Security Supervisor Job Description

Salary Range

$45,030 - $71,950

Experience

Some security or supervisory experience

Work Environment

Campuses, museums, hospitals and offices

What Does a Security Supervisor Do?

Whether working with a museum's galleries, a hospital's emergency entrance, or a quiet office tower, security supervisors need to be able to put the right officer at the right post, such as a guard who knows which doors must never be propped open. Visitors rarely notice that planning. Most supervisors lead contract or in-house officers at campuses, museums, hospitals and offices.

Also known as: Security Officer Supervisor, Museum Security Coordinator, Police Aide Supervisor

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Campus Safety Chief, Public Safety Manager, Public Safety Supervisor, Security Chief, Security Director, Security Guard Supervisor, Security Lieutenant, Security Shift Supervisor.

Security Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of a security supervisor include:

• Schedule security officers across posts and shifts, filling gaps from call-outs and events.
• Write and update post orders that tell each officer what to check and when.
• Inspect posts and patrol routes during each shift and correct lapses on the spot.
• Review incident reports for accuracy and forward serious cases to police or management.
• Monitor CCTV, alarm and access control systems and send officers to alerts.
• Direct the response to fights, medical emergencies, alarms and evacuations until police or paramedics take over.
• Issue and track keys, badges and access cards, and audit who holds them.
• Train officers on patrol technique, report writing, de-escalation and emergency procedures.
• Enforce opening, closing and no-touch rules that protect artworks in museum settings.
• Meet clients or department heads to review security needs, incidents and staffing costs.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as a security supervisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• State security guard license, where the state requires one
• CCTV, alarm and access control systems
• Scheduling and payroll software
• Clear incident report writing
• De-escalation and crowd management
• First aid, CPR and AED certification
• Leading a mixed crew of new and veteran officers
• A welcoming manner with visitors and staff

Education and Training

Most security supervisors come up through the officer ranks with a high school diploma, but some start out by serving in the military or in police work. That matches the BLS profile for the group: a high school diploma and less than 5 years of related work. Many states license security officers.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to BLS, employment of first-line supervisors of security workers is projected to grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. The group expects about 6,800 openings a year. Supervisors are needed wherever guard teams work round-the-clock, especially in hospitals, campuses and museums.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, First-line supervisors of security workers.

Security Supervisor Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Security Supervisors

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($83,710), Vermont ($78,110), Alaska ($73,500), New Hampshire ($66,780), Maryland ($63,690). Pay is lowest in West Virginia ($45,850), Nebraska ($45,700), Mississippi ($43,410).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as first-line supervisors of security workers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 99% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 96% use email every day
• 95% are on the phone every day
• 94% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
• 75% usually work more than 40 hours a week
• 71% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
• 45% work outdoors in all kinds of weather every day

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Security Supervisors Use

Software

• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• Employee scheduling software
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
• Oracle software
• SAP business and customer relations management software
• Time and attendance software

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring.

Knowledge areas used most: Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Personnel and Human Resources, Law and Government.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

• Lead Security Officer job description
• Payroll Supervisor job description
• Teller Supervisor job description
• Mail Services Supervisor job description
• Office Supervisor job description
• Property Control Supervisor job description
• Admissions Supervisor job description
• Testing Center Supervisor job description

Applying for a Security Supervisor Job

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