Working directly with the Wallis board to drive the strategic plan for the business.Fully involved from a business partnering HR view, working with all key business stakeholders to drive their areas of the Brand - Digital / Retail/ Buying/ Design/ Merchandising/ International / Wholesale/ Creative/ Visual/ Marketing/ Wholesale/Finance.Oversee a team of 7 direct reports who support both Retail and Head Office teams.

To support the Senior leaders and Directors within the Wallis Brand in all aspects of HR and people development.Leading the HR team to deliver recruitment, succession planning,employee relations and development support to all Head Office functions, including Design, Buying, Merchanding, E-commerce, Visual & Creative, Finance and Retail Operations.

Manage the Overall HR and L&D service to retail, reporting to the HR and Retail Directors.Covering over 400 stores and manging the Retail HR team. Providing robust people plans to support brand objectives for both HR and L&D. Supporting Retail Operations Director with strategic and tactical people planning decisions, including succession, talent management and development.Ensure provision of ER advisory service, managing the Retail ER team and dealing directly with senior management.Contribute to Arcadia Group HR planning, providing information and providing the communication link between Group and the Wallis brand.

Responsible for implementing the international L&D strategy to meet company’s aims and objectives, in line with company culture and values across Europe and the Far East.Identifying current and future skill requirements, then building a suite of skills, technical and behavioural development programmes to meet and fill any skills gap identified. overseeing L&D and HR teams within UK, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and China.Additionally supporting holding company Ikano - delivering development courses to the financial company's across Denmark, Sweden, UK and Luxembourg.Ensuring all L&D interventions support business priorities and deliver measured results to provide clear ROI.

After personal request from CEO , assisted a business need by holding Regional Sales Manager position whilst recruitment took place.Responsible for 15 stores from the Midlands through to Scotland. Store visits, Management development, reviewing and growing sales ( achieving lift of 12%).Opening new Leeds flagship store ( working closely with property and store design) ensuring visual application was commercially viable whilst creating 'wow' impact. Streamlining store operations to ensure effective and smooth running sites. Working with Audit and IT to re-work processes that were then rolled out across whole chain. Successfully recruited replacement Regional Sales Manager.

Launched company Mission and Guidelines across all support offices and European stores, franchisee and wholesale partners including third party suppliers. Regions covered, UK, ROI, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Delivered through a combination of presentations, workshops and business activities.

Manage full training and development of all Habitat staff within the UK. Manage the operation and output of the HR and training teams.Developed induction process at all levels, created knowledge support packs, implementation of ILM accredited managers programmes in partnership with Northampton University. Co-ordination and management of the HR department in addition to the L&D team. Managed company annual performance and pay review process and national Store Management re-structure programme. Developed assessment centre recruitment model, for store manager recruitment.

Driving profits through maximising sales and reducing shrinkage across several high profile stores.Working stock packages to reflect local customer preferences and maintaining aspirational visual and display standards.Regional trouble shooter and responsible for inducting new managers into the brand. Turned stores I managed into centres of excellence.Worked closely with the Buying and Design teams on product development as one store held the sample showroom on a mezzanine floor.

Store manager – across several sites including city flagship store. Additional responsibility for new store openings nationwide, including full recruitment and pre-opening training. Additionally project managed store openings in Germany. Used across the business to support new managers and developed a suite of training sessions to upskill the retail management community. Worked closely with the Display and Visual Merchandising teams to run masterclass sessions for Store Managers and visual teams. Combining commercial skills with visual excellence.Part of focus group working directly with Buying teams to review and hone stock packages and product ranges.

Successful in completing Fenwick's management trainee programme. Worked across a variety of departments including young fashion, international collections, menswear and outerwear moving through positions to Assistant Buyer. As part of the management training programme completed Retail Management & Buying qualification at the London College of Distributive trades.