Director, Global Construction Site Physical Security

Director, Global Construction Site Physical Security

The Director, Global Construction Site Physical Security is responsible for establishing, governing, and sustaining Digital Realty's global construction site physical security program. This role serves as the enterprise authority on construction‑phase physical security, defining strategy, standards, and risk frameworks that support safe, secure, and cost‑effective delivery of data center development projects worldwide. The role operates as a senior individual contributor within Global Physical Security, partnering closely with Design & Engineering (DE&C) while maintaining independent decision authority and governance oversight.

What you'll do:

• Own and maintain Digital Realty's global construction site physical security program, including standards, guidelines, and lifecycle‑aligned implementation frameworks.
• Define risk‑based physical security requirements by construction phase, site profile, and geographic threat environment, with enterprise‑wide visibility across the global portfolio.
• Partner with DE&C leadership, project managers, and construction teams to embed physical security requirements into project design, procurement, mobilization, and site operations.
• Participate in design reviews and mobilization discussions to proactively mitigate risk, reduce rework, and prevent security‑related disruption or change orders.
• Drive cost‑conscious security solutions, evaluating investments using a return‑on‑investment lens and promoting standardized, scalable controls.
• Partner with general contractors to ensure clear understanding, implementation, and accountability for construction site physical security requirements.
• Lead construction site security risk assessments and coordinate responses to incidents or credible threats in partnership with regional security teams, DE&C, and contractors.
• Conduct physical security assessments and control testing, track remediation actions, and confirm closure to defined standards.
• Develop and maintain a standardized metrics and reporting framework measuring prevention effectiveness, loss trends, control performance, and program maturity.
• Produce executive‑level reporting translating operational performance into clear risk‑ and cost‑based insights that inform governance and funding decisions.

What you'll need:

• 12–15+ years of progressive physical security experience, including large‑scale construction sites or capital development environments.
• Demonstrated experience building, operating, or governing global physical security or critical infrastructure security programs.
• Strong understanding of construction workflows, general contractor operations, phased project delivery, and associated risk profiles.
• Proven ability to operate as a senior individual contributor with independent judgment and decision authority, without direct reports.
• Experience working across multiple global regions and diverse threat environments.
• Ability to assess, quantify, and communicate security risk and financial impact to senior stakeholders.
• Experience partnering with engineering, construction, and delivery organizations while maintaining independent security governance.
• Strong risk‑based decision‑making skills during elevated threat or disruption scenarios.
• Ability to develop standards, tools, metrics, and reference materials that enable consistent global execution.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively, including internationally 25%-50%.