Assistant Director for Global Safety and Risk Management

Assistant Director for Global Safety and Risk Management

The assistant director for global safety and risk management is responsible for assessing risk for university-wide overseas travel, monitoring ongoing international developments for risk mitigation, and providing training and oversight to support best practices. This position will play a key role in managing university communication and collaboration regarding global risk and safety and will lead emergency response related to university-supported international travel. The assistant director serves as chair of the Global Travel Oversight Committee (GTOC), which makes critical decisions regarding health and safety matters relative to international activities. In coordination with the GTOC, the position will proactively assess risks associated with travel to specific geographic areas; take the lead on establishing and implementing emergency protocols for all university-supported programs; review program and individual student itineraries for health and security concerns and determine if programmatic changes are necessary; review and approve contingency plans for programs when a travel advisory has been put in place immediately before or during a program; determine if itinerary changes and other mechanisms have sufficiently mitigated health and safety risks. The assistant director should maintain active membership in the field's professional organizations, such as OSAC and PULSE, that monitor global risk and establish best practices for emergency response and risk management. The position is responsible for providing coordination, support, training, and compliance monitoring for Virginia Tech's Global Travel Policy 1070. The position works closely with the Global Education Office (GEO) program management staff and the Procurement Office travel team to ensure that study abroad program members, individual study abroad participants, and other university-supported international travelers are registered in the Global Travel Registry and comply with the university's requirements for international travel. The assistant director monitors travel advisories released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Dept. of State, and other agencies worldwide to alert the university-wide Global Travel Oversight Committee (GTOC) when a program or registrant's itinerary comes under an advisory. The assistant director for global safety and risk management oversees development and delivery of training programs designed to prepare students and faculty for travel decisions related to health, safety, and risk management, in addition to communicating university policy and advising as to best practices. The assistant director works collaboratively with the GEO and the GTOC, among other campus units, to promote standardization of health, safety, and risk management practices, and to coordinate emergency and crisis response for all university-supported international programs, activities, and travel. The position will facilitate and coordinate with the emergency response staff to provide 24-hour on-call emergency and crisis response for staff, faculty, and students abroad. In addition, the assistant director takes a leadership role in coordinating with key university personnel to formulate action plans for resolution; leads decision-making and planning efforts among GEO's staff when incidents occur; designs and facilitates emergency response training workshops for all faculty / staff responding to emergent situations abroad; maintains and updates an emergency response manual; identifies on-site, VT-based and insurance provider resources in responding to concerns; determines communication plans and serves as GEO's contact for parents, faculty, and students; coordinates travel to the program site if necessary. The assistant director for global safety supervises and is supported in the above functions by the global safety compliance coordinator. This is a full-time, calendar year, administrative and professional faculty position that reports directly to the director of Global Education and works collaboratively with the Office of Emergency Management.

Required Qualifications :

Masters degree or Bachelors degree and related experience and / or training in international affairs / development, higher education, or related field

Significant experience in a relevant field such as international education, student program management, emergency management, international travel and security, campus crisis management, and / or risk management

Experience working and communicating successfully with diverse groups

Experience performing risk analysis

Experience with emergency response management or coordination

Demonstrated independent judgment, planning, and decision-making skills

Experience interpreting and applying institutional policies and legal requirements

Preferred Qualifications :

Advanced degree in international affairs / development, higher education, or related field

Experience working in a higher education setting

Experience designing and delivering / facilitating trainings, workshops, or orientation sessions.

Demonstrated knowledge of FERPA, HIPAA, Title IX, Clery Act, and global travel insurance coverage provisions

Proficiency with complex software

Experience with TerraDotta products

Experience promoting best practice for safety and security while abroad

Overtime Status : Exempt : Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type : Regular

Salary Information : Commensurate with experience, up to a budget maximum of $73,000

Hours per week : 40, and as needed outside of normal working hours.

Review Date : 09 / 09 / 2025

Additional Information : The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech : Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Theresa Johansson at theresaj@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.