Director, Health, Safety and Emergency Management

Position Description The Director, Health, Safety and Emergency Management provides strategic leadership and oversight for a safe, secure and healthy learning and working environment across George Brown Polytechnic. The role leads the Polytechnic’s occupational health and safety, security services, emergency management, business continuity, employee wellness and related enterprise programs. The Director develops institution-wide strategies, policies, management systems and governance frameworks that support regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, hazard identification, workplace violence prevention, safety education, risk mitigation and employee well-being. Working collaboratively with academic and administrative leaders, the Director serves as a senior advisor on complex safety, security, emergency management and business continuity matters affecting the Polytechnic community. Key Responsibilities Direction of Health, Safety, Security and Emergency Management Operations Provides strategic leadership for health, safety, security, emergency management and wellness operations, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, legislative requirements, risk management, innovation and operational efficiency. Develops and maintains department policies, procedures, KPIs, performance measures and reporting frameworks that support compliance and continuous improvement. Manages the department's operating and capital budgets, including planning, reporting, proposals, security-service costs, emergency-planning costs and capital-project investment. Oversees complex security-service contracts, vendor selection, procurement processes, service levels, quality assurance and collaboration with internal and external partners. Security Strategy and Operating Plan Develops and implements GBP's security strategy, governance, procedures and operating plan in support of institutional priorities. Oversees security technology, incident management, evidence collection, access management, emergency communications, crime prevention and physical security assessments. Monitors external and internal risk trends, liaises with police and first responders, and advises senior leaders on coordinated security and safety planning. Emergency Management Program and Business Continuity Planning Leads the design, development and governance of the Polytechnic's Emergency Management Program, emergency response policies and Business Continuity Program. Serves as a senior advisor and 24/7 escalation lead during major emergencies, threats and incidents, providing direction on evacuation, lockdown, hold-and-secure, shelter-in-place and recovery decisions. Oversees emergency planning, training, communications and preparedness activities across multiple sites and complex urban facilities. Leads HIRA processes and ensures emergency management, public health, environmental, workplace safety and business continuity risks are identified, communicated and mitigated. Health and Safety Leadership Leads long-term physical and psychological health and safety strategies, including workplace violence prevention, hazard identification, risk assessment and safety culture initiatives. Oversees Joint Health and Safety Committees, governance structures, incident investigations, corrective actions, regulatory reporting, audits and compliance reviews. Develops safety metrics, monitors organizational trends and collaborates with Facilities, Human Resources, Academic Divisions and Student Affairs to support integrated safety outcomes. People Leadership Recruits, develops, motivates, evaluates and support staff to maintain high performance across health, safety, security, emergency management and wellness functions. Builds team capability through professional development, performance management, training standards and identification of program-level skill gaps. Promotes continuous improvement, evidence-based decision making and a collaborative team culture aligned with GBP values. Other Duties as assigned.