Incident Response Manager (Armed)

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

As the Incident Response Manager, you will lead and coordinate the Museum’s security operations, analyzing potential threats and hostile activity to prevent incidents before they occur. You will oversee the Museum’s Executive Protection program, performing high-level protective operations for dignitaries, VIPs, Trustees, and other high-profile individuals, and ensuring protective plans are effectively implemented. You will also support the Senior Security Manager for Special Events develop and execute comprehensive security operational plans for special events, ensuring the protection of guests, staff, and the Museum’s collection.

• Perform high-level executive protection (EP) operations for dignitaries, VIPs, trustees, and local/state/federal/world leaders. This includes covert and overt protection, advance planning, venue assessments, threat analysis, route selection, and logistical coordination while maintaining a discreet, low-profile presence.

• Conduct strategic threat assessments and protective intelligence gathering in partnership with the Met’s Security Intelligence Team to identify risks to principals, events, and the Museum’s assets.

• Develop, implement, and oversee comprehensive executive protection plans for all high-profile movements, special events, and official engagements, ensuring alignment with Museum policies and best practices.

• Coordinate with the Senior Security Manager for Special Events in the development and execution of comprehensive security operational plans, ensuring the safety of guests, staff, and the Museum’s collection.

• Conduct threat assessments, advance planning, and post-event evaluations to identify risks, strengthen protocols, and continuously enhance the Museum’s special event security posture.

• Conduct pre-event briefings with contracted security vendors in coordination with the Senior Security Manager for Special Events to ensure seamless protection and operational readiness.

• Coordinate with local, state, federal, and foreign law enforcement or protective agencies for advance visits, security sweeps, and joint protective operations.

• Provide real-time situational awareness and on-site protective coverage, including mobile and static positions, for principals during travel, events, and public appearances.

• Lead the assessment and mitigation of potential threats to Museum leadership, Trustees, VIPs, and high-profile guests, including monitoring intelligence sources, social media, and unusual behaviors that could indicate risk.

• Serve as a subject matter expert for Executive Protection, mentoring staff and leadership on protective procedures, risk management, and situational awareness.

• Continuously review and enhance EP protocols, ensuring best practices in protective operations, intelligence coordination, threat mitigation, and emergency preparedness.

• Incident Response & Emergency Management

• Establish and maintain effective emergency response protocols, including fire safety, medical emergencies, evacuation procedures, and security breach response.

• Notify the Security Operations Center, Intelligence Team, and Security Leadership of irregularities, suspicious activities, security breaches, and safety hazards; document and report incidents in the Security Department’s case management system.

• Engage with suspicious persons and apply appropriate escalation of force, up to and including armed response, in accordance with established protocols and legal requirements.

• Proactively identify and mitigate escalating situations, using de-escalation techniques and effective verbal and non-verbal communication.

• Identify potential escalating situations and mitigate escalated behavior through proactive and effective communication skills and techniques, both verbal and non-verbal.

• Respond to critical incidents involving the Museum’s collection, fire, medical emergencies, bomb threats, flooding, water discharge, elevator emergencies, or other emergencies, acting as the primary liaison with law enforcement and government agencies as needed.

• Respond to incidents involving the Museum’s art collection, fire, medical emergency, bomb threat, flooding, water discharge, elevator emergency, and other incidents, acting as liaison to local law enforcement and other government agencies.

• Security Operations & Event Support

• Manage and/or directly participate in the development and implementation of security plans in support of Museum Special Events.

• Oversee and directly participate in the development and execution of security plans for museum special events, including VIP arrivals, red carpet events, and gala functions with heightened protective needs.

• Identify, monitor, and record suspicious behaviors and patterns, including unusual interest in security operations, probing of staff, testing of systems, and suspicious vehicles entering Museum grounds.

• Routinely monitor the interior and exterior spaces of the Museum to check for unsafe conditions, hazards, unlocked doors, security violations, blocked entrances and exits, mechanical problems, suspicious behavior, and unauthorized persons in restricted spaces.

• Routinely inspect Museum interior and exterior spaces to ensure safety, identify hazards, detect security violations, and prevent unauthorized access to restricted areas.

• Loss Prevention & Investigative Support

• Manage the Loss Prevention program, analyzing trends to advise Met Retail Management on preventive measures to reduce theft and inventory shrinkage.

• Assist Associate Chief Security Officers with investigative needs, including internal or external partner coordination for incidents involving lost assets, confidential information, or policy violations.

• Any duties assigned by the Associate CSO for Frontline Security Operations, Deputy Chief Security Officer or Chief Security Officer.

• 15 years of prior experience in law enforcement or the fire department is required.

• Proven experience in security management, law enforcement, military, or fire department operations, with at least 5 years in a supervisory or leadership role.

• Knowledge of New York City Fire Safety codes and regulations, as well as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Codes.

• Bachelors degree or higher preferred.

• Relevant professional certifications or training in security, law enforcement, emergency management, or fire/life safety strongly preferred.

• Proficiency in New York City Fire Safety codes and regulations, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Codes

• NYC Pistol Permit (Required)

• NY Armed Guard License (Required)

• Ability to perform and demonstrate self-control under difficult circumstances

• Trained in de-escalation techniques

• Good judgment, clear decision making, appropriate initiative and professional conduct

• Prior Investigative Experience

• Experience in the security loss prevention

• Must be proficient in the use of Firearms

• Must be willing and available for incident/emergency response duty and/or standby duty, which includes weekends, holidays, nights, and overnights, when necessary

• Capable to work on your feet for extended periods

• Customer service and public relations skills

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, required

• Committed, Reliable and Trustworthy

• Must be willing to work on a shift schedule (including weekends, holidays and non-business hours) and have flexible availability. This includes the ability to work an extended schedule during crisis periods. 

• Pay Range: $105,000.00 - $110,000.00 / Annually

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected].  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.