Loss Prevention Investigator

Waterstones; Bath; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Job summary

Waterstones is seeking a Loss Prevention Investigator to cover the Southwest region, including Taunton, Bristol, Bath, Exeter and surrounding areas. The role involves protecting staff, customers and assets, preventing loss, and guiding store teams on security practices.

You will investigate thefts, build cases, and use data from security systems to identify trends. A full UK driving licence and own vehicle are required for travel between stores.

Qualifications

• Significant demonstrable experience dealing with shrink and crime resolution within a retail or Policing environment.
• Knowledge of loss prevention policies and practices.
• Knowledge of case building, the criminal justice system and its process, as well as judicial interventions: CBOs, civil recovery methods etc.
• IT literate - Efficient in using a variety of platforms and software, including Microsoft Office, Outlook, In-house transaction monitoring software and intelligence sharing programs.
• Knowledge on data mining best practises, industry standard investigation and interview techniques (PACE, WZ etc) preferable.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Be field-based, security and shrink expert identifying risks to reduce loss in your area.
• Advise Regional Managers, Cluster Leaders, Bookshop Managers and Booksellers on Loss Prevention in your area.
• Prioritise visits to Waterstones stores in your remit based on risk to the business.
• Reduce shrinkage by identifying risk and providing coaching and support to store teams.
• Proactively investigate reported thefts and missing stock to identify and apprehend offenders; build cases for prosecution.
• Use data and in-store intelligence and Security Systems to identify trends and share findings with the LP team.
• Establish professional working relationships with internal stakeholders and law enforcement to reduce risk.
• Collaborate with Maintenance and Audit teams to ensure safety standards are met.
• Complete all tasks within set timeframes and escalate issues appropriately.
• Undertake other requests from the Loss Prevention Manager to support operations.

Skills

Shrink & loss reduction

Retail security experience

Data analysis & investigation

Stakeholder engagement

IT literacy

Tools

Microsoft Office

Outlook

In-house monitoring software

Intelligence sharing programs

Job description

About the job

Loss Prevention Investigator

Permanent

Based in Southwest England (Taunton, Bristol, Bath or Exeter)

We are looking for a Loss Prevention Investigator to join our friendly and dynamic team here at Waterstones. Looking after stores across the Southwest area including Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Torquay, and Cheltenham your role will be to protect staff, customers, property, and the business by ensuring that all physical security equipment is in working condition, following up on all workplace incidents and advising teams how best to respond to incidents that may involve violence.

Due to the wide area this role covers you will need to hold a full UK drivers’ licence and have your own vehicle; we pay mileage for the journeys you make from your base shop.

What you will be doing

• To be a field based, security and shrink expert, working to identify potential risks/losses to reduce loss in your given area.
• As the Loss Prevention contact in your designated area, you will give advice and guidance to Regional Managers, Cluster Leaders, Bookshop Managers and Booksellers on all aspects of Loss Prevention.
• To prioritise and visit Waterstones, Foyles, and Blackwells stores in your remit on a need’s basis, based on risk to the business.
• You will reduce shrinkage and cash loss by identifying risk in stores and providing solutions, coaching and support to store teams.
• Proactively investigate reported thefts, data, and missing stock to identify and apprehend offenders. Building criminal cases resulting in arrest and prosecution of offenders.
• Use data and instore intelligence and Security Systems to identify and analyse trends and similarities across active cases and collaboratively work with the wider LPI team to glean and share information to identify and prosecute offenders.
• To establish professional working relationships with internal stakeholders, law enforcement and outside agencies to further reduce risk and loss to the business.
• Work in collaboration with Maintenance and Audit teams to ensure compliance and safety standards are consistently met.
• To complete all set tasks within the given timeframe and elevate identified issues in an appropriate and effective manner.
• To undertake other requests and projects as set by the Loss Prevention manager to support the Business Operation.

What we need from you

• Significant demonstrable experience dealing with shrink and crime resolution within a retail or Policing environment.
• Knowledge of loss prevention policies and practices.
• Knowledge of case building, the criminal justice system and its process, as well as judicial interventions: CBOs, civil recovery methods etc.
• IT literate - Efficient in using a variety of platforms and software, including Microsoft Office, Outlook, In-house transaction monitoring software and intelligence sharing programs.
• Knowledge on data mining best practises, industry standard investigation and interview techniques (PACE, WZ etc) preferable.
• Full UK driving licence.

Person Profile

• A clear, concise communicator, both written and verbally.
• Approachable and personable.
• Self-motivated.
• Ability to influence at all levels of the organisation, working to win hearts and minds.
• Able to manage own time and prioritise effectively.
• Inquisitive, calm, and professional approach.
• Ability to make decisions as needed with minimal supervision.
• Adaptable and resilient.
• Coachable and values development.

Why work for Waterstones

At Waterstones, everything we do is about our customers, and we work hard to provide them with the best possible shopping experience, one that will make them want to visit time and time again. We strive to consistently deliver fantastic customer service, whether recommending a book or a gift, keeping our shops beautifully stocked, helping out in our lovely Café W’s, or keeping the wheels turning efficiently behind the scenes. Working with us, you will get to use your expertise and enthusiasm to bring to our customers the irreplaceable pleasures of a good bookshop (including a virtual one).

In return, you will be working in a role that can make a real difference to Waterstones, work in a friendly and dynamic team and get to benefit from our excellent discount in shops and .

Diversity Statement

At Waterstones, we are committed to creating a workplace that is fair and inclusive to people from all backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we strive to promote an inclusive work culture.

Waterstones is committed to encouraging equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and is dedicated toward eliminating unlawful discrimination.

Our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and to be able to give their best.

We are working hard to ensure our recruitment processes are free from bias, and our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and able to give their best.

Reasonable Adjustments

We understand that some disabled applicants may, due to the nature of their disability, find some parts of the recruitment process challenging. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the interview process, please make these known either to your interviewer or the person you liaise with when setting up your interview.