Asset Protection Job Descriptions
Northern Tool Distribution Center, FTM
Shipping Desk
The Shipping Desk APO (Asset Protection Officer) is crucial to the AP function. During first shift, Monday through Thursday, the Shipping Desk post is manned by the AP lead.
The Shipping Desk APO, as first priority, scans in and out all employees entering and exiting the Distribution Center. This includes checking bags, monitoring the metal detector and wanding anyone who activates the metal detector.
The Shipping Desk APO serves a Point of Contact with emergency services – police, fire and ambulance – calling 911, making sure gates are opened if necessary for their entry, giving directions or other assistance as necessary.
The Shipping Desk APO monitors video feed from cameras inside and outside the DC for irregularities and, if necessary, investigation.
The Shipping Desk APO receives BOLs (Bills of Lading) from the Retail supervisor, keeps a running record of the BOLs on-hand, coordinates drivers’ lists with carriers, and deals with drivers coming to pick up loads, handling paperwork and giving instructions.
The Shipping Desk APO meets with incoming Will Call customers, copying their receipts and IDs, interfaces with the Will Call clerk who is retrieving the product, then passes the product on to the customer.
The Shipping Desk APO serves as quasi dispatcher for the DC, calling the switcher, maintenance, and other APOs on the radio, or paging DC personnel for specific purposes.
The 1st Shift Shipping Desk APO unlocks the employee parking lot entrance gate in the morning and picks up all BOLs remaining in the inbound gatehouse.
Additionally, the Shipping Desk APO fills out incident reports, tracks yard checks and door reports, and (2nd Shift) coordinates at closing with the Rover APO to be sure that all doors and gates are locked before leaving.
Receiving Desk
The Receiving Desk APO also scans in and out all employees entering and exiting the Distribution Center on the Receiving side, mainly for breaks. This includes checking bags, monitoring the metal detector and wanding anyone who activates the metal detector.
The Receiving Desk APO coordinates the daily delivery appointment list with Birdseye, the gate operations company, and the NTE unloader(s) and directs incoming delivery trucks to park at a particular dock door or on the yard and then interfaces with the drivers for correct completion of paperwork.
The Receiving Desk APO coordinates with supervisors, loaders and unloaders to communicate trailer moves to the switcher and then records all APO-called moves onto a log sheet for archival.
The Receiving Desk APO practices Safety First:
The Receiving Desk APO assures that all drivers delivering to dock doors have chocked their tires, and disconnected and pulled away from their trailers, before an unloader is permitted to enter the trailer, then calls the driver to advise when the trailer is ready.
The Receiving Desk APO reminds all drivers pulling trailers from dock doors to, first, go to the back of the trailer; look between the trailer and the dock to confirm that the dock door is down and the dock plate disengaged.
Rover
The Rover APO is not assigned to a stationary post but is mobile, with duties on both the interior and the exterior of the DC.
The Rover is responsible for patrolling and observing the entire facility and all operations inside and around. The Rover monitors truck traffic into and out of the facility and all vehicles parked at dock doors and on the yard. The Rover patrols the interior of the DC, vigilant for open doors, safety and Asset Protection issues, as well as logistical issues related to loads coming and going.
The Rover may be present at either the entrance or exit gate, at either the shipping or receiving desk, on the yard or in the DC, depending on where most needed at the time.
The Rover is to be functionally familiar with all other posts so as to be able to assist and to fill in and give short breaks to other officers as needed.
The Rover assists with monitoring the metal detectors and wanding employees in and out at breaks and shift changes, primarily, but not only, on the shipping side (north) of the DC. Rover also assists FedEx Express with afternoon / evening Express pickups.
The Rover is responsible for end of shift door checks, both overhead doors and fire doors.
The Rover functions in a support capacity for any issues that may arise around the gate operations: breakdowns in communications, delays in transition, driver assistance, damaged gate arms, traffic control during shift changes, etc.
The Rover’s first role is safety: he will install and remove glad hand locks on trailers placed at doors and will follow up behind drivers to assure that a wheel chock is effectively placed for all trailers docked at doors.
The Rover is responsible for maintaining current, accurate records of trailers on the premises with a yard check at least once per shift and a door report completed at the beginning and end of each shift.
The Rover will communicate and coordinate in real time via radio with the Shipping Desk and Receiving Desk APOs, with the Switcher, and with Birdseye dispatch.
The Rover unlocks the Will Call entry gate every morning, responds to open the gate to admit each Will Call customer, assists to expedite the delivery of Will Call items as quickly as possible, and locks the gate each evening.
Lead
The AP Lead oversees hiring, training, scheduling, planning, policy (as coordinated with the AP Specialist and other NTE management), post coverage, gate operations (coordinated with Birdseye), record keeping, paperwork efficiency, communications, interdepartmental coordination, driver relations, customer relations, consistent compliance with front office vision, and all things generally or specifically related to maintaining a smooth-running and effective Asset Protection operation:
He oversees the maintenance of a secure environment at the employee entrance/exit.
He oversees and coordinates with Birdseye for the entire gate admission, entry and exit process, maintaining log records of all entries into and exits from the DC through the Birdseye-managed gates, sharing those daily with Holland for their records.
He tracks and oversees the coordination of BOLs, seals, trailers and driver assignments by coordinating with the Retail supervisor to match up truck alerts with drivers’ lists (and vice-versa with the Retail carriers), communicating updates and changes with carriers, Birdseye and the APO staff through constant maintenance of the DC Retail Delivery Schedule (RDS).
He tracks and coordinates FedEx (Ground and Express) pickups, maintaining records of all arrivals and departures.
He oversees and collects yard checks, door reports, chock checks and interior inspection reports at least once per AP shift, passing relevant info on to affected NT departments.
He is the Point of Contact for the building alarm system, fielding calls after hours and advising Global Axiom whether to respond authorities and coordinating any alarm issues with the DC Maintenance Supervisor.
He conducts investigations of DC thefts and other shrink issues, and he researches video footage and archives recordings upon request by supervisors.
He maintains and archives trailer inspection report records, including move requests, in coordination with the NTE corporate safety director.
He oversees general yard neatness and safety.
He oversees the Will Call operation, assuring an optimal customer experience.
