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

• Lead quarterly operational and safety risk assessments, including Food Safety, OSHA, and insurance audits.
• Maintain and enforce policies that safeguard company assets, intellectual property, and operational continuity.
• Collaborate with Legal, Insurance, and HR on claim management, risk mitigation, and compliance training.
• Conduct root-cause analysis on losses or incidents and develop corrective action plans.
• Oversee governance, reporting, and standard operating procedures for enterprise risk.

Performance Optimization & Business Partnership

• Partner cross-functionally to align risk management with financial and operational goals.
• Benchmark and implement industry best practices to elevate WHSmith’s risk and profit protection maturity.
• Provide data-driven insights and predictive analytics to inform leadership decisions.
• Lead the development of reporting dashboards to monitor shrink, recoveries, and compliance performance.
• Drive a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across all risk and safety programs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Risk Management, or related field (MBA preferred).
• 10 years of leadership experience in profit protection, asset protection, or operational risk within retail, logistics, or hospitality industries.
• Proven success leading multi-location programs focused on loss prevention, investigation, and recovery.
• Strong understanding of financial reporting, reconciliation, and audit processes.
• Exceptional communication and relationship management skills.
• Professional certification (CFE, LPC, or equivalent) preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Profit protection and risk mitigation strategy.
• Investigation management and compliance leadership.
• Financial analytics, audit, and reconciliation expertise.
• Health, safety, and environmental program management.
• Cross-functional leadership and communication.
• Data-driven decision-making and accountability mindset.

About Us

WHSmith is a leading global travel retailer with over 1,700 stores across 30 countries worldwide. WHSmith North America, incorporating Marshall Retail Group (MRG) and InMotion, represents over half of the Company’s international store estate, with a collection of attractive, successful specialty retail stores located in airports and resorts across North America.

Legal & Compliance Disclaimer

WHSmith North America is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. All questions above are job-related and designed to assess qualifications and experience relevant to the position. Responses will not be used to discriminate or determine eligibility on any basis unrelated to bona fide job requirements.