Alison Watson Email & Phone Number

York, United Kingdom

Additional Role:Managing Director of Cabin CrewThomas Cook Cabin Crews GmbHNovember 2011 - January 2015Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer of Thomas Cook Airlines. Responsible for leading and managing the Customer Delivery and Sales function to maximize sales and revenue and provide excellent Customer Service to passengers, whilst maintaining a class leading cost base. The role also included responsibility for all Ground Operations in the UK & Overseas Airports until November 2013, when a Thomas Cook Airlines Group Ground Operations Department was created encompassing all airlines in the group.Working in conjunction with my German counterpart, and in addition to my main role as Director - Customer Delivery and Sales of Thomas Cook Airlines, I am the Managing Director of Thomas Cook Cabin Crews Gmbh where I am responsible for leading and managing a multi-national team of Cabin Crew from Germany to the Caribbean.Project lead on Transformation of Cabin Services across 4 Airlines, UK, Belgium, Germany and Scandinavia into one Group Airline Department.Duties:Delivery of sales and targets Responsible for online marketingDefine inflight product offeringNegotiate and manage third party contractsResponsible for cost managementResponsible for business improvement and safety managementBudgetary forecastingDefine and meet operational and customer service standardsIdentify innovation opportunitiesDeveloping a people strategy including succession planning and talent managementManageTrade Union relationshipsMaintain products and processes to enhance customer experience.Key skills and competencies:Strong commercial acumenRobust and business-focusedEnsuring high professional standards are metPossesses a proven track record in senior managementProven ability to innovateCan maintain close relationships with external partners, suppliers & customersEvaluating and decision makingConfident and articulateWorks extremely well under pressure

Thomas Cook has 6000 employees in its Retail network. The network spans UK, Ireland and Channel Island. I reported to the Managing Director and I was responsible for approx. 3000 employees and delivering a revenue target of £123 million. I lead a national team of 15 direct reports and their key responsibilities were to achieve sales and deliver profit for the 25-35 shops they individually managed.Duties:Managing delivery of sales targets and KPIsReview external MI on market share data identifying improvement strategiesEffectively communicate to remote workforceDeliver vision, values and culture of the organisationSource opportunities for growth and have a location strategy to supportLead by example at all times both from a distance and in-storeSupporting and contributing to the network business strategy.Influencing, mentoring, coaching, driving and motivating the retail network to consistently deliver its financials and commercial targets.Optimising revenue through increased ancillary sales and identifying opportunities to up-sell and cross-sell.Manage costs to underpin profitability and delivering through the appropriate agreed budget.Devise and create methods of resourcing within the network, ensuring that human capital is used to its full capacity with a flexible workforce that ensures productivity is maximised.Ensure all Regional Sales Managers have long-term objectives and personal development plans to create a high performance team.Reward and recognition of exceptional performanceDevelop a framework to enhance customer relationships growing loyalty and increasing retention.Ensure company customer strategy is delivered across the territory.To ensure the company directives, trading policy and operating standards are implemented and understood and compliant within the business.Proactively seeking solutions and taking responsibly to solve operational issues, challenging and managing stakeholders and available resource to gain maximum output.

Duties:Deliver regional targets in sales, costs and other KPIsInspire, coach and motivate team to deliver objectivesDrive business through local marketing activityManage local advertising budgetEffectively communicate to regional branchesPlan and execute monthly sales meetingsEnsure all store and personal standards are adhered to in order to create high quality in-store standardsEffectively manage cost base and manpower resourcesMaximise sales process in stores to increase flow and conversionMonitor and track market share within townsIdentify training needs and implement succession planning

Diploma, Professional Management

A Levels

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