Armed Security / Receptionist

Position Summary

The Armed Security Guard / Receptionist is responsible for maintaining a safe, secure, professional, and welcoming environment for customers, employees, vendors, and visitors at the dispensary.

This is a dual-role position combining armed security, customer check-in, identification verification, access control, loss prevention, emergency response, and front-desk/reception responsibilities.

The ideal candidate is professional, observant, dependable, customer-service oriented, and capable of maintaining a strong security presence while providing a welcoming experience for dispensary customers.

All security personnel must maintain all New Jersey-required SORA credentials, armed-security qualifications, firearms permits, and other applicable licenses/certifications necessary to legally perform the duties of this position.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Customer Check-In & Age Verification

• Greet every customer entering the dispensary in a professional, courteous, and welcoming manner.
• Check in customers according to the dispensary’s established entrance and access-control procedures.
• Verify that every customer is at least 21 years old before allowing access to the dispensary.
• Carefully inspect each customer’s valid, government-issued photo identification.
• Verify the customer’s photograph, date of birth, expiration date, and other identifying information.
• Confirm that the identification belongs to the person presenting it and appears valid and unaltered.
• Refuse entry to anyone who cannot provide acceptable identification or who does not meet the legal age requirement.
• Never make exceptions to age or identification requirements.
• Maintain a professional and respectful demeanor when refusing entry.
• Immediately notify management if a customer presents suspected fraudulent, altered, or otherwise questionable identification.
• Follow all NJ-CRC and company requirements regarding customer age verification and access control.
• Protect customer privacy and handle identification information appropriately.
• Maintain accurate customer/visitor logs when required by company policy or applicable regulations.

New Jersey requires dispensary personnel to verify a purchaser’s age using government-issued identification. (⁠)

2. Armed Security

• Maintain a highly visible and professional security presence throughout the facility.
• Protect customers, employees, cannabis products, cash, equipment, and company property.
• Monitor entrances, exits, parking areas, customer areas, restricted areas, and other designated locations.
• Remain alert for suspicious activity, threats, theft, unauthorized access, or safety concerns.
• Respond appropriately to security incidents, disturbances, emergencies, attempted theft, robbery, or other threats.
• Follow the dispensary’s approved emergency and security procedures.
• Contact management, law enforcement, fire, EMS, or other emergency services when appropriate.
• Assist with maintaining a safe environment without unnecessarily escalating customer interactions.
• Document security incidents, suspicious activity, accidents, disturbances, and other significant events.
• Assist management with investigations involving theft, loss, security breaches, or other incidents.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding security procedures, incidents, customers, employees, and company operations.

3. New Jersey SORA & Armed Security Requirements

All armed guards must be properly licensed and qualified to perform armed security work in the State of New Jersey.

Candidates must:

• Hold a current New Jersey SORA certification appropriate for the position.
• Hold the required New Jersey SORA Armed Security Officer certification/qualification for armed duties.
• Maintain all required SORA registrations, certifications, and renewals in good standing.
• Possess and maintain any required New Jersey firearms carry permit/authorization applicable to the position.
• Complete all required armed-security training and annual renewal requirements.
• Comply with all applicable New Jersey State Police, SORA, firearms, and security regulations.
• Carry all required credentials while performing armed security duties.
• Immediately notify management of any suspension, expiration, restriction, or change affecting their eligibility to work as an armed security officer.
• Use only company-approved firearms, equipment, and security procedures.
• Follow all applicable firearm-safety requirements and company policies.

New Jersey State Police guidance states that an armed security officer must maintain the appropriate armed SORA certification and valid firearms carry permit; armed certification requires annual renewal and an 8-hour annual training block. NJSP also specifies Level 3 or higher holster requirements for armed security officers. (⁠)

No employee may perform armed security duties without all legally required credentials being current and verified by management.

4. Firearm Safety & Use of Force

• Maintain strict firearm safety at all times.
• Keep the firearm properly secured in the required holster while on duty.
• Use a Level 3 or higher holster when required by New Jersey State Police regulations.
• Never unnecessarily display, handle, draw, or manipulate the firearm.
• Follow all company use-of-force policies and applicable New Jersey law.
• Use force only when legally justified and necessary.
• Remain calm, professional, and non-confrontational whenever circumstances permit.
• Immediately report any firearm discharge, use-of-force incident, loss of firearm, or other firearm-related incident to management and the appropriate authorities as required.

5. Access Control

• Control access to the dispensary and restricted areas.
• Ensure unauthorized individuals do not enter employee-only, storage, vault, cash-handling, or other restricted areas.
• Verify employees, vendors, contractors, and visitors according to company procedures.
• Monitor visitor entry and exit procedures.
• Prevent unauthorized access to cannabis products, cash, records, security equipment, and other sensitive areas.
• Report attempts to bypass access-control procedures immediately.
• Follow all established key, access-card, badge, and visitor-management procedures.

