In the private sector, functions are not as clearly defined as in the public sector. For example, the position of the police chief in the police hierarchy at the municipal level is clearly defined. On the other hand, in the private sector, the title of "security director" is used relatively freely. He is often the director of security and security manager. However, these two functions differ, primarily in who is superior to whom. The top part of middle management usually takes the position of director, and his superiors are most often from management such as the functions of general manager or deputy director of a company other than security management. But regardless of their position in the hierarchy, they are not in key management positions. They must certainly have enough experience in problem solving and working with staff, as well as be dynamic and focused on motivating individuals in order for the team to bring the best results. The role of the security director is multiple. At the same time, he must act as a leader, general manager, innovator, advisor, coach and strategic planner. Some of the responsibilities are development of organizational plans, assessment of staff and responsibilities and directing the entire security sector in the desired direction.
The role of a manager with high visibility and a broad profile
As a manager within the company, the security director identifies with middle and high-ranking company management. In this case, the security director cannot be treated exclusively as a security specialist, but, first of all, as a manager within the company, and only then as someone who deals with this sector. Similarly, a security director cannot be treated as a mere "police chief" within a company. Unfortunately, the leaders of this sector themselves often behave isolationistically and stick exclusively to the problems of security departments or avoid meetings of the highest management bodies. It is therefore advisable for security directors to be more involved in these activities as they come into direct contact with their colleagues and strengthen the visibility not only of themselves as managers but also of the entire security sector within the company. In that sense, their attitude, behavior and appearance at such gatherings should reflect their equal status with other top executives of the company. Likewise, better visibility is reflected in the availability of the safety director to employees at every hierarchical level and he must use every opportunity to talk to them. This strengthens the climate of trust and loyalty within the security department. The action of the director of security in the context of a broad profile implies that, in addition to security, he contributes to other sectors within the company. Activities of this type not only strengthen the reputation of the director, but also enable him to cooperate with colleagues with whom, otherwise, he would often not even be able to meet. For example, the director of security as a senior manager within the company may be involved in a recruitment program, in collaboration with the human resources sector. In this way, business relationships and acquaintances are built from which the security sector can only benefit.
Director of Security as a leader
In this role, the security director does not deal directly with the management of the security department, but acts as a leader in relation to the security manager and his team. Being a leader means creating an adequate environment, setting guidelines and proposing alternative solutions to identified problems, as well as encouraging and encouraging the development of subordinate employees. In this function, the role of the director of security can be described by analogy with a film director who draws the best from his team members. The most demanding aspect of the leadership function is refraining from making operational decisions. If the director of security chooses the right team and develops it adequately, leaving authentic responsibility to its members creates a climate of trust and professionalism. Likewise, employee motivation is strengthened in this way, and the director himself must possess the courage, wisdom and strength to allow subordinates to make their own decisions and be held accountable for their mistakes.
Director of Security as a consultant and coach
Due to his extensive experience and years spent in the security sector, the Director of Security can perform the roles of advisor and coach, which can be of great importance to the company.
The role of the safety director as a coach in the company is multi-layered. It can have an effect that is felt throughout the security department and lead to improved performance. In relation to the company itself, the director of security in this function has a more important role as a person who creates a favorable environment for security training issues. This applies to work on recruitment programs, safety awareness programs or promotional campaigns. On the other hand, in relation to the security manager or assistant director, this role is also functional because the director must personally train, give guidelines and develop the appropriate qualities of his immediate subordinates, in order to prepare them for future directorships. Manager training itself is not a time-fixed process, but a continuous development that lasts for several years. In this context, training the security manager to take on the role of future director is one of the most important tasks of this function.
Planning and setting goals
The direction of action and activities of the security department is determined on the basis of set goals, and they are, as a rule, determined by the director of security. Goals are set within the framework of strategic planning and they are at the same time challenges, and today they cannot be treated as authentic if they can be achieved too easily. The goal, for the director of security, must be an endeavor whose realization requires the continuous utilization of all available resources. It can be qualitative and quantitative, or include either replacing staff with safety equipment to save or reduce the total percentage of lost assets, or be focused on individual staff skills, such as the results employees achieve in the shooting range.
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