I oversaw department sales in the region of £80,000 per week and lead a dedicated team of 14 direct reports. Additionally, I was accountable for managing the stores waste and markdowns, implementing effective strategies to minimise losses and maximise profitability. My strategic leadership, emphasis on operational efficiency and commitment to team development is integral in sustaining my departments success.

After the nationwide closure of all Cinnabon stores situated inside Euro Garages fuel stations, I was offered re-deployment with Asda due to their recent acquisition of EG Group’s UK operations. I looked upon this step back as an opportunity to broaden my skill sets focusing specifically on the petrol sector. Immersed in the intricacies of the petrol retail landscape, I brought my wide range of skillsets obtained in previous roles to this new sector of the ASDA business. This endeavour has not only expanded my expertise but also provided a comprehensive perspective that enhanced my overall proficiency in the retail domain.

I successfully transformed a store that was failing both internal and external audits to achieving scores of 96% and 98.3% within the first two months of employment. This was crucial to ensure proper product handling and equip the team with the necessary knowledge for optimal performance. By clearly communicating brand standards and up-skilling the team, I maintained strict adherence to these standards. I have a proven track record of consistently meeting weekly business KPI targets, maintaining waste levels below the 3% threshold, managing P&L, controlling labor costs, and increasing store sales by 24% year-over-year for the last quarter. I trained and developed colleagues to ensure high competency and productivity within the team. In addition to my store responsibilities, I traveled to various sites to support managers and stores and assisted the Brand Manager in recruiting for both other sites and the central distribution hub. I was awarded a Bronze EG Star in recognition of my personal performance and high store standards.

I was responsible for the daily operations and maintaining exceptional standards at the store, including overseeing colleagues’ health and wellbeing and managing stock rotation from warehouse to shop floor. In addition to managing a team of 11 colleagues, I supported the store manager with tasks such as weekly business purchasing invoices, profit vs. turnover analysis, colleague scheduling, waste management reports and routines, sales drives, customer satisfaction surveys, and disciplinary actions and investigations. Recruited by the Area Manager to be part of the management team for opening a new store in the heart of the community, I was selected for my diverse skill set, dedication, and proven track record in achieving business KPIs. During this period, I earned a Distinction in my Level 3 Team Leader apprenticeship.

I was responsible for building customer relationships to enhance the customer experience and drive repeat business. I maintained up-to-date knowledge of current sales and promotions, payment and exchange policies, and security practices. I consistently exceeded the company’s stock handling expectation of one case per minute, averaging 4-5 cases per minute. Additionally, I managed my own section of the store, performing daily gap checks to ensure accurate stock figures for ordering processes. I ensured compliance with Manual Handling, Health and Safety, Fire Safety, Emergency Procedures, and all Co-Op policies and procedures for both colleagues and customers.