Nicki Couston Email & Phone Number

Chamonix, Fr

Looking after a number of business management clients and assisting them with the creation and running of their French business and property. Providing administrative support to both our French and UK accountants and assisting with the running of the overall business and tasks such as client invoicing.

France

Working with the UKs number 1 ski holiday provider as recommended by Which? I am responsible for the daily operations of the combined Inghams, Ski Total, Esprit and Flexiski French chalet portfolio. A wide ranging position which includes developing and delivering the training programmes for our 11 resort and chalet management teams as well as their respective host teams. With a programme of 70 managed properties I am also responsible for daily relations with our property owners to organise utility accounts and any necessary repairs or renovations. A vital part of my role is overseeing the handover and inventory of each and every property at the start and end of each winter season.Communication with multiple French businesses forms part of daily operations and has enabled me to further develop my French language skills. As part of this role I provide resorts with weekly guest feedback reports and have developed and implemented tracking systems to monitor and improve cleanliness and health and safety in our chalets on a weekly basis.

Bourg Saint Maurice, France

A new position for the overseas operations offering training and support to our chalet teams and developing our properties to ensure consistency in our product, high-quality guest service and strong relations with our property owners. I was responsible for organising the logistics and redesigning the content for winter 16/17's pre-season Resort Chalets Management training and the in-resort training of junior staff. The training for our 40 Chalet Management staff comprises of in-chalet operations, management of their staff, food/housekeeping budgets and ordering, meal services and all aspects of housekeeping and presentation of our properties in resort. This management team would then go onto their respective resorts to present their own chalet training to over 500+ in-resort staff. During the season I would make regular visits our 14 resorts in the French Alps to monitor the efficient running of our properties, guest satisfaction and staff motivation and development. A large part of my role is to act as a support and troubleshoot alongside our French Operations Area Managers to identify where standards within our chalets are not being met. I also provided mid-season re-training, on-going support and advise and am responsible for implementing new rotas & procedures throughout the Winter season.I worked closely alongside Ben Simpson who was responsible for the facilities and maintenance of the chalet programme. Throughout the season our chalets and facilities would be maintained and enhanced by our in-resort maintenance staff. Throughout the summer months we work hard, liaising with the property owners to arrange for any repairs which will add value to our guests holidays and ease to our staff members.

Godalming

To complement my Winter season I was again a part of our overseas recruitment team responsible for the placement of staff into our overseas operational positions. As before as part of this role I was conducting interviews on both a one-to-one basis and with small groups to best make up our talented team of overseas staff. This summer bought a new responsibility as the cookery course lead I was responsible for our in-office kitchen which enables 8 students each week to be lead through what it takes to provide the catering in our overseas properties. I was responsible for the content of the course as well as scheduling and overseeing our other 3 course tutors. With the ordering of food and working to budgets and reporting I ensured that candidates went away from our Workaseason cookery course with vast experience of our menu, logistics, clear expectations and a best placed position in our overseas team.

Godalming, Surrey.

Using my knowledge of resorts and positions overseas to recruit the teams ready for Winter season 2016/17. Part of a sub-team of 4 leading the catering recruitment focusing on but not limited to employing over 500 Chalet hosts, Head Chefs, Commis/CDP/Sous chefs and Stores Coordinators.Responsible for - - Processing applications, selecting candidates and pre-interview communications. - Conducting group interviews of up to 12 candidates - a combination of practical, interactive and individual assessment. - Deciding if they suit the company, a specific resort, a specific property and processing the application through to employment.

France, Val D'Isere

Progressing further from the previous Winter to manage 2 differing brands in one of the most prestigious resorts in France. Ensuring consistently high standards across all 16 wider-spread properties(ranging from 8 to 24guests).A new tier of management was introduced meaning I learnt to further advance my managerial skills to train and develop 3 Chalet Supervisors who were now the direct line of contact for the Chalet Hosts. An additional role prior to the season was to provide the Chalet Management training in Meribel. Myself and a colleague led a week of both theory and practical sessions to over 30 managers and supervisors, designed to give the Chalet Management team all of the skills necessary to carry out their in-resort training and lead the staff effectively through the season. Responsible for - - Initial training and ongoing development of all chalet staff, including resort assistants, chefs and supervisors. - Ensure everyone had the ability and tools needed to then exceed guests expectations with regards to the catering and housekeeping during their holiday. - Food (fresh/dry/frozen)/ linen/ chemical and equipment ordering, processing invoices and reporting weekly expenditure against a pre-determined seasonal budget. - Management of the Resort Stores Coordinator directly responsible for meeting deliveries, organising distribution and deliveries to each property, following HACCP. - Conducting weekly meetings to the whole chalets team addressing guest feedback, upcoming dietary requirements, areas to improve on etc.- Leading 3 Chalet Supervisors to be able to manage their host teams effectively, ensuring staff moral was high, guest service was excellent and company procedures were followed.Key achievements - - Placed 2nd (the highest achieved in Val d'Isere in over 13 years) of all the French resorts in accordance to guest feedback forms. - Highest scoring Chalet Chef of the overseas chalet programme.

Moors Valley Country Park

France, La Rosiere

Bournemouth, United Kingdom

France, Alpe D'Huez

South Warnborough, Hampshire

France, Les Arcs

Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Mathematics For Finance And Management

Education record