Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

The opportunity:

The Community Resource Lead – Administration & Operations for the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a key leadership position that enhances both the operational effectiveness and administrative excellence of the department. This role builds upon the core responsibilities of the Community Resource Lead, with added focus on quality assurance, training, and supervision of daily communications and patrol functions, particularly during staffing vacancies or operational disruptions.

The Community Resource Lead – Administration & Operations provides shift leadership and administrative oversight, supporting both frontline response and departmental coordination. This includes fostering positive community relationships within each shift and with campus partners during both emergency and routine operations. The role requires active response to incidents, support for field staff, oversight of follow-up investigations, and leadership in the coordination and supervision of the multi-functional Swarthmore College Communications Center.

This position is responsible for supervising the overall functions of the DPS Communications Center, with indirect supervision responsibilities of all Communications Officers. This position is responsible for ensuring effective, professional communication with students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Lead maintains a strong working knowledge of all Communications Officer responsibilities, including call-taking, dispatch, CCTV monitoring, access control, alarm response, and key control. The schedule for this position will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 11 am-9 pm.

Essential Responsibilities

The Community Resource Lead – Administration & Operations plays a critical role in supervising and supporting patrol personnel, especially in the absence of other leadership staff. They ensure continuity of operations, allocate personnel effectively, and address emergent needs during shift. This role supports the department’s goals through quality assurance practices, coordination of training and onboarding, administrative planning, and supervisory decision-making aligned with departmental and College policies.

This position also functions as a senior field responder, engaging in incident command responsibilities, scene management, and debriefing processes. The Lead works collaboratively with college stakeholders to support student well-being, uphold institutional expectations, and foster a safe, inclusive campus environment. As a key leader in daily operations, this role supports the development of team members, promotes a culture of accountability and care, and ensures the highest standards of service and safety.

Supervision of Patrol and Communications Operations

• Provide leadership and oversight for patrol and communications staff within the DPS, ensuring compliance with departmental Standard Operating Guidance and College expectations.
• Oversee daily operations of the Communications Center, ensuring staff perform duties effectively and efficiently, including dispatching, monitoring CCTV, managing access control systems, and responding to alarms.
• Coordinate and allocate staff as necessary to ensure communication and patrol duties are completed, particularly during staff shortages or vacancies.

Communication and Community Engagement

• Foster positive relationships within the department, with campus partners, and with the broader community, ensuring effective communication across shifts.
• Promote cultural competence and community care through active engagement and collaboration, adapting communication strategies to the diverse campus population.

Incident Response and Crisis Management

• Respond promptly to reported incidents, emergencies, and calls for service, including fire, medical, or security-related matters.
• Demonstrate effective scene management and coordination, ensuring appropriate action is taken, relevant stakeholders are informed, and documentation is thorough.
• Lead the incident response during critical situations, maintaining clear communication with team members, campus partners, and external responders.

Campus Patrol and Safety Oversight

• Patrol campus facilities on foot, in vehicles, or using other modes of transport to observe safety hazards and ensure the safe movement of pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
• Address safety violations or non-compliance with campus policies, including those related to student conduct, fire safety, and parking regulations.

Community Preparedness

• Engage with students, faculty, and staff to discuss safety, crime prevention, and emergency preparedness topics.
• Participate in the Community Resource Officer program, providing support to Residence Life staff and helping to resolve community concerns.

Training and Quality Assurance

• Lead the coordination and delivery of ongoing training for Communications Officers and Community Resource Officers, ensuring alignment with departmental standards and College expectations.
• Implement quality assurance procedures to monitor staff performance and ensure adherence to safety protocols and communication standards.
• Conduct periodic evaluations of team performance, identifying opportunities for improvement and delivering corrective feedback as necessary.
• Collaborate with leadership to assess training needs, develop training programs, and ensure all employees are equipped with the skills needed for success.

Documentation and Reporting

• Accurately document incident responses, patrol observations, and calls for service in the department’s records management system.
• Complete reports and other necessary documentation to maintain departmental compliance and transparency.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Team Leadership

• Supervise and provide guidance to a team of Community Resource Officers and Communications Officers, ensuring effective performance during shifts.
• Offer constructive feedback and coaching to team members, supporting their professional growth and development within the department.

Team Coordination and Workflow Management

• Organize and manage the daily workflow, ensuring staff are aware of their roles and tasks, and maintain continuity of operations between shifts.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to ensure effective communication, coordination, and teamwork across all shifts.

