Director, Asset Protection
Location: Toronto, Ontario (GTA)
Work Arrangement: Full-Time, Onsite
Compensation: $220,000 – $230,000 base salary + other benefits
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director, Asset Protection to lead and oversee the Asset Protection function for a large, established retail organization.
This is a senior leadership opportunity with responsibility for developing and executing the organization's asset protection strategy across retail operations, field asset protection, central investigations, merchandising, supply chain and logistics, and asset protection analytics.
The successful candidate will provide strategic direction, strengthen operational controls, minimize financial losses, mitigate business risks, and ensure the effective execution of asset protection programs across the division.
This individual will lead and develop senior asset protection leaders and their respective teams, while partnering closely with cross-functional business stakeholders to build a proactive, risk-aware and loss-prevention-focused culture throughout the organization.
The ideal candidate brings extensive experience leading asset protection or loss prevention functions within a large-scale retail or comparable multi-site operating environment, combined with strong business acumen, investigative expertise and executive-level leadership capabilities.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Asset Protection Leadership
- Lead the overall Asset Protection organization and establish the strategic direction, priorities and operational objectives for the division.
- Develop and implement comprehensive asset protection strategies to minimize financial losses, reduce shrink, prevent theft and fraud, and safeguard company assets.
- Provide leadership and oversight across field asset protection, central investigations, merchandising, supply chain and logistics, and AP analytics.
- Establish performance expectations, operational standards, and measurable objectives to evaluate the effectiveness of asset protection initiatives.
- Identify emerging risks, vulnerabilities and operational gaps, developing proactive strategies to address them.
- Ensure asset protection strategies are aligned with broader organizational objectives, business performance and operational priorities.
2. Field Asset Protection & Retail Operations
- Oversee field asset protection programs across retail operations, ensuring consistent execution of loss prevention policies, procedures and controls.
- Partner with field leadership and operational teams to identify and address internal and external theft, fraud, organized retail crime and other sources of financial loss.
- Drive initiatives to improve shrink performance, strengthen inventory controls and minimize operational losses.
- Ensure effective implementation of security technologies, surveillance systems, physical security measures and other loss prevention tools.
- Provide guidance and support to field asset protection leadership in addressing complex operational risks and recurring loss trends.
- Build strong relationships with operational leaders to promote accountability and embed asset protection practices into everyday business operations.
3. Investigations & Risk Management
- Provide strategic oversight of central investigations, including internal investigations, organized retail crime, fraud and other significant security-related matters.
- Establish consistent investigative standards, processes and protocols to ensure investigations are conducted professionally, confidentially and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Oversee the identification, assessment and mitigation of significant business risks and security threats.
- Strengthen partnerships with law enforcement agencies, external security partners and relevant industry organizations.
- Ensure appropriate escalation and resolution of high-risk incidents, including sensitive investigations and potentially critical security situations.
- Oversee emergency response protocols, crisis management procedures and business continuity considerations related to asset protection.
4. Merchandising & Supply Chain Protection
- Oversee asset protection initiatives relating to merchandising processes, inventory integrity and product security.
- Partner with merchandising and supply chain leadership to identify vulnerabilities across product handling, storage, transportation and distribution.
- Develop and strengthen controls to minimize inventory shrink, product diversion, theft, fraud and other supply chain-related losses.
- Ensure appropriate asset protection standards are integrated into merchandising processes and supply chain operations.
- Evaluate operational processes and recommend improvements to strengthen controls, accountability and overall inventory accuracy.
5. Asset Protection Analytics & Performance Management
- Oversee the use of analytics, reporting and business intelligence to identify loss patterns, operational vulnerabilities and emerging risks.
- Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) relating to shrink, theft, fraud, investigations and overall asset protection effectiveness.
- Translate complex data and analytical findings into actionable business strategies and recommendations.
- Use data-driven insights to prioritize resources, improve operational controls and measure the return on asset protection investments.
- Present performance updates, risk assessments and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
- Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs and identify opportunities for improvement.
6. Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, mentor and develop senior asset protection leaders, including the Divisional Manager, Asset Protection and Senior Manager, AP Merchandising Process, along with their respective teams.
- Establish clear leadership expectations, accountability structures and performance objectives.
- Build a collaborative, high-performing team focused on continuous improvement, operational excellence and risk mitigation.
- Provide coaching and strategic guidance to strengthen leadership capabilities and succession planning.
- Foster collaboration across field operations, merchandising, supply chain, investigations and other corporate functions.
- Promote a culture of integrity, accountability, safety and proactive risk management.
7. Compliance, Security Technology & Emergency Preparedness
- Ensure asset protection practices comply with applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws, regulations and organizational policies.
- Oversee the effective use of security technologies, including CCTV, access control, electronic surveillance, monitoring systems and other risk management solutions.
- Evaluate emerging security technologies and recommend investments that improve operational effectiveness and risk prevention.
- Establish and maintain appropriate emergency response and incident management protocols.
- Ensure teams are adequately trained and prepared to respond to security incidents, workplace threats and emergency situations.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- 10+ years of progressive experience in Asset Protection, Loss Prevention, Corporate Security, Risk Management or a related field.
- Significant senior leadership experience overseeing asset protection or security functions within a large-scale retail, multi-site or comparable complex operating environment.
- Proven experience developing and executing enterprise or divisional asset protection strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to lead senior managers and large, geographically distributed teams.
- Strong understanding of retail loss prevention, shrink management, internal and external theft, organized retail crime, fraud prevention and investigative practices.
- Experience overseeing multiple asset protection functions, ideally including field operations, investigations, merchandising, supply chain and analytics.
- Strong knowledge of security technologies, physical security systems, risk assessment methodologies and emergency response protocols.
- Working knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, investigative procedures and compliance requirements.
- Bachelor's degree in Security Management, Criminal Justice, Business Administration or a related discipline.
- Professional certifications such as Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), or an equivalent credential are considered an asset. An advanced degree is also an asset.
Key Leadership Competencies
Strategic & Business Leadership
- Ability to develop long-term strategies while maintaining a strong understanding of day-to-day operational requirements.
- Strong business and financial acumen, with the ability to connect asset protection initiatives to overall business performance.
- Ability to anticipate risks, make informed decisions and drive measurable results.
People & Stakeholder Leadership
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and build strong cross-functional partnerships.
- Experience leading, developing and motivating senior leaders and large teams.
- Strong communication, collaboration, negotiation and change management skills.
Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills
- Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to interpret complex data, identify trends and develop actionable solutions.
- Sound judgement and decision-making skills, particularly when managing sensitive investigations and high-risk situations.
- Ability to balance risk mitigation, operational efficiency and business priorities.
Integrity & Accountability
- High level of professional integrity, discretion and sound ethical judgement.
- Ability to manage confidential and sensitive matters with professionalism.
- Strong commitment to building a culture of accountability, compliance and continuous improvement.
Compensation & Benefits
The anticipated compensation package includes:
- Base Salary: $220,000 – $230,000 annually.
- MIP (Management Incentive Package): Performance-based management incentive compensation.
- RSUs (Restricted Stock Units): Equity-based compensation.
- This is a senior-level leadership opportunity offering a competitive total compensation package and the opportunity to influence asset protection strategy across a large retail organization.
