Event Security Liaison | McCormick Place

Oak View Group

Oak View Group is the global leader in venue development, management, and premium hospitality services for the live event industry.

Offering an unmatched, 360-degree solution set for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster that includes the most influential, highest attended arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions on the planet.

Position Summary

The Event Security Liaison (ESL) will develop guidelines, procedures, rules, and regulations as it pertains to fire and life safety at events / shows.

In this position, they are directly responsible for functional operations of event security and event medical services in its entirety.

They will work under the manager’s direction but have the latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. The Event Security Liaison must be able to work a flexible schedule that includes nights, weekends, and holidays as necessary.

They will assist the Assistant Director of Public Safety with all other departmental tasks as required.

The salary range for this position is $65,000-$70,000.00

Benefits for FT roles : Benefits : Health, Dental and Vision insurance, 401(k) savings plan, 401(k) matching, and paid time off (vacation days, sick days, and 12 holidays).

This position will remain open until Sept 30, 2024

About the Venue

McCormick Place located in downtown Chicago is the largest and most flexible convention center in North America., With over 2.

6 million square feet of exhibition space, the campus proudly hosts some of the world’s largest and most prestigious conventions, meetings, and trade shows, welcoming approximately 3 million visitors to Chicago every year.

Responsibilities

• Manages activities of contract event security and EMS staff and assigns tasks to staff as needed.
• Reviews staffing and security proposals issued by the provider and negotiates and necessary changes and ultimately approves.
• Recommends changes to the provider’s proposal to comply with McCormick Place’s operating policies and guidelines.
• Attends client site visits, planning and pre- and post-convention meetings.
• Performs pre- and post-show walk-throughs utilizing photos and video to identify property damage; complies reports of same for senior management.
• Investigates complaints concerning damage, theft, injury, etc during events and ensures appropriate incident reports are completed in a timely manner and all applicable parties are notified.
• Approves incident reports written by contract security personnel.
• Responds to client and / or provider questions and provides assistance regarding security and life safety issues.
• Responds to and investigates accident / damage locations and takes immediate action to limit damage and liability and takes command of the situation when applicable.
• Enforces requirements and standards for all event-contracted security and medical providers.
• Recommends areas of needed change and / or development and work with manager and director to institute changes to improve operations.
• Assist management in establishing departmental short-, mid- and long-term goals and objectives.
• Keeps event metrics to assist with developing policies / procedures and planning for future events / shows.
• Performs related work as assigned.
• Represents the McCormick Place Public Safety Department with all public safety and security industry organizations, addresses community issues and attendees’ relevant meetings as appropriate.

This includes but is not limited to industry organizations such as ASIS, ESCA, IAVM, IAEE and PCMA

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE :

• Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice or related field.
• Must have an understanding of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Incident Management System (NIMS) and demonstrate successful completion of Incident Command System Classes (ICS) 100 / 200 / 700.
• Completion of ICS-300 highly desirable.
• Two years’ experience in Convention Hospitality and / or Hotel industry experience.

DESIREABLE QUALIFICATIONS :

• Experience in and / or detailed knowledge of the convention, meetings, exhibition, and trade show industry.
• Experience with event planning.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES :

• Management level experience in the public safety and security areas.
• Understand, interpret, explain, and apply federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the conduct that affect security operations.
• Knowledge of modern security and safety procedures, policies, standard operating procedures and methods
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the local government entities, clients, and staff.
• Knowledge in planning and coordination of security and safety investigations.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of management and supervision.
• Knowledge of the convention, meeting, special events, exhibition, and trade show industry.
• Ability to demonstrate emotional stability during periods of tension and stress while carrying out assigned duties.
• Ability to recognize emergency situations and direct prompt and effective corrective measures.
• Ability to express ideas and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Possess excellent interpersonal, communication, written, customer service and problem-solving skills, in dealing with guests, clients, employees, contractors and external organizations.
• Is flexible and committed to excellence in customer service.
• Develop, augment, implement and maintain industry best practices, rules, policies, and procedures.

COMPUTER SKILLS :

To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient in Microsoft Office applications. Experience in Ungerboeck event management software is highly desirable.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS :

• Valid driver’s license required.
• APP, CPP or PSP certification through ASIS International highly desirable.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS :

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the Event Security Liaison.

Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the Event Security Liaison job.

While performing the responsibilities of the Event Security Liaison job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel.

The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.

Vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

This position will require a considerable amount of walking, climbing, stooping, and possibly heavy lifting.

This position requires work in both indoor and outdoor settings.

It also may be subjected to adverse condition, including physical contact from hostile individuals.

WORKING CONDITIONS :

While performing the responsibilities of the Event Security Liaison job, these work environment characteristics are representative of the environment the Event Security Liaison will encounter.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the Event Security Liaison.

The Event Security Liaison works both, in an office setting with minimal adverse exposure to environmental hazards, and in indoor and outdoor work settings with mild adverse exposure to environmental hazards.

The employee must be able to climb stairs and ladders and walk long distances to access all areas of the facility. The noise level in the work environment is usually mild to loud.