Profit Protection Manager

Location

Hybrid – 1-2 days at our Support Centre in Coleshill, Birmingham. Plus travel to stores as required

Why The Works?

10th Best Big Company to Work For 2024 – 'Best Companies'

We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.

The Works. It literally means everything. And whatever your story or background, we’re all about unlocking imagination and making creativity accessible to everyone. Whether you’re engaging with customers on the frontline or supporting our colleagues behind the scenes, your impact can be profound and far-reaching.

This is more than toys and books and art supplies. This is about inspiring people to read, learn, create and play. So, with the right passion, it all starts with you.

Become a Profit Protection Manager

The Profit Protection Manager is responsible for minimising financial losses across the organisation by leading the development and implementation of strategies to prevent theft, fraud, and operational inefficiencies. This role acts as the business lead and face of profit protection, working cross-functionally with Retail, People, and other departments to drive a culture of accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement.

The role requires some travel to stores for stock counts and training.

Your Mission

Risk Assessment & Mitigation

• Identify financial risks and vulnerabilities across the business (including stores and distribution centres), including stock and cash loss, fraud, and process failures.
• Set financial risk targets and lead the approach to prevention and mitigation.
• Develop and maintain a risk matrix of stores using internal and external data to inform targeted actions.

Loss Prevention Strategy

• Design and implement company-wide strategies to prevent theft, fraud, and other financial losses.
• Collaborate with Retail and People teams to ensure effective execution of loss prevention actions and initiatives.

Policy Development

• Create and enforce profit protection policies and procedures at the company level.
• Develop incident response matrices and ensure alignment with field-level policies through collaboration with Retail and People teams.

Training & Awareness

• Provide data insights and guidelines to support Retail-led training and communications.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging risks to inform training content.
• Support the delivery of regular training sessions and awareness programmes on loss prevention.

Reporting & Analytics

• Lead reporting against financial targets and track performance of loss prevention strategies.
• Provide risk area insights and support incident-based reporting.
• Collaborate with Retail and Ops to ensure that they investigate flagged incidents and conduct investigations where required
• Work with IT teams to develop and maintain cohesive, effective and simple reporting/ dashboards
• Keep the CFO, operational board and Audit Committee up to date with strategy & results.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations related to loss prevention.
• Lead monthly governance meetings with key stakeholders including H&S and People Partners.

Security & Fraud Detection

• Support Retail team where required to implement technology and tools to support strategy.
• Utilise data analytics and fraud detection software to monitor and flag suspicious activities.
• Support the development of internal controls and staff training on fraud awareness.

Inventory Management

• Define stock count strategies and audit frequencies. Own relationship with third party stock to support in execution of stock counts.
• Communicate requirements to retail and distribution centre teams to ensure effective training and communications around stock counts.
• Attend stock counts to ensure effective counts across the estate, utilise lessons learnt from early counts to improve delivery of future counts.
• Follow up stock take results to understand actions to reduce stock loss.

Health & Safety

• Collaborate with Retail to support strategies for colleague safety (e.g. body-worn cameras, lone working devices).

Skills/Behaviours That Will Set You Apart

• Proven experience in profit protection, loss prevention, or risk management within a retail or multi-site environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and drive actionable insights.
• Excellent stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Knowledge of compliance, health & safety, and fraud detection technologies.
• Experience in policy development and training delivery is desirable.
• Attention to Detail: You have a forensic attention to detail to help us get things right the first time.
• Colleague-Focused Approach: You prioritise making things easier for our colleagues, clearly explaining the why, how, what, and when.
• Influence and Challenge: You can influence and constructively challenge when necessary to ensure we do the right thing.
• Initiative and Passionate: You use your initiative and have the energy and passion to make things happen.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: You believe in the power of teamwork and collaboration as the best way to achieve results.
• Networking and Relationships: You understand the importance of networking and building strong relationships.
• Self-Starter: You are a self-starter committed to driving your own development.

Being a great leader

As a great leader with wonderful people skills, you'll create an environment that's more than just co-workers — it's a team.•Align Goals with Values: Ensure that your team’s goals are clearly connected to the company’s values and purpose. This helps colleagues see the bigger picture and understand how their work contributes to the overall mission.•Clear Communication: Ensure that your team understands the goals, expectations, and their roles. Regularly share updates, encourage open dialogue and have regular check-ins.•Role Model: Lead by example. Demonstrate the behaviours and attitudes you expect from your team, such as punctuality, responsibility, and being a brand ambassado