Security consultant

Security consultants provide security services to clients and individuals that help them preventing, planning and mitigating threats such as terrorism, espionage, theft, and violence to their organisation, including the buildings, operations, and employees. The services they provide depend on their clients’ security needs and requirements and may include services such as threat analysis, security risk management, security programme development.

Excludes ICT security consultant.

The following job titles also refer to security consultant:

security chief
security specialist
security advisor
security expert
security supervisor
security manager

Security consultant is not an entry-level role: a significant experience in a security-related role is required for such position, such as security guard, or bodyguard. An experience in the police or the armed forces can also help.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Security consultant is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to security consultant.

security guard supervisor
security alarm investigator
security guard
gate guard
crowd controller

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of security consultant. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of security consultant with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

store detective
hand luggage inspector
immigration officer
customs officer
life coach

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of security consultant.

• Consultation methods: Techniques used to facilitate clear and open communication and the provision of advice between individuals, communities or the government, such as discussion groups or one-on-one interviews.
• Security threats: Types of threats to public and private security such as unauthorised entry, aggressive behaviour, molestation, robbery, theft, assault, kidnapping, murder and public demonstration.
• Assessment of risks and threats: The security documentation and any security-related communications and information.
• Security of assets legislation: The current relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice in the field of protecting private and public assets.
• Surveillance methods: Surveillance methods used in the gathering of information and intelligence for investigation purposes.

These skills are necessary for the role of security consultant.

• Ensure compliance with legal requirements: Guarantee compliance with established and applicable standards and legal requirements such as specifications, policies, standards or law for the goal that organisations aspire to achieve in their efforts.
• Maintain relationship with customers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying after-sales information and service.
• Advise on strengthening security: Provide information and guidance to clients on how to prevent security threats and incidents.
• Assess risks of clients’ assets: Identify, evaluate and determine the actual and potential risks of your clients’ assets, considering confidentiality standards.
• Use consulting techniques: Advise clients in different personal or professional matters.
• Ensure public safety and security: Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property.
• Analyse problems for opportunities: Identify and anticipate problems in order to choose a course of action, come up with appropriate solutions or even identify opportunities for further development.
• Maintain customer service: Keep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requirements.
• Identify terrorism threats: Identify the possibility of terrorism activities posing threats and danger in a specific area by monitoring activities of potentially dangerous groups of people, assessing risks in different areas, and gathering intelligence.
• Identify security threats: Identify security threats during investigations, inspections, or patrols, and perform the necessary actions to minimise or neutralise the threat.
• Write security reports: Compile data on inspections, patrols and security incidents into a report for management purposes.
• Advise on security risk management: Provide advice on security risk management policies and prevention strategies and their implementation, being aware of the different kinds of security risks a specific organisation faces.
• Liaise with security authorities: Respond quickly to security incidents and violations by calling the police and keep in touch with other relevant parties involved in the potential prosecution of the offender.
• Ensure law application: Ensure the laws are followed, and where they are broken, that the correct measures are taken to ensure compliance to the law and law enforcement.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of security consultant. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Security in industrial buildings: Security procedures, characteristics, tasks and risks encountered in industrial areas such as factories, ports, warehouses and mines.
• Fire safety regulations: The legal rules to be applied for fire safety and fire prevention in a facility.
• Legal requirements related to ammunition: Legal regulations and requirements in the field of selling, buying, handling and storing ammunition.
• Criminal law: Th legal rules, constitutions and regulations applicable for the punishement of offenders.
• Security in commercial buildings: Security procedures, characteristics, tasks and risks in commercial areas and institutions such as banks, malls, tourist spots, hotels and restaurants.
• Security panels: The internal logic of the security panel, where security sensors send their data for processing. The different components of the panel, such as the wire contact points, motherboard and transformer.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of security consultant. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Apply conflict management: Take ownership of the handling of all complaints and disputes showing empathy and understanding to achieve resolution. To be fully aware of all Social Responsibility protocols and procedures, and to be able to deal with a problem gambling situation in a professional manner with maturity and empathy.
• Undertake inspections: Undertake safety inspections in areas of concern to identify and report potential hazards or security breaches; take measures to maximise safety standards.
• Train security officers: Instruct, train and further educate security officers.
• Maintain facility security systems: Ensure that proper and functional security systems are in place, including alarm systems, fire alarms, sprinklers and emergency exits.
• Provide emergency training: Provide training and development in first aid, fire rescue and emergency situations for employees on the site.
• Handle surveillance equipment: Monitor surveillance equipment to observe what people are doing in a given area and ensure their safety.
• Advise on the selection of security staff: Provide advice in the selection and recruitment of staff members in order to maintain and ensure the security and safety of the client.
• Check official documents: Check an individuals’ official documentation, such as driver’s licenses and identification, to ensure compliance with legal regulations, and to identify and assess individuals.
• Provide emergency advice: Provide advice in first aid, fire rescue and emergency situations for employees on the site.
• Build business relationships: Establish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the organisation and its objectives.
• Coordinate security: Organise the personal, technical and organizational security requirements.

5414 – Security guards

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References

1. Security consultant – ESCO