SARAH WARD

7 TWYFORDS WAY, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE. SY2 5XN

Tel: 01743 625170 Mobile: 07958 007523 Email: sazzle250@gmail.com

Date of Birth: 3rd May 1976 Additional: Full Clean Driving License & Car Owner

PROFILE

A highly motivated graduate with fifteen years experience in Retail Management who possesses excellent motivational, administrational and communication skills.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

November 2009- Current

Store Manager, Matalan, Telford, Shropshire.

(Acting Store Manager February 2009-November 2009) Store Manager for Store with annual turnover of £4.2 million on 26000

square foot with approximately 50 employees.

Key Accountabilities Achieve sales targets and manage profit and loss. Active Duty management. Manage all employee relation issues. Comply with due diligence to achieve audit and health and safety requirements. Lead by example by giving excellent Customer Service. Managing the payroll model and the effective deployment of resources. Manage stockroom and delivery standards. Recruitment, training and development and retention of employees. Commercial reviews to maximise sales and profit. Create store plans following phase layouts and visual merchandising guides. Implementing the POS strategy. 100% promotional and sale implementation. Active promotion of the company loyalty card. Self development. Meeting with Store Team forums and delivering daily team briefs to actively engage

and involve staff in the business. Communicate with Area Manager, Area Field team, Head Office and all visitors to the

store.

Coaching and development of the Management and colleagues in store to deliver the company strategy and policies.

Review the management team to aid development and succession planning. Inspirational leadership to all team colleagues of the business. Clear communication of business objectives via line management to the individual

store departments. Ensure conduct regular reviews of key reports to deliver all KPI’s. Profit Protection, Health and Safety and fire procedures, providing a safe working

environment. Conversion of the customer from a browser to a buyer through Customer

engagement, visual standards and availability.

KEY ACHEIVEMENTS

Winning first prize in Christmas Incentive for achieving best sales versustarget for the 12 weeks of Christmas. This was a holiday for 3 nights in Rome in a 5 star hotel for two.

Achieving 72% bonus based on Sales and Profit and Loss, one of the highest in our Area.

February 2006-February 2009

Deputy Manager, Matalan, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

(Acting Store Manager Oct 2007-June2008)

Deputy Manager for Store with annual turnover of £5.5 million on 35000 square foot with approx 60 employees.

Key Accountabilities

To support and act as the Store Manager in their absence in the Store Manager Accountabilities.

Deployment of staff in line with the payroll model, ensuring the right person is in the right place at the right time.

Ensuring the 6 key objectives are implemented - BMS, Model Stockroom, Visual Standards, Availability, Customer Service and Duty Manager.

Key Achievements

Whilst being in the role of acting Store Manager, increasing sales by 8% lfl. Receiving a personal bonus, out of just a handful of managers, in both 2008 and

2009 chosen by the Regional Manager.

June 2004- February 2006

Sales Manager, Matalan, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Sales Manager for the Menswear and Childrenswear Departments. The departments had an approximate annual turnover of £2.8 million on approx

15000 square foot. Previously the Sales Manager for the Homeware Department. The Homeware department had an approximate annual turnover of £1.2 million on

approx 8000 square foot.

Key accountabilities

Supporting the Store and Deputy Manager to achieve Store KPI’s. Duty Management in the absence of the Store and Deputy Manager. Effective and Efficient handling of all stock to maximise availability, aid

replenishment and avoid unnecessary loss. Commercial reviews of my departments, using this to increase Sales and to control

Stock levels. Follow VM guidelines and implementation of phase layouts and POS. 100% promotional and sale implementation. Performance Development reviews of store team.

September 2003-June 2004

Store Manager, Superdrug Stores plc, Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

In this role, I was in charge of managing the store, which employed approximately 14 staff.

Main responsibilities were to meet the company and Store KPI’s. Completed auditable documentation, booking in store invoices and cross referencing

all debits and credits to the weekly analysis. Managed staff deployment in line with payroll budgets. Coaching and development of all staff. Utilised in store documentation to implement store planograms and visual

merchandising to increase sales. Stock Control, communicating with Area Manager and Head Office. Reporting of all maintenance issues. Legislative responsibilities including price checking date coding and fire alarm tests.

October 2000- September 2003

Deputy Manager, Superdrug Stores plc, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

In this role, I supported in managing the store, which employed approximately 20 staff.

Main areas of responsibility were cash and administration. Other responsibilities were as the Store Manager role.

July 1998-October 2000

Relief Deputy Supervisor, Marks and Spencer, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Part of the ladies casual wear section, running two departments. Utilised store documents and in house computer systems to plan the sales floor

layout, ensuring each department had the appropriate amount of footage. Responsible for stock control, planning moves, communicating with Store

Management and other members of the casual wear team. Managed the shop floor, motivating and leading a team of up to 20 people per day. Led the early morning fill to ensure the sales floor was clear for store opening. Created deployment planners for five textile departments of approximately 120 staff

on a weekly basis. Responsible for customer service by using the customer ordering service, taking

payment for goods, manning the fitting room and keeping the general tidiness of the store.

Promoted from Sales Advisor in November 1999.

EDUCATION

Staffordshire University 1995-1998

BA (Honours) Business Studies and Information Systems Grade 2:1

Staffordshire University 1994-1995

BSc (Honours) Business Decision Analysis

Shrewsbury Sixth Form College 1992-1994

A-level – Pure Mathematics and Statistics, Economics and General Studies

Shrewsbury High School 1987-1992

9 GCSE’s Grade C and above including Maths and English

REFERENCES

Excellent references available on request.