How to hire a loss prevention officer

How to hire a loss prevention officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step loss prevention officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a loss prevention officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new loss prevention officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a loss prevention officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the loss prevention officer you need to hire. Certain loss prevention officer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect loss prevention officer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents loss prevention officer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Loss Prevention Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Loss Prevention Officer		$10-24
   Deputy	The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat... Show more	$14-43
   Detective	A detective is responsible for conducting in-depth investigations for criminal activities, potential threats, and other law-violating incidents, coordinating closely with law-enforcement agencies and crime intelligence analysts. Detectives often work on the field, gathering data and related evidence to support claims and connect the timeline of events... Show more	$16-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Loss Prevention
   • Good Judgment
   • Emergency Situations
   • Relevant Parties
   • Incident Reports
   • Surveillance Equipment
   • Store Management
   • CCTV
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Local Law Enforcement
   • Safety Hazards
   • Court Hearings
   • Customer Service

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
   • Certify in CPR as well as self-defense training including the use of pepper spray.
   • Review surveillance footage, POS data, and audio of clients operations for theft and operational deficiencies.
   • Conduct weekly audits in order to ensure merchandise of a certain dollar amount is properly tag EAS tags.
   • Conduct store, maintenance, safety, and electronic article surveillance (EAS) audits, and 801E audits.
   • Prepare documentation and analyze data through exception reporting, POS systems, GL, and various other resources and systems.

   More loss prevention officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your loss prevention officer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A loss prevention officer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, loss prevention officers' average salary in montana is 30% less than in virginia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level loss prevention officers 57% less than senior-level loss prevention officers.
   • Certifications. A loss prevention officer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a loss prevention officer's salary.

   Average loss prevention officer salary

   $16.23hourly

   $33,768 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level loss prevention officer salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

   Average loss prevention officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Florida	$40,546	$19
   2	California	$40,072	$19
   3	New Jersey	$38,619	$19
   4	North Carolina	$38,525	$19
   5	Nevada	$38,435	$18
   6	Pennsylvania	$38,360	$18
   7	New York	$37,931	$18
   8	Minnesota	$36,517	$18
   9	Texas	$36,504	$18
   10	Louisiana	$36,392	$18
   11	Oregon	$34,140	$16
   12	Connecticut	$33,906	$16
   13	Colorado	$33,845	$16
   14	Wisconsin	$33,676	$16
   15	Nebraska	$33,547	$16
   16	Kansas	$33,437	$16
   17	South Dakota	$33,059	$16
   18	Arizona	$32,768	$16
   19	Washington	$32,403	$16
   20	Rhode Island	$32,381	$16

   Average loss prevention officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Southern Healthcare	$58,320	$28.04
   2	NBCUniversal	$48,094	$23.12	1
   3	Madison County	$45,892	$22.06	5
   4	Stanford Hotels	$45,053	$21.66	3
   5	Hyatt Hotels	$40,017	$19.24	45
   6	CHRISTUS Health	$38,863	$18.68	44
   7	Marriott International	$38,610	$18.56	177
   8	AT&T Hotel and Conference Center	$38,509	$18.51
   9	Highgate Hotels	$38,197	$18.36	16
   10	Sage Hospitality Group	$37,894	$18.22	6
   11	Bank of America	$37,209	$17.89	152
   12	Concord Hospitality	$36,266	$17.44	11
   13	Crescent Hotels & Resorts	$35,200	$16.92
   14	Best Buy	$33,085	$15.91	4
   15	Rescue Mission	$32,924	$15.83	2
   16	Allied Universal	$32,922	$15.83
   17	Kroger	$32,778	$15.76	49
   18	Ace Hardware	$32,441	$15.60	10
   19	Securitas Electronic Security	$32,359	$15.56	764
   20	Securitas AB	$32,196	$15.48	1,402

4. Writing a loss prevention officer job description

   A good loss prevention officer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a loss prevention officer job description:

   Loss prevention officer job description example

   Who We Are:
   Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today. At New Balance, We Got Now.
   
   Day shift
   Location: Nashville, TN
   
   JOB MISSION:
   This role will perform a variety of customer service and protection duties to monitor and ensure compliance with company policy relative to security, safety, and property.
   
   Monitor and respond to alarm signals and incidents at 100+ New Balance locations around the world from our global security operations center using intrusion alarm, video management, electronic access control, comprehensive risk management and dispatch activity tracking systems.
   
   MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES:
   Provide excellent customer service to our internal and external New Balance customers.Respond to local incidents in person, make critical decisions, and control situations. Incidents may include but are not limited to medical emergencies, threats, trespassing, burglaries, theft, natural disasters, and facility alarms.Control local access from our front desk security posts. Understand and navigate visitor management software. Register and check-in visitors, contractors, and temporary associates. Assist in checking and issuing employee identification and inspect bags and packages as necessary.Independent security program management. Manage one or more security programs such as photo ID enforcement, parking, C-TPAT, visitor management, emergency evacuation planning, security and safety observations, confidential material destruction, fire extinguisher and lighting audits, and facility patrols.
   
   REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS:
   Minimum 3-5 years of security or technology-based experience Skill with computers and Microsoft Office applications Knowledge and/or experience with computer networking Proficient at navigate multiple software-based security systems Knowledge of security systems operations and maintenance End user knowledge and experience with the following systems is required, administrator experience is desirable:Professional email communication and report writing proficiency Valid drivers' license, vehicle, and phone required Ability to conduct the extensive interior and exterior walking patrols required of this position.
   
   Regular Associate Benefits:
   Our products are only as good as the people we hire, so we make sure to hire the best and treat them accordingly. New Balance offers a comprehensive traditional benefits package including three options for medical insurance as well as dental, vision, life insurance and 401K. We also proudly offer a slate of more nontraditional perks - opportunities like online learning and development courses, tuition reimbursement, $100 monthly student loan support and various mentorship programs - that encourage our associates to grow personally as they develop professionally. You'll also enjoy a yearly $1,000 lifestyle reimbursement, 4 weeks of vacations, 12 holidays and generous parental leave, because work-life balance is more than just a buzzword - it's part of our culture.
   Learn more about our Benefits
   
   Temporary associate benefits will be communicated separately.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer:
   New Balance provides equal opportunities for all current and prospective associates and takes affirmative action to ensure that employment, training, compensation, transfer, promotion and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment are provided without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, handicap, genetic information and/or status as an Armed Forces service medal veteran, recently separated veteran, qualified disabled veteran or other protected veteran.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right loss prevention officer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with loss prevention officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit loss prevention officers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your loss prevention officer job on Zippia to find and recruit loss prevention officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit loss prevention officers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new loss prevention officer

   Once you've selected the best loss prevention officer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new loss prevention officer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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