Vice President, Physical Security (Sterling)

The preferred location for this role is either Denver, CO, or Sterling, VA. Qualified candidates based near other EdgeCore locations, including Santa Clara, CA; Reno, NV; and Mesa, AZ, will also be considered. This role requires an in-office presence four days per week and regular travel (up to 40%).

Career Opportunity

As Vice President, Physical Security, you will own the physical security program for a rapidly expanding portfolio of mission-critical data center campuses serving the world’s largest cloud and AI companies. This is a rare opportunity to lead every dimension of a national physical security program — strategy, standards, people, technology, contract guard services, and hyperscale customer compliance — at a company investing over $16.5 billion in development. Unlike physical security roles at more mature enterprises, you will shape the program as the portfolio scales, influencing security design from greenfield construction through steady-state operations. Success in this role means harmonized security standards across all campuses, audit-ready customer compliance, a high-performing security organization and vendor ecosystem, and a technology platform that scales with the business.

• Own the enterprise physical security strategy, policies, and standards — including the Physical Security Basis of Design — across all data center campuses, harmonizing requirements to the strictest applicable customer standard.
• Lead, develop, and scale the physical security organization, including campus security directors, site security managers, and security systems engineers.
• Own the national contract guard force program, including vendor selection, statements of work, staffing models, post orders, SLAs, performance management, and quarterly business reviews.
• Own the physical security technology portfolio and roadmap — access control, video management, key/asset management, and biometric platforms (e.g., Genetec Security Center, Traka) — including integrator and maintenance vendor contracts.
• Lead hyperscale customer security compliance, including requirements harmonization across customer standards and leases, audit readiness, findings remediation, and direct customer engagement.
• Direct security requirements for new site development, construction, and customer fit-outs, ensuring security design standards are embedded from design through commissioning.
• Own the incident and crisis management program, including investigations, escalation protocols, after-action reviews, and executive-level reporting and metrics.
• Own physical security budgets across capex and opex, including forecasting, procurement strategy, contract negotiations, and total cost of ownership optimization.
• Drive enterprise risk assessments, threat monitoring, and continuous improvement of the security program as the portfolio grows into new markets.
• Security is a shared responsibility. All employees are required to comply with company security policies and procedures and to help protect company information, systems, and assets in the course of their daily work.

Your Experience and Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive physical security experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership roles within data centers, critical infrastructure, or similarly high-security environments (required).
• Demonstrated success leading multi-site, multi-state physical security programs, including building and leading geographically distributed teams (required).
• Extensive experience managing large contract guard force programs, including vendor selection, SOW negotiation, SLAs, and performance management at portfolio scale (required).
• Deep knowledge of enterprise physical security technology — access control, video management, key/asset management, and biometrics; experience with Genetec Security Center and Traka strongly preferred.
• Experience meeting hyperscale or enterprise customer security requirements and leading customer security audits and compliance programs (strongly preferred).
• Experience directing security design and construction requirements for mission-critical facilities, from basis of design through commissioning.
• Strong financial acumen, including capex/opex budget ownership, procurement, and vendor contract negotiation.
• Executive presence with excellent written and verbal communication skills, including board- and customer-facing reporting.
• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, security management, business, or a related field, or equivalent experience; advanced degree and ASIS CPP/PSP certification desirable.
• Ability to travel regularly across the campus portfolio (up to 40%) and to pass required background screenings.

What We Offer

• Full-time salaried, exempt role: Includes a performance-based annual bonus and equity compensation.
• Annual base salary range: $210,000 - $280,000, depending on experience.
• In-office expectations: This role requires in-office presence four days per week.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance: Includes a $0-premium medical plan option (employee only option).
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Spending Account: Health & Dependent Care FSA, Limited-Purpose FSA, and an HSA with a company contribution.
• Paid time off: 160 hours of annual paid time off, 11 paid holidays, 7 sick days, and 8 hours of volunteer time annually.
• Retirement savings: 401(k) retirement savings plan with a company contribution.
• Life and disability insurance: Company-paid life and disability insurance.
• Parental leave: Paid parental leave for eligible new parents, available after meeting service requirements.
• Employee assistance program (EAP): Confidential support services for employees and their families, including counseling, financial guidance, and legal resources.
• Educational assistance: Company-sponsored educational reimbursement for approved courses and certifications.
• Employee support & discounts: Access to company-sponsored discount programs and employee well-being resources.