Security Director – Confidential Signature Project, Saudi Arabia

We are supporting the delivery of a high-profile signature project in Saudi Arabia, operating within a complex and strategically important environment and requiring a sophisticated, integrated approach to security.

We are looking for an experienced Security Director to lead the security function for the project, taking overall responsibility for strategic security management, physical and operational security, crisis and emergency response, personnel and asset protection, and security intelligence.

This is a senior leadership role requiring extensive experience operating in complex, international and geopolitically sensitive environments. You will act as the principal security advisor to senior management and project leadership, ensuring that the project maintains a robust, scalable and intelligence-led security strategy aligned with applicable regulatory requirements, security standards and company policies.

Working closely with project leadership, local authorities, law enforcement and government stakeholders, security partners and specialist teams, you will lead the development and implementation of an integrated security strategy designed to protect personnel, assets, facilities, operations and critical project information.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Security Director to take overall responsibility for the development, implementation and management of the security strategy and security operations for a major signature project in Saudi Arabia.

You will lead the assessment of security threats and vulnerabilities, taking into account geopolitical developments, local political dynamics and the potential for civil unrest, violence and other emerging security risks. You will translate this intelligence into clear security strategies, operational procedures and proportionate mitigation measures.

As the principal security advisor to senior management and project leadership, you will provide regular security briefings and strategic recommendations, ensuring that leadership maintains a clear understanding of the project's security posture and any emerging risks.

The role combines strategic leadership with significant operational responsibility. You will oversee physical site security, access control, perimeter protection, surveillance infrastructure, security personnel, secure logistics and personnel movements, crisis management and emergency response.

A critical part of the position will be establishing and maintaining trusted relationships with local authorities, law enforcement agencies, government partners and key security stakeholders, ensuring effective intelligence sharing, coordinated security operations and strategic alignment on site protection.

Strategic Security Management

The Security Director will establish and maintain a robust and scalable security framework specifically tailored to the threats, vulnerabilities and operating environment of the project.

You will continuously assess the security environment, including geopolitical trends and local political and security developments, ensuring that the project's security strategy evolves in response to changing threats.

You will establish an effective intelligence network across local authorities, law enforcement, government partners and other security stakeholders, ensuring that relevant information is gathered, assessed and translated into timely operational decisions.

You will also serve as the principal security advisor to senior project leadership, providing clear recommendations on security posture, emerging threats, mitigation measures and strategic priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive and scalable security plan tailored to the specific threats and vulnerabilities of the project and aligned with applicable security standards and company policies;
• Conduct continuous and in-depth security risk and threat assessments, including geopolitical trends, local political dynamics and the potential for civil unrest or violence;
• Establish and maintain an intelligence network with local authorities, law enforcement agencies, government partners and security contacts to obtain timely and actionable information;
• Act as the principal security advisor to senior management and project leadership, providing regular briefings and strategic recommendations;
• Lead the project's security function and ensure security personnel are appropriately trained, equipped and certified and operate in strict accordance with established security protocols;
• Manage all aspects of physical security across the construction site and associated facilities, including access control systems, perimeter security, surveillance infrastructure and security personnel deployment;
• Develop and enforce comprehensive security policies and procedures for all project personnel, including site-specific requirements, travel advisories and emergency response protocols;
• Oversee and coordinate the secure movement of personnel, materials and equipment to and from the site, including secure logistics procedures and convoy operations;
• Collaborate with key security partners to develop integrated security protocols, coordinate joint operations and maintain strategic alignment on site protection measures;
• Establish and oversee perimeter monitoring and access-control protocols in accordance with applicable security standards and company requirements;
• Develop, maintain and regularly review comprehensive crisis management and emergency response plans covering political incidents, medical emergencies, natural disasters and security breaches;
• Lead the on-site crisis management team and coordinate with regional and corporate leadership during security incidents;
• Conduct regular emergency drills and training exercises to ensure personnel understand emergency and evacuation procedures;
• Establish and maintain an effective emergency communications framework, including stakeholder notification, escalation procedures and secure information flows during incidents;
• Implement and manage security programmes for expatriate and local employees, including personal security assessments, protective measures and safe-location arrangements where required;
• Ensure sensitive data, intellectual property and critical project information are appropriately protected through effective access controls and security protocols; and
• Oversee background checks and vetting for employees and contractors requiring site access, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and company standards.

