Purpose: As one of Canada's largest universities, York is home to a diverse and dynamic community across multiple campuses, offering a broad range of undergraduate, graduate and skilled programs in a complex urban environment.

In this context, the Executive Director provides strategic leadership and subject matter expertise for community safety services.

The safety and well-being of all members of the York University community is of paramount importance and is a key institutional priority.

The University is committed to fostering an environment where all community members feel valued and safe to study, work, and socialize on its campuses.

Working in collaboration with senior management and a broad range of offices, internal and external to the University, the Executive Director leads the visioning and implementation of an evidence-informed, relationship- and community-centred safety model that aligns with the University's commitment to decolonization, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

The Executive Director is responsible for the comprehensive direction of the University's Community Safety department, ensuring efforts are aligned with the University's strategic objectives and support shared institutional values, mutual trust, interpersonal connection, transparency, accountability, and coordinated response among university community members and external partners.

The Executive Director builds and sustains meaningful relationships with students, faculty, staff, senior leaders, campus partners, the public, community organizations, service providers, municipal and provincial agencies, and other external partners.





The role also leads high-level community safety projects and transformation initiatives including governance, policy, emergency preparedness, risk management, service coordination, and operational practices.

Success in this role is achieved by balancing strategic priorities, operational needs and institutional risk while advancing an inclusive, evidence-informed and community-centred approach to safety and security across York.

Education: Bachelor's degree in relevant disciplines such as emergency management, criminology, public administration, community development.

Experience: 6 years management experience, including experience in a senior leadership role.

Experience applying inclusive, trauma-informed, anti-racist and human rights-informed approaches to complex community safety matters, including mental health, gender-based violence, sexual violence, systemic racism, and related institutional risk considerations.

Experience working with emergency services, public safety agencies, municipal/provincial partners, and community safety-related agencies, including strategic planning, policy development, high-risk incident response, and organizational change in complex community safety or emergency management environments.

Knowledge: Knowledge of inclusive, trauma-informed, anti-racist and human rights-informed approaches to community safety,



including the ability to consider the impacts of safety practices on diverse communities.

Knowledge of decolonization, equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility principles, and their application to policy development, service delivery, training, communications and decision making.

Knowledge of the legislative, regulatory and policy frameworks relevant to community safety, security services, law enforcement, emergency management, privacy, human rights, occupational health and safety, accessibility and public safety, with the ability to ensure appropriate compliance, risk management, and escalation.

Skills: Ability to make timely, evidence-informed decisions and take clear, appropriate action in emergencies, crisis, high-risk or rapidly changing situations.

Clear verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare strategic plans, reports, proposals, briefings and presentation materials for varied audiences.

Community building, partnership development, negotiation, conflict resolution, judgment, tact, diplomacy and discretion.

Ability to develop, communicate and sustain a clear vision, set priorities, and support shared understanding of community safety goals and expectations.

Collaborative, consultative and inclusive leadership skills, with the ability to model and foster trust and accountability, communicate respectfully and build effective working relationships with diverse individuals and groups at all levels.

Strategic thinking and sound judgment, with the ability to anticipate issues, assess broad implications, use evidence and apply decolonization, equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility principles to decision making.

📌 Executive Director Community Safety (Ontario)
🏢 York University
📍 Ontario