New Jersey cannabis regulations require businesses to implement security measures designed to prevent unauthorized entry, theft, and diversion and to protect the premises, consumers, and employees. (⁠)

6. Security Monitoring & Loss Prevention

• Monitor security cameras and alarm systems as directed.
• Conduct routine security checks of the facility.
• Observe customer and employee activity for potential theft, diversion, or safety issues.
• Identify and report suspicious behavior.
• Protect cannabis inventory and company assets.
• Assist management with loss-prevention investigations.
• Maintain security logs and incident reports accurately and promptly.
• Report damaged security equipment, cameras, alarms, doors, locks, or other security concerns immediately.
• Never disclose security system information, camera locations, alarm procedures, access codes, or other confidential security information to unauthorized individuals.

7. Reception & Customer Service

• Provide a professional and welcoming first point of contact for customers.
• Greet customers, vendors, contractors, and visitors.
• Answer basic questions and direct customers to appropriate dispensary personnel.
• Assist with customer flow and lobby management.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and professional reception area.
• Maintain a calm and respectful demeanor during difficult customer interactions.
• De-escalate situations whenever possible and request management assistance when necessary.
• Represent the dispensary professionally at all times.

8. Emergency Response

• Respond promptly to security, medical, fire, workplace violence, robbery, and other emergency situations.
• Follow the dispensary’s written emergency response procedures.
• Contact appropriate emergency services when required.
• Assist employees and customers in following emergency procedures.
• Secure the facility and restrict access when appropriate.
• Preserve the integrity of the scene following a serious incident.
• Complete detailed incident reports following significant security or emergency events.
• Cooperate with law enforcement and emergency personnel as directed.

New Jersey cannabis rules require security and emergency procedures addressing issues including robbery and workplace violence, as well as effective controls against unauthorized access, theft, and diversion. (⁠)

9. New Jersey Cannabis Compliance

All employees working inside the cannabis business must comply with applicable NJ-CRC requirements.

The employee must:

• Obtain and maintain a valid NJ-CRC Employee Identification Card before beginning employment when required.
• Maintain all required cannabis-industry training and credentials.
• Complete required NJ-CRC-approved training.
• Complete required background checks and fingerprinting.
• Follow all NJ-CRC rules and company Standard Operating Procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding customer, employee, security, and business information.
• Immediately report suspected regulatory violations to management.
• Cooperate with authorized NJ-CRC inspections and investigations.
• Follow all approved security, access-control, emergency, and diversion-prevention procedures.

NJ-CRC states that cannabis-business employees must obtain an Employee ID Card before their first day of employment, and the process includes age eligibility, approved training, and a criminal-history background check. Fingerprinting is also part of the NJ-CRC employee badging/background-check process. (⁠)

10. Documentation & Reporting

• Complete daily security logs accurately.
• Complete required visitor and access logs.
• Document incidents, accidents, disturbances, suspicious activity, and security concerns.
• Immediately notify management of significant incidents.
• Provide factual and detailed written reports when required.
• Maintain confidentiality of all security reports and company records.
• Never falsify, alter, or omit required security documentation.

Qualifications

Required

• Must meet all applicable New Jersey requirements to work as a security officer.
• Current New Jersey SORA certification.
• Current New Jersey SORA Armed Security Officer certification/qualification for armed duties.
• All required firearms permits/authorizations for armed security work.
• Ability to legally possess and carry the firearm required for the position.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a NJ-CRC Employee ID Card when required.
• Ability to successfully complete required background checks and fingerprinting.
• Ability to complete all required cannabis and security training.
• Must be at least 21 years old where required by applicable NJ-CRC requirements.
• Strong communication and customer-service skills.
• Excellent situational awareness.
• Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure.
• Reliable attendance and punctuality.
• Professional appearance and conduct.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

Preferred

• Previous armed security experience.
• Previous cannabis dispensary security experience.
• Military or law-enforcement experience.
• Retail security or loss-prevention experience.
• Experience with access-control systems, surveillance cameras, and alarm systems.
• CPR/AED/First Aid certification.
• Experience working in a highly regulated industry.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to remain alert for prolonged periods.
• Ability to respond quickly to emergency situations.
• Ability to safely perform security-related duties.
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors as required.
• Ability to lift and carry items as reasonably required by the position.
• Ability to work in a customer-facing environment.

Schedule & Availability

This position may require:

• Opening and closing shifts.
• Weekends and holidays.
• Evening shifts.
• Extended periods of standing.
• Variable scheduling based on dispensary operating hours.
• Emergency or last-minute coverage when necessary.
• Overtime in accordance with company policy and applicable law.

Professional Standards

The Armed Security Guard / Receptionist represents the dispensary from the moment a customer arrives.

Employees are expected to maintain the highest standards of:

• Safety
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Customer service
• Situational awareness
• Confidentiality
• Accountability
• Regulatory compliance

The guard must balance a strong security presence with a welcoming customer experience. Employees should be firm when enforcing security, age-verification, and access-control requirements while remaining respectful, calm, and professional.

Failure to maintain required SORA, armed-security, firearms, NJ-CRC, or other legally required credentials may result in removal from armed duties and/or termination of employment, subject to company policy and applicable law.

This job description describes the general duties and responsibilities of the position and may be modified as necessary to comply with changes in New Jersey law, NJ-CRC regulations, NJ State Police requirements, local requirements, and company policies.

Pay: $23.00 - $25.00 per hour

Work Location: In person