Crisis & Emergency Response

The Security Director will lead the project's preparedness and response arrangements for security incidents and wider emergencies.

You will develop and regularly update comprehensive crisis management and emergency response plans covering political incidents, security breaches, medical emergencies and natural disasters.

During an incident, you will lead the on-site crisis management team, coordinating closely with regional and corporate leadership, relevant authorities and security stakeholders to ensure rapid decision-making, effective mitigation and clear communication.

Regular drills, exercises and training will form an important part of the role, ensuring project personnel understand their responsibilities and are prepared to respond effectively to emergency and evacuation scenarios.

Personnel & Asset Protection

You will oversee security programmes designed to protect both expatriate and local employees, including personal security assessments, protective measures and safe-location arrangements where appropriate.

You will ensure the protection of project assets, sensitive information, intellectual property and critical project data through effective physical security and information-access controls.

The Security Director will also oversee background checks and vetting processes for employees and contractors requiring site access, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and company security standards.

Essential Skills & Experience

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

• A minimum of 15 years' professional experience in security management, including at least five years in a senior leadership or Director-level position;
• A proven track record leading security operations across large-scale and complex projects;
• Significant experience operating in international and/or geopolitically sensitive environments;
• Experience working directly with government security forces, senior government stakeholders and/or law enforcement agencies;
• Strong capability in security risk assessment, threat analysis and the development of strategic mitigation measures;
• Experience managing physical security operations, including access control, perimeter protection, surveillance and security personnel;
• Strong experience in crisis management, incident response and emergency preparedness;
• Experience developing and implementing security policies, procedures and operational protocols;
• Strong leadership capability and experience managing security teams and specialist security operations;
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to operate credibly with senior executives, government representatives and external security authorities;
• A Bachelor's degree in Security Management, Risk Management or a related discipline; and
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Desirable Experience

Experience or qualifications in one or more of the following would be particularly advantageous:

• ASIS security certification, with CPP or PSP preferred;
• NEBOSH or an equivalent recognised professional credential;
• Previous experience operating in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East or comparable international environments;
• Experience working alongside government or high-level security organisations;
• Arabic language capability;
• French language capability;
• Experience coordinating secure personnel, material and equipment movements and convoy operations;
• Experience developing security arrangements for expatriate workforces;
• Advanced experience with access-control systems and CCTV surveillance platforms;
• Experience using threat intelligence software and security management systems;
• Familiarity with geopolitical risk-assessment frameworks and security threat modelling; and
• Strong capability in security data analysis, reporting and Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for someone who is:

• Strategic – able to assess complex and evolving threats and translate them into clear, proportionate and effective security strategies;
• Decisive – capable of making sound decisions quickly and confidently in high-pressure or rapidly developing situations;
• A strong leader – able to provide clear direction to security teams and establish consistently high operational standards;
• Credible – comfortable advising senior project leadership and engaging with government, law enforcement and senior security stakeholders;
• Risk-focused – able to identify emerging threats and vulnerabilities and implement effective preventative and mitigation measures;
• Collaborative – capable of working effectively across project, corporate, government and external security organisations;
• Operationally minded – able to translate strategic security requirements into practical site-level procedures and controls;
• Calm under pressure – capable of providing effective leadership during security incidents, crises and emergency situations;
• Structured and organised – able to maintain clear oversight of complex security operations, intelligence, personnel and emergency arrangements; and
• Discreet and professional – able to handle highly sensitive security information and operate effectively within a confidential, high-profile environment.

Project Environment

The role will operate within a high-profile signature project in Saudi Arabia, involving a complex stakeholder environment across project leadership, construction and operational teams, corporate stakeholders, government authorities, law enforcement agencies and specialist security partners.

Given the nature and profile of the project, further details will be shared with shortlisted candidates at the appropriate stage of the recruitment process.

The successful candidate will need to establish trusted and effective relationships across these organisations while maintaining clear ownership of the project's overall security posture.

The position requires an individual capable of operating at both strategic and operational level – advising senior leadership on geopolitical and security risk while ensuring that robust physical security, personnel protection, secure logistics, crisis response and intelligence arrangements are implemented effectively on the ground.

This is an opportunity to take overall security leadership responsibility for a landmark programme and play a critical role in protecting its people, assets, operations and continuity.