Performance Management

• Regularly assess team performance and apply corrective measures as needed. Escalate issues to Public Safety leadership or HR as required.
• Assist in the recruitment and selection of new staff, working to ensure that personnel are properly trained and prepared for their responsibilities.

Who you are:

• Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to deal courteously with the general public, patients, staff, faculty, students, peers, supervisors and subordinates.
• Ability to perceive the possibility of hazardous situations, react quickly and take appropriate action, based on established policies and procedures and departmental guidelines.
• Demonstrates good judgment, accountability, and sound decision making in handling situations, including appropriate reference to written or verbal instructions.
• Ability to work independently and follow through on assignments with minimal supervision.
• Ability to engage in effective perspective taking, across differences and roles in an educational living and learning environment. Demonstrated understanding of the value of considering context in decision making and open to and open to continued development of cultural competence in the ever changing landscape of higher education.
• Strong organization skills and the ability to multitask are essential.
• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor under stressful conditions and utilize effective communication and conflict resolution skills.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent with 5 years of job-related experience in the security, public safety, law enforcement, communication, or community service field.
• Minimum of two years of supervisory experience or relevant experience that demonstrates capacity to lead people and operations in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written, to convey clear and concise information to management, the general public, staff and students. This includes communicating with attention to context and cultural considerations; providing directions; writing reports/incidents; explaining policy and procedures; and encouraging others to comply with requests through command presence.
• Must be familiar with use of technology, such as radio communication, CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) programs, database tools, and other software.
• Valid Driver’s License and ability to operate motorized vehicles.
• Comfort with use of technology and learning new electronic systems. Familiar with Microsoft Windows applications.
• Demonstrated experience in navigating and prioritizing multiple tasks simultaneously. This includes the ability to effectively communicate to manage expectations related to the nature and timeliness of response based upon the urgency of circumstances and competing priorities.
• Candidates must complete a Swarthmore Public Safety approved certification course (currently the APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator I) or provide proof of current certifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Supervisory experience in a college or similar environment and/or experience in a busy office setting in a call-taking environment.
• College degree, relevant safety, security, and/or preparedness experience, and/or experience in CPTED and APCO Certifications.
• De-escalation and/or Mental Health First-Aid Training and strong customer service/communication skills or similar training.
• A background and understanding of preparedness and community safety concepts, with particular attention to support and response in a diverse living and learning setting. .
• Familiar with residential and work/learning setting, including navigating organizational policy or conduct expectations.
• Familiarity with higher education regulations governing privacy, non-discrimination, and other services (e.g. Clery Act, FERPA, Title IX, ADA, etc).

Physical Demands

• Must be able to: sit or stand for long periods of time; walk, run, climb, bend, stoop and lift weights proportionate with need to perform medical assistance; wear a uniform and equipment, and operate a motor vehicle in all weather conditions.
• Lifting, pulling, or pushing heavy objects up to 40 lbs.
• Prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, at times in locations that must have coverage at all times.
• Bending at the waist, kneeling or crouching, and seeking assistance / helping others in relevant physical requirements (e.g. moving barriers, adjusting access paths for safety).
• Must be able to traverse all types of terrain including up and down hills, and on off road uneven surfaces.
• See objects in detail under various conditions (i.e., at night, up-close, far away, and peripherally).

Working Conditions

• The position requires the Community Resource Lead to be exposed to environmental factors such as inclement weather, extreme heat and cold, and hazardous materials.
• Based on College necessity, shift schedules changes may result and overtime may be required.
• Required to be available to work during inclement weather or other emergency situations, even if the campus has otherwise canceled operations, in order to ensure continuous protection of the college community.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume by August 4, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled.

The pay for this position is $26.56 per hour, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting.

Act 153 Clearance Required by Position 

This position may regularly interact with minors. Under Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law, (23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§6301, et seq.) employees who have direct contact with minors are required to obtain the following background clearances prior to the start of employment:

• Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) through the Pennsylvania State Police
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (PACA) through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
• FBI Criminal History Background Check (FBI Fingerprint).

MVR Clearance Required by Position

Due to operating a College owned motor vehicle while performing essential job responsibilities for this position, a motor vehicle report (MVR) clearance is required prior to the start of employment.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

2025 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

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