Head of Monitoring Services

ABOUT ARGENBRIGHT SECURITY EUROPE LIMITED Argenbright Security Europe Limited (ASEL) is a leading managed security services provider operating across the United Kingdom. We deliver high-quality, technology-enabled security solutions to a diverse portfolio of clients spanning retail, commercial, industrial, and public sector environments. Our services encompass manned guarding, mobile patrol, CCTV and surveillance, access control, and integrated security management.

As a business committed to operational excellence and client satisfaction, we are investing in the continued development of our internal infrastructure, including the professional leadership of our warehousing and logistics function to support our national operations.

ROLE OVERVIEW The Head of Monitoring Services is responsible for the leadership, management and operational oversight of the organisation's Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) and associated monitoring services.

Reporting to the Business Services Director, the post holder will ensure the effective implementation and day-to-day management of the governance framework established for the ARC, supporting the Business Services Director in maintaining overall governance and executive oversight of the monitoring function.

The role will provide strategic and operational leadership of Monitoring Services, ensuring that the ARC consistently operates in accordance with NSI Gold requirements, applicable British and European Standards, company policies, customer requirements and recognised industry best practice.

The Head of Monitoring Services will have responsibility for operational performance, people leadership, service quality, compliance assurance, audit readiness, resilience, risk management and continuous improvement, escalating material risks, compliance concerns and significant operational matters to the Business Services Director.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. ARC Compliance and Governance Support

• Lead the day-to-day implementation and management of the ARC governance framework under the oversight of the Business Services Director.
• Support the Business Services Director in maintaining effective governance and assurance arrangements across Monitoring Services.
• Maintain operational compliance with the requirements applicable to the organisation's NSI Gold approval.
• Ensure appropriate policies, procedures, work instructions and operational protocols are implemented, maintained, reviewed and consistently followed.
• Provide the Business Services Director with appropriate assurance reporting covering compliance, performance, risk, incidents and emerging issues.
• Coordinate operational preparation for NSI and other relevant external audits and assessments.
• Ensure audit findings, observations and corrective actions are appropriately investigated, managed and progressed to closure.
• Maintain appropriate operational evidence and records demonstrating compliance.
• Work closely with the Business Services Director, Compliance and other relevant functions to maintain alignment with the organisation's wider governance and Quality Management System.
• Escalate significant compliance failures, emerging risks or matters that could affect NSI approval to the Business Services Director promptly.
• Monitor changes to relevant standards, industry requirements and guidance and advise the Business Services Director of their potential operational impact.

2. Operational Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the 24/7 monitoring operation.
• Ensure sufficient management, supervisory and operator coverage is maintained across all shifts.
• Establish clear operational standards and expectations across the ARC.
• Ensure alarm, CCTV and other monitored events are handled accurately, consistently and within required response parameters.
• Ensure appropriate escalation arrangements exist for critical incidents, system failures and customer-impacting events.
• Maintain effective management oversight across days, nights, weekends and public holidays.
• Conduct regular reviews of operational performance, incidents and service quality.
• Ensure appropriate handover arrangements exist between shifts and management teams.
• Provide senior escalation support for significant operational incidents where required.

3. People Leadership and Management

• Lead, manage, coach and develop the Monitoring Services management and operational teams.
• Establish a clear management structure with defined responsibilities and accountability.
• Ensure managers and supervisors conduct effective one-to-ones, performance reviews and team briefings.
• Set clear individual and team objectives linked to operational and organisational priorities.
• Monitor attendance, conduct, capability and performance and address concerns promptly and consistently.
• Develop succession plans for key operational and management roles.
• Identify skills gaps and establish appropriate development plans.
• Promote a culture of professionalism, accountability, customer focus and continuous improvement.
• Ensure colleagues feel able to raise operational, compliance or safety concerns without unnecessary barriers.
• Recognise strong performance while constructively addressing poor performance.
• Work with HR on recruitment, employee relations, workforce planning and organisational development.

4. Training and Competence

• Ensure all monitoring personnel are appropriately trained and competent before undertaking unsupervised duties.
• Establish and maintain a documented competency framework for ARC personnel.
• Ensure induction, refresher and role-specific training is completed and appropriately recorded.
• Maintain training matrices and competency records.
• Ensure training reflects changes to systems, customer requirements, procedures and regulatory standards.
• Conduct or commission competency assessments where required.
• Ensure lessons identified through incidents, complaints and operational reviews are incorporated into training.

5. Service Performance and KPIs

• Develop, maintain and report meaningful operational performance indicators covering alarm and CCTV handling, operator errors, procedural non-conformances, incident escalation, customer complaints, service availability, system downtime, staffing, absence, turnover, training compliance, audit actions and customer service performance.
• Analyse trends rather than relying solely on headline results and implement corrective or improvement plans where performance falls below expectation.
• Provide regular performance reporting to the Business Services Director and other senior stakeholders.

6. Incident Management

• Maintain effective arrangements for identifying, escalating and managing significant operational incidents.
• Ensure serious incidents are immediately escalated through the appropriate management structure.
• Lead or oversee investigations into significant monitoring failures, missed alarms, incorrect escalation, customer-impacting incidents and procedural breaches.
• Ensure investigations identify root causes rather than simply individual errors.
• Establish corrective and preventative actions and monitor these through to completion.
• Ensure appropriate customer communication and internal reporting following significant incidents.
• Ensure lessons learned are communicated throughout the monitoring operation.

7. Business Continuity and Resilience

• Maintain effective business continuity and disaster recovery arrangements for Monitoring Services.
• Ensure the ARC remains capable of delivering critical services during foreseeable operational disruption.
• Maintain and regularly test contingency arrangements.
• Ensure appropriate resilience exists for critical systems, communications, utilities and operational resources.
• Conduct planned business continuity and disaster recovery exercises.
• Document outcomes and ensure identified improvements are completed.
• Ensure managers and operators understand their responsibilities during contingency situations.

8. Systems and Technology

• Maintain appropriate management oversight of all technology supporting monitoring operations.
• Work closely with IT, suppliers and technical teams to maintain reliable monitoring infrastructure.
• Ensure system changes are appropriately assessed, tested and controlled before implementation.
• Monitor system availability and recurring faults.
• Support the introduction of technology that improves service quality, resilience and operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to use automation, analytics and artificial intelligence appropriately within monitoring operations while maintaining suitable human oversight and governance.
• Ensure technology-related risks are appropriately recorded and managed.

9. Customer and Stakeholder Management

• Maintain strong working relationships with internal stakeholders and monitoring customers.
• Support customer meetings and service reviews where senior monitoring representation is required.
• Ensure customer concerns relating to monitoring services are investigated promptly and professionally.
• Work collaboratively with Operations, Commercial, Compliance, IT, HR and other business functions.
• Support mobilisation and onboarding of new monitoring customers and services.
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