Security Manager

Location: Washington, D.C. | Reports to: Clinical Director | FLSA Status: Exempt 

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About Miriam's Kitchen: Miriam's Kitchen (MK) is a mission-driven nonprofit working to end chronic homelessness in Washington, DC, through meaningful relationships, high-quality meals, and holistic support services. Each weekday morning and afternoon, four teams (Kitchen, Social Services, Health Programs, and Security) come together to create a welcoming, low-barrier, housing-focused, and safe dining room.

Our security and safety “whole team” approach is fundamentally about prevention (through relationships and a calming environment), active monitoring, de-escalation, and preparation for any crisis. The security team’s mission is to maintain the dining room environment and to empower Kitchen, Social Services, and Health Programs to do their work with our guests. 

Position Summary: The Security Manager leads Miriam’s Kitchen security team with a hands-on, people-first approach rooted in the organization’s trauma-informed, guest-centered culture. This role will sit at the intersection of daily operation and strategic oversight-serving as the Security Shift Lead on weekday shifts while providing consistent supervisory duties to individual contributing security guards. 

The Security Manager will be accountable for ensuring adequate shift coverage, maintaining and continuously improving MK crisis response and security protocols, and serving as a key collaborator within the dining room’s integrated service model. Effective partnership with Social Services, Kitchen and Health Programs teams will be central to how this role will successfully operate. 

MK Security has a split shift Monday-Friday: 

• 6:00 am – 11:30 am 
• 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm 
• Schedule adjustments for required All-staff meetings, security team meetings, dining room teams collaboration meetings, and trainings. 

This position is ideal for a security professional who brings both experience and technical expertise genuinely interested in mission-driven work. 

Key Responsibilities 

Security Shift Lead

• Act as the Security Shift Lead for dining room security shifts 
• Represent the security team at pre-shift coordination briefs with Kitchen, Social Services, and Health Programs 
• Coordinate post assignments and post rotations during the shift 
• Coordinate crisis and security incident responses according to the MK Security Protocols Manual 
• Welcome and treat guests with respect, fairly and consistently apply MK Security Protocols and program guidelines, and collaborate effectively with other dining room teams and volunteers 
• Complete (or delegate/coordinate completion when appropriate) incident and post-shift documentation 

Manage Security Shift Staffing

• Set and communicate the weekly security shift staffing schedule 
• Make schedule adjustments and security post adjustments based on call-outs and scheduled Paid Time Off (PTO) according to security team protocols 

Manage and Improve Key Aspects of Crisis Response and Security Protocols 

• Manage and improve the security’s daily implementation of MK Crisis Response and Security Protocols – including training and practice of radio communication, crisis response drills, de-escalation principles, etc. 
• Regular incident report reviews with security team and with leads of other involved departments (Social Services, Health, and Kitchen) 

Manage MK Security Guards and Contract Security and Contract Relationship 

• Provide ongoing, constructive feedback to MK security guards and security contractors to ensure that security operations follow MK Security Protocols and standards. 
• Manage timesheets, complete reviews, ensure required training completion, and other supervisory tasks for MK security staff 
• Lead contact for the Contract Security Relationship: 
• maintaining active communication about contract security attendance and requesting additional security coverage as needed 
• providing on-site training and orientation to contract security guards and ensuring they have the tools needed to be successful 
• providing regular feedback to the Contract Security Company about the performance of contract security guards to ensure contract security guards meet MK security performance standards, including requesting a different contract security guard when necessary
• Review and pay Contract Security invoices
• Create a supportive and high-performing culture for the security team 

Cross-Departmental Collaboration 

• Coordinate, collaborate, and communicate effectively with the other dining room teams – Social Services, Kitchen, and Health Programs. 
• Active participation and leadership in any cross-departmental planning and collaboration meetings 

Qualifications

Required:

• Minimum of 5 years of security experience
• Minimum of 3 years of security management experience 
• Strong leadership, organization, and communication skills with the ability to motivate diverse teams. 
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and trauma-informed service practices. 

Preferred:

• Security experience working in homeless services programs or other active, dynamic, low-barrier environments with high-needs populations 
• Experience working in a nonprofit or social enterprise environment 
• Training in de-escalation and trauma-informed security practices (trauma-informed care, mental health first aid, substance use and harm reduction, etc.) 
• Demonstrating success as a competent schedule manager and as a capable people manager who blends support with ensuring staff follow security protocols and security vision well 
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) 

Work Environment

• Physical Demands - ?Regularly required to stand; frequently required to talk or hear; occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, walk, stoop, kneel, or crouch; must be able to lift objects up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Security officers periodically help escort guests with mobility impairments through the church, elevator, and garage to go to and from the dining room. ? 
• Mental Demands- ?Ability to communicate (written and spoken) effectively in English is required.?
• Split shift schedule with early start (6:00 am). Early morning schedule with occasional evening or weekend hours for special events.
• Collaborative culture rooted in compassion, accountability, and shared purpose. 

EEO Statement: Miriam’s Kitchen is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace that reflects the diverse communities we serve. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. We strongly encourage candidates from historically marginalized backgrounds to apply.