC operations, visitor systems, and integration technologies.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to brief executive leaders and influence stakeholders.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.

• Experience supporting R&D labs, engineering environments, semiconductor facilities, or highsecurity IPsensitive operations.
• Certifications such as CPP, PSP, CFE, CTM, IC S/EM training, or equivalent.
• Experience owning or contributing to a global security program in a multinational environment.
• Familiarity with North American and LATAM risk landscapes, labor laws, security regulations, and compliance frameworks.

Why This Role Matters

• Lead physical security for Cadences largest and most complex operating region.
• Shape and own a global program that elevates security standards worldwide.
• Protect missioncritical innovation that powers the modern semiconductor, AI, and systemsdesign ecosystem.
• Play a key role in building a worldclass, futureproof global security organization.

The annual salary range for California is $161,000 to $299,000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Benefits include paid vacation, paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, and a variety of medical, dental, and vision plan options.

Were doing work that matters. Help us solve what others cant.

Job Tags

Similar Jobs