Ron Beard Email & Phone Number

Chelmsford, United Kingdom

Chelmsford, United Kingdom

As a Store Manager in a Wickes 'Delivery Hub' Store, in addition to the standard responsibilities associated with running a high volume store retailing building & DIY products to the public & trade, I run a Delivery Operation & a fleet of vehicles including craned Hiabs, 7.5t curtain side & long wheelbased vans from site servicing all 'Customer & Internet Deliveries' for several stores across the Essex area. Safeguarding the Company's 'O' License, meeting the strict legislative requirements including drivers hours, rest periods, tachograph requirements, vehicle schedules in addition to delivering a Safe Working Environment are all key responsibilities. Our site delivery operation has won recognition for outstanding performance and this extends to all areas of delivery followup including 'customer service' calls, achievements of 'On Time In Full' delivery measures and is recognised at Board level as great example of 'what a good job looks like'.My main store responsibilities include accountability for delivering the P&L budgets,Colleague recruitment & training, H&S, Implementing company policy & initiatives and delivering the Sales & Profit budgets for both the 'Core' & 'Kitchen & Bathroom' areas of the store trading operation.Joining Wickes 4 years ago I have been promoted to my 2nd 'Delivery Hub' store, widely recognised as a more complex and demanding operation than a standard Wickes store.

Maldon, Essex.

Appointed General Store Manager of Maldon store, Focus's Top 3 Volume and profit store, following a successful secondment as Regional Controller responsible for 17 stores over an extended 8 month period pending regional changes. Upon appointment to the Maldon store, I conducted a comprehensive store-wide evaluation of store procedures, routines, roles and structures followed by planned and phased implementation of structured changes over a 3 month period. The store has since shown significant operational improvements resulting in the store achieving its best ever Easter Trading figures and its Best ever single trading day since its opening launch. Processes and procedures have been significantly tightened with the store achieving outstanding H&S and Admin Audits. All of the above has been achieved whilst transferring Divisions within the business, undergoing a New Store System Training program and becoming thoroughly conversant with a new store team and existing day to day operations- a pacey but rewarding - and very successful 1st 9 months.

Essex/Norfolk.

Responsible for 17 stores across East Anglia with a combined turnover of £47m reporting directly to a Divisional Director accountable for delivery of KRA headings across all P&L areas of Sales Budgets, Profit Budgets, Controllable Costs, Shrinkage, H&S, Training & Development of Regional Teams in addition to delivery and the implementation of Company policy and procedures. Due to urgent business needs, I took up the appointment with no advance notice and little opportunity for a formal business handover and at the time of the Cerberus takeover of the company- which placed huge demands on myself as part of the Regional Controller team in terms of reports, Director Visits, and the focus on improving store performance.

Haverhill.

As General Store Manager of Focus's Haverhill store, a high volume solus site, I also 'twinned' Cambridge store as General Store Manager- one of only 3 'twinned' stores within Focus DIY. Within the Haverhill store I was able to implement operational efficiencies in a poorly organised store team which dramatically improved Sales performance, efficiencies and operational standards. These procedures were implemented throughout the Cambridge store and stabilised staff turnover, morale and resulted in a significant improvement in operational standards in a store with a consistent record of poor performance. Prior to this I managed 6 other high volume, high footage stores within Focus DIY and have been promoted from each one on the basis of continued and sustained improvement in results.

Joining Woolworth as a Warehouse Assistant straight from school, I requested to join the Management Training Program as Trainee Manager. I spent 12 months on the program before being appointed as Sales floor Manager in my original store -appointed Deputy Manager at 19 followed appointment to my 1st Woolworth store as Manager at 21.Since my 1st appointment, I managed 9 stores as General Store Manager completing new store openings, refits, store closures, Head Office secondments, special projects and specific new training launches over a varied, demanding but very rewarding 12 year period.