AKIRA - Director of Asset Protection

AKIRA opened its first women’s clothing boutique in Chicago in 2002 and has since grown to 40+ stores nationwide plus a thriving eCommerce business at shopAKIRA.com. We’re a fast-fashion brand known for Other-Worldly Customer Service and a culture where every employee is expected to Act and Think Like an Owner.

The Role: Director of Asset Protection

Role Summary

The Director of Asset Protection is responsible for end-to-end ownership of shrink reduction across all retail stores and distribution operations. This includes traditional loss prevention as well as inventory accuracy, operational process control, and systems-driven shrink reduction.

This role is accountable for identifying and reducing all sources of shrink, including external and internal theft, inventory miscounts, damaged goods, and process or system failures.

Core Responsibilities

1. Shrink Ownership & Reporting
- Own total company shrink KPI (stores + warehouse)
- Build and maintain shrink dashboards by store, category, and root cause
- Identify trends: theft, administrative error, damage, vendor issues
- Partner with Finance to ensure accurate shrink accounting

2. Store Asset Protection Strategy
- Develop and execute asset protection strategies across all stores
- Implement theft deterrence programs (EAS, RFID, high-value item controls)
- Conduct store audits and investigations
- Train store leadership on shrink prevention behaviors

3. Inventory Accuracy & Cycle Count Discipline
- Own cycle count program design and compliance
- Audit store and DC counting procedures
- Identify systemic miscounts and root causes
- Drive improvements in receiving, transfers, and returns handling
- Establish inventory accuracy KPIs

4. Warehouse / Distribution Shrink Control
- Implement controls across DC operations
- Improve receiving verification, pick/pack accuracy, and damage tracking
- Introduce audit mechanisms and variance thresholds

5. Process & Systems Improvement
- Identify breakdowns in POS and inventory systems
- Partner with IT on system improvements and RFID (if applicable)
- Standardize SOPs across stores and DC

6. Investigations & Exception Management
- Lead internal investigations (theft, fraud, process abuse)
- Build exception-based reporting (returns, voids, overrides)
- Develop escalation protocols

7. Training & Culture
- Build a shrink-aware culture across the organization
- Train store and DC leadership on inventory ownership
- Drive accountability without over-policing

Key Metrics

- Total Shrink % (decrease)
- Inventory Accuracy % (increase)
- Cycle Count Compliance (increase)
- Shrink by Top Stores (decrease)
- High-Risk Category Shrink (decrease)
- DC Accuracy (increase)

Ideal Candidate Profile

Experience:
- 7–12+ years in Retail Asset Protection, Loss Prevention, Inventory Control, or Operations
- Multi-store experience (20+ locations)
- Strong understanding of retail inventory flows (store + DC)

Skills:
- Analytical mindset with ability to identify root causes
- Operational expertise beyond security-only focus
- Systems and reporting proficiency
- Strong cross-functional leadership

Additional Requirement:
- This role extends beyond traditional loss prevention and requires strong ownership of inventory accuracy, operational processes, and root-cause analysis of shrink drivers.

Organizational Placement

- Reports To: COO or CFO
- Direct Reports: LP Managers, Inventory Analysts (as needed)
- Key Partners: Stores, E-commerce, Warehouse, Finance, IT

Success in First 12 Months

- Measurable reduction in shrink
- Clear visibility into shrink drivers
- Consistent cycle count discipline across all locations
- Improved inventory accuracy
- Defined controls for high-risk categories
- Organization-wide ownership of shrink

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base and bonus commensurate with experience, plus Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet Insurance, Life, LTD, FSA/HSA/Dependent Care FSA, Flex Transit (CTA), 401(k), and a generous employee discount. AKIRA is committed to fair and transparent compensation; additional details will be discussed during the hiring process.