Associate Director - Executive Protection

Job Description

Our Company is seeking a highly skilled and professional Executive Protection Agent to support the safety and security of senior executives and designated principals. This role applies advanced expertise to proactively identify risk, develop protection strategies, and coordinate cross-functional security support across dynamic and high-risk environments. This role serves as a critical component of our Company's executive protection program and is responsible for providing protective services, risk mitigation, and security support for executives during daily activities, travel, and high‑visibility engagements. The position operates with a high degree of independence and is accountable for delivering effective, risk-based security solutions that support executive safety across travel, events, and daily operations.

The successful candidate will be a disciplined professional with strong law enforcement experience, exceptional situational awareness, and the ability to operate effectively in dynamic, high‑risk environments. LEOSA certification is mandatory for this role.

This position requires flexibility to work non‑standard hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, based on executive schedules and operational requirements.

Primary activities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead the planning and execution of complex executive protection operations, including domestic and international travel, high-visibility engagements, and residence security.

• Conduct advanced threat assessments and risk analysis, integrating intelligence inputs to inform protection strategies

• Provide close protection and protective security services for senior executives and designated principals

• Conduct protective operations for executive travel, movements, residences, and engagements

• Support special event security for executive offsites, board meetings, and high‑visibility corporate events

• Develop and implement protective security plans, including advance work, route design, and contingency planning. Perform advance preparation, route planning, and venue assessments as required.

• Maintain heightened situational awareness and respond appropriately to potential threats or unusual activity

• Coordinate closely with Executive Drivers, other Executive Protection Agents, and the Global Security Operations Center (GSOC)

• Administer After-Action Reports and debrief lessons learned

• Act in accordance with approved use‑of‑force policies, escalation protocols, and reporting requirements

• Maintain professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality at all times

• Participate in training, drills, and readiness activities to maintain operational standards

• Assist with Global Security investigations as needed

Required Qualifications

• Active LEOSA certification (mandatory)

• Prior sworn law enforcement experience in a weapon‑bearing role

• Demonstrated experience in executive protection, dignitary protection, or protective services

• Ability to obtain and maintain firearms qualifications and required certifications

• Strong judgment and decision‑making skills under pressure

• Willingness and ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays

• Able to travel locally, regionally or globally as required.

• Bachelor’s degree required

Preferred Qualifications

• Federal law enforcement experience

• Prior corporate executive protection or private‑sector security experience

• Experience supporting high‑visibility executives or principals

• Training in protective intelligence, threat assessment, or counter‑surveillance

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional situational awareness and attention to detail

• Ability to remain calm, decisive, and professional in high‑risk situations

• Strong communication and teamwork skills

• High integrity, discretion, and professionalism

• Ability to follow structured protocols while adapting to dynamic conditions

Physical & Operational Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, and remain alert for extended periods of time

• Ability to respond quickly to emergent situations or security incidents

• Ability to meet physical fitness, firearms qualification, and readiness standards

• Able to travel locally, regionally or globally as required

VETJOBS

Required Skills:

Confidentiality, Confidentiality, Contingency Planning, Counterintelligence Investigations, Crisis Management, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Customer Service Leadership, Cyber Investigations, Executive Protection, Executive Travel, Fitness Coaching, Incident Management, Law Enforcement, Operation Maintenance, Physical Security, Protective Services, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Assessments, Route Planning, Security Operations, Security Risk Management, Security Solutions, Situational Awareness, Stress Management, Supply Chain Security {+ 2 more}

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$129,000.00 - $203,100.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

Yes

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

06/4/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.