Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives

Johns Hopkins Public Safety:

Johns Hopkins Public Safety (JHPS) is dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and inclusive environment for our patients, visitors, students, faculty, staff, and the greater community. With more than 1,200 personnel, JHPS serves Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Health System (collectively the Johns Hopkins Institutions or JHI) and its 57,000 employees, 24,000 students, and more than 111,000 annual inpatient admissions, and nearby neighbors across more than a dozen academic, medical, and administrative locations throughout Maryland, in the Washington, DC area, and in Florida.

Position Summary:

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Public Safety, the Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives (AVP) provides visionary leadership and direct oversight of several important Johns Hopkins Public Safety initiatives and projects. As a key member of the Vice President for Public Safety’s senior leadership team, the AVP is tasked with leading several strategic priorities, initiatives, and operational projects aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and growth of the organization.

The main area of focus for the AVP is the development and building of the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD), a small, accountable, and highly effective police department founded on the principles of 21st Century Policing, harm reduction, and community-oriented policing. Progress toward establishing the JHPD is expected to begin in July of 2022. Additional information on the JHPD is available on the Johns Hopkins Public Safety website.

The AVP must be an experienced, professional, and flexible leader, with the ability to think strategically while managing change and delivering results in a complex environment.

Major Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the efforts of multiple individuals and departments across JHU and JHM in support of Public Safety initiatives.
• Lead the development of policies, procedures, and practices to support JHPS public safety operations.
• Research and provide recommendations for the procurement of infrastructure, equipment, technology, and other tools and resources necessary for public safety operations.
• Liaise with JH Facilities and Real Estate on facility and office-space needs, including assisting with coordinating the identification, design, acquisition, and construction of space to support departmental operations and administration.
• Lead community engagement and participation efforts, including open forums, local hiring events, and other public-facing events.
• Maintain awareness of state, local, and federal legislation, and advise on institutional leadership on legislative strategy and engagement with elected officials.
• Lead the establishment and operations of the JHPD Police Athletics/Activities League.
• Serve as Public Safety subject-matter-expert and liaison to other internal departments (i.e., Human Resources, Information Technology) and external stakeholders and partners (i.e., Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission, Baltimore Police Department).
• Engage with and/or direct the work of consultants and contractual support to ensure deadlines are met and deliverables are completed.
• Supervise several workstreams and project management activities, including the activities of direct-report personnel as assigned.
• Works regularly with university deans, hospital presidents, divisional business officers, and other leadership across the university and health system to ensure a high level of service, issues are mitigated, and future needs are planned for accordingly.
• Acts as Vice President for Public Safety in their absence.

Education and Experience:

• At least (10) ten years of progressively responsible and supervisory public safety or comparable experience, preferably including extensive experience within a university or hospital security department or law enforcement agency.
• A Master’s degree in Public Administration, Homeland Security, Criminal Justice or related field and 10 years of relevant experience OR a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Homeland Security, Criminal Justice or related field and 15 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Must be in possession of a valid state motor vehicle driver's license have and maintain a clean motor vehicle driving record (no more than two current points).
• Must pass a University criminal background investigation.

JH Public Safety leadership personnel requirements:

• Maintains on-call availability 24/7/365.
• Is subject to emergency call-back at all times, including nights, weekends, holidays, and is subject to the cancellation of vacation if required by emergency circumstances.
• Maintains availability to deploy for a maximum of a two-week period to any global Johns Hopkins location if required by emergency circumstances.

Special knowledge, skills, or abilities:

• Robust understanding of the principles of 21st Century Policing Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with a broad range of stakeholders in a variety of organizational situations.
• Ability to work in a complex decentralized institution, with a high tolerance for ambiguity.
• Knowledge and experience in working with diverse populations and subcultures.

Physical requirements for the job:

• Successfully complete a physical/health screening examination by the Office of Occupational Health and Safety, which includes a drug screening.
• Physical demands in excess of those for sedentary work. Must be physically able to operate a variety of machines and equipment including automobiles, vans, office equipment, radio, telephone, etc.; able to go up and/or down flights of steps.

Johns Hopkins University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. The University promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans. Johns Hopkins University is a drug-free, smoke-free workplace.