Senior Director, Profit Protection & Risk Management

The Senior Director, Profit Protection & Risk Management provides enterprise leadership and strategic oversight for WHSmith’s Profit Protection, Risk Management, and Compliance functions, including Asset Protection, Investigations, Food Safety, Health & Safety (OSHA), and Store File Integrity. This role ensures disciplined governance of programs that protect people, property, and profit while embedding a culture of accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement. Acting as a trusted business partner to Operations, Finance, and Legal, the Senior Director drives visibility into losses, shrink, and operational risk through analytics, prevention strategies, and end-to-end incident management.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Program Oversight

• Lead the design and execution of WHSmith’s enterprise Profit Protection and Risk Management strategy across retail, food, and corporate operations.
• Develop, publish, and govern standardized loss prevention programs, risk controls, and investigative frameworks.
• Oversee execution of physical inventory counting, reconciliation, and post-audit analysis, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Partner with Finance, Field, and Operations teams to ensure reporting accuracy and timely investigation of variances or anomalies.
• Oversee field investigations, recovery efforts, and asset protection performance metrics.
• Serve as the company’s primary liaison on regulatory and compliance matters related to safety, insurance, and loss prevention.

Risk Management & Compliance

Performance Optimization & Business Partnership

Key Metrics

Job Requirements

Skills & Competencies

Leadership Attributes