How To Become A Loss Prevention Supervisor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a loss prevention supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

You've got nothing to lose if you become a loss prevention supervisor. Detecting and preventing loss is what your job is all about when you're a loss prevention supervisor. Loss prevention supervisors look for ways to thwart theft by either employees or customers.

Some tasks individuals perform in this position include planning loss prevention programs, installing and using surveillance systems, training new staff, and conducting internal investigations and audits. These individuals also develop ways to detect safety issues and security violations and to put programs in place to prevent repeat occurrences.

Loss prevention supervisors are also expected to minimize financial losses resulting from accidents and vandalism. If you want to be successful as a loss prevention supervisor, you'll need to have strong observational and communication skills.

Although a Bachelor's degree is not required for this position, many employers will prefer that candidates have a degree in business or criminal justice. Previous experience working in loss prevention in a retail setting may also be required.

ScoreLoss Prevention SupervisorUS Average

Salary

6.0

Avg. Salary $76,747

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.67%

Asian 7.07%

Black or African American 7.92%

Hispanic or Latino 13.32%

Unknown 4.72%

White 66.30%

Gender

female 25.33%

male 74.67%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.9

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a loss prevention supervisor

Explore loss prevention supervisor education requirements

Most common loss prevention supervisor degrees

Bachelor's

46.0 %

Associate

29.2 %

High School Diploma

14.7 %

Start to develop specific loss prevention supervisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	23.28%
Store Management	15.11%
Operational Audits	8.72%
Internal Investigations	7.76%
Patrol	7.74%

Complete relevant loss prevention supervisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New loss prevention supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a loss prevention supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real loss prevention supervisor resumes.

Gain additional loss prevention supervisor certifications

Loss prevention supervisor certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific loss prevention supervisor certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for loss prevention supervisors include Loss Prevention Certified (LPC) and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.

More About Certifications

Research loss prevention supervisor duties and responsibilities

Manage all internal, external, and fraud investigations and develop partnerships with law enforcement to coordinate criminal investigations or prosecutions.
Conduct surveillance of internal and external threats to profitability using store technology such as CCTV and proprietary case management software.
Reduce security budget by implementing more effective scheduling to eliminate overtime and evaluating security vendor access control and CCTV contracts.
Prepare detailed comprehensive written and online reports including post accident investigations for insurance companies, OSHA and company reporting systems.

Prepare your loss prevention supervisor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your loss prevention supervisor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a loss prevention supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable loss prevention supervisor resume templates

Build a professional loss prevention supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your loss prevention supervisor resume.