Group Director, Global Physical Security

At Cadence we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Group Director Physical Security Operations

Location: San Jose California

Reports to: Vice President Global Security

Job Level: Group Director

About the Role

Cadence is seeking an accomplished and forward-leaning Group Director of Physical Security Operations to serve as the global operational leader for the companys physical security program. Reporting to the Vice President Global Security this leader will translate enterprise strategy into consistent risk-aligned execution across regions sites offices laboratories and high-security R&D environments.

The Group Director will lead the Regional Security Directors and the Senior Manager of the Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) creating a unified operating model across regional field operations and global monitoring intelligence escalation and addition to enterprise-wide leadership this role will directly oversee physical security operations across the Americas.

This is a critical leadership position for a company operating at the forefront of semiconductor design AI acceleration and global R&D expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Global Operations Leadership & Governance

Serve as the global operational leader for physical security and principal advisor to the Vice President Global Security.

Lead align and develop the Regional Security Directors and Senior Manager GSOC with clear accountability decision rights performance expectations and succession planning.

Establish a scalable global operating model governance cadence standards metrics and executive reporting across regional operations and the GSOC.

Drive consistent implementation of global policies standards SOPs and service levels while allowing appropriate adaptation to local law risk and culture.

Americas Operations

Provide direct leadership and oversight for physical security operations across the Americas including guarding access control CCTV visitor management incident response executive support event security and life-safety coordination.

Partner with business HR Legal Workplace IT Facilities Engineering and Business Continuity leaders to identify risk and deliver practical mitigation strategies.

Oversee regional threat risk and vulnerability assessments and ensure remediation plans are prioritized funded tracked and closed.

GSOC Incident & Crisis Leadership

Ensure the GSOC serves as the central hub for global monitoring intelligence communications escalation incident coordination and operational insight.

Integrate regional operations with GSOC workflows to enable timely detection disciplined escalation rapid response and consistent incident documentation.

Serve as the senior operational leader for significant security incidents and establish effective escalation communications and after-action review processes.

Global Program Leadership & Modernization

Define global frameworks playbooks minimum operating requirements metrics and reporting for physical security operations.

Drive modernization of access control CCTV visitor management GSOC platforms analytics automation and systems integration using an AI-first mindset where appropriate.

Promote open scalable and interoperable security architecture and convert operational data into enterprise risk visibility and executive decision support.

Cross-Functional People & Vendor Leadership

Advise executive and regional leadership on emerging threats operational risk incident outcomes resource needs and strategic mitigation plans.

Build a globally connected leadership team and foster accountability integrity collaboration inclusion and operational excellence.

Own workforce planning budget development investment prioritization and global vendor governance in partnership with the Vice President Global Security.

Represent Global Security in major projects sensitive business initiatives and customer or compliance engagements involving physical security.

Qualifications

Required

15 years of progressively responsible experience in corporate security physical security operations law enforcement military intelligence or a related field including significant leadership responsibility.

Proven success leading multi-region or global physical security operations in a complex multinational organization.

Demonstrated ability to lead senior security managers regional directors GSOC/SOC functions and geographically dispersed teams.

Strong command of incident management crisis leadership investigations threat and risk assessment and executive escalation.

Expertise with modern access control CCTV visitor management GSOC operations analytics and security systems integration.

Ability to influence executives and cross-functional stakeholders balance global consistency with regional requirements and convert strategy into measurable execution.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills and sound judgment when handling sensitive high-impact matters.

Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred

Experience in high-technology semiconductor intellectual-property-sensitive R&D laboratory or advanced engineering environments.

Professional certification such as CPP PSP CFE CTM or a comparable credential.

Experience leading or transforming a GSOC deploying global standards or modernizing enterprise security technology.

Working knowledge of relevant security resilience and compliance frameworks in a multinational environment.

Why This Role Matters

This role is the operational bridge between global security strategy and execution. It unifies regional leadership Americas operations and the GSOC into one accountable operating model elevating the original regional mandate into an enterprise-wide leadership function that protects Cadences people facilities intellectual property and business operations.

The annual salary range for California is $196000 to $364000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus equity and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications skill level competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays 401(k) plan with employer match employee stock purchase plan a variety of medical dental and vision plan options and more.

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Required Experience:

Director