Lauren Howard Email & Phone Number

Syracuse, New York, United States

•Responsible for the supervision of the retail staff and daily operations of the store. Ensure elevated levels of customer satisfaction through excellent service by maintaining proficiency in the products offered. •Created and quoted custom design layouts to fit customer budgets, styles, and functions.•Develop store strategies to raise our customer pool, expand store traffic, and optimize profitability. Meet sales goals by training, motivating, mentoring, and providing feedback to sales staff. Propose innovative ideas to increase market share. Meet with Sales Reps to determine proper sampling based on buying trends and customer needs. Direct and execute all merchandising activities (signage, displays, re-arranging)

• Invoice management, including transaction verification, scheduling/preparing disbursements, authorizations, revenue retrieval, computing charges, and refunds; preparation and mailing, identifying delinquent accounts and insufficient payments.• Financial management, including daily preparation in gathering/organizing documents (and related information), verification of accounts by reconciling transactions, investigating and resolving account discrepancies, as well as issuing stop payments, payments, or adjustments. • Record Keeping/Company Organization, including developing a filing and retrieval system, implementing it to maintain past and current financial records, maintaining/updating payroll information, and leading in employee job title and department as well as division transfers.• HR Director, including assisting employees with enrollment in benefits programs (i.e. health, supplemental,401K ), consulting with insurance and savings providers on behalf of the company and its employees, answering questions or concerns from employees about their benefits, pre- and post-tax deductions surrounding benefits, developing reports (summaries of earnings, taxes, deductions, leave, disability, and nontaxable wages), and payroll resolution of discrepancies by collecting and analyzing information. Enhancing company human resources by planning, implementing, and evaluating employee relations and human resources policies, programs, and practices. Enforces management guidelines by preparing, updating, and recommending human resource policies and procedures. Consults in weekly Operations meetings.

• Directly assisted the VP of Sales in researching new customers and manufacturers to establish and conduct business. Developed financial reports for customers and vendors.• Directed meetings with new and existing clients to determine needs and layouts for the scope of work. Constructed color boards (electronic/hard copies) based on design selections. Presentation support to clients and placed all orders to vendors. Supported VP in scheduled travel and calendar management•Project management from start to completion (i.e., installations, inventory, contractors, color boards) in-house and on-site. Invoiced all clients at job completion, going over costs including freight and installation charges. Kept track of sales commissions for VP and other sales staff from orders placed. IT support, updating, and maintaining the library, copier support, and travel arrangements.

A part-time position managing aspects of a rental villa in Hilton Head Island via Chromebook. Emails to booked and new guests. Sent reservations request, deposit, final payment due paperwork. Managed spreadsheets and templates for ease of access for guests. Managed VRBO website and calendars. Worked with Gmail account and documents. Handled guest issues and concerns. Scheduled cleanings and repair work if needed.

Syracuse, Ny

Hired as a preservation coordinator to manage work orders and contractors in multiple states. Rapidly promoted to Supervisor, Executive Assistant, then to Operations manager at sister company due to strong work performance. Established and operated sister company from the ground up. Managed a team of 10 clients, 175 contractors while dual training staff in two offices. Managed a team of 25 coordinators and 4 supervisors to ensure day-to-day production needs were satisfied. Assigned and outsourced orders from current clients to contractors in NY, VT, PA, and MA. • Supported CEO and VP in day-to-day operations. Created, updated, and maintained a 35-page property preservation training manual for new employees. Managed high-risk accounts and high priority disputes to rebuild and maintain business relationships. Establish company policies as well as build a positive culture for clients and employees. Conducted interviews with potential employees; calculated mileage for traveling contractors, posted payments.

Cicero, Ny

Managed the four front end divisions as well as the customers and employees in eachHandle high priority disputes and guest casesTrained new employees on company protocol and practices.Scheduled and covered break times, vacations, and handled any employee disputes or concerns.

Cicero, Ny

Brought on to keep the sales floor and front end clean and in working order.Helped guests find items in the store and processed guest payments.Was offered a permanent full-time position (January 2009)

Education record

Education record