Formulate and coordinate the company's response to a 'no notice' mass resignation of manager and staff who moved to new entrant competitor, this led to me being asked to take over recruit new staff. This is important as Dunfermline is a Premier store in an important area and contributes significantly to company performance. I have recruited a whole new team and I am currently training and developing this team. I am now trying to protect the sales of this store by retaining the current customers and gaining new customers by visiting salons in area. My role in Sallys is Store Manager however I often cover for my District Manager in his absence by dealing with problems other stores are facing and offering support and advice to other store managers. I train new store managers who join the company and have been asked to retrain current store managers who need to update their skills. I am also an assessor for our company hair and beauty training programme. In this role it was my responsibility to mentor and coach staff members through the academy and asses them at the end of the process. Throughout my time as Store Manager with Sallys I have developed two sales assistants I had recruited into managers and they now successfully run the previous stores I managed (Livingston and Edinburgh Leith). I have been selected to be seconded to Northern Ireland as a District Manager but felt that this would be inappropriate given my impending departure to Australia and advised my Regional Manager accordingly.

Asked to manage a failing wholesale store in Edinburgh Leith where annual sales had fallen and were continuing on this downward trend. Key issues were customers being let down by poor stock control, poor management and uninterested staff. I started by improving stock management, retraining and replacing staff members as appropriate and improving the store environment. I then set out to recapture customers through a focus on improved customer service and stock availability promise. Increased turnover by 40%. Profitability levels have been preserved. Turning this store around needed not just a focus on the store but also for me to understand and manage the complicated supply chain that operates in a large retail group environment. It also needed me to fully understand the company's HR procedures particularly from a recruitment, performance and disciplinary point of view. On top of the general running of the store I had to manage the delivery service we offered, the training facilities for hair and beauty courses and the equipment showroom.

Asked to manage a poorly performing store situated in the busy shopping centre in Livingston. Poor store presentation, demotivated staff and poor leadership were the root of the problem. Working directly with the staff and coaching them to improve performance delivered results and increased in staff motivation. The store was selected for refurbishment. Overall sales performance improved on a sustainable basis and is heading for Premier status as a result.

I started just before Christmas 2006 as a part time Sales assistant helping customers find the supplies that they were looking for and to give advice to customers on the products that Sally retails. I also had a responsibility to highlight Sally’s products of the month. Promoted to acting store manager in Edinburgh City centre as the current store manager was transferred to another store and the District Sales manager was confident that I could manage the store. Managed 4 staff and also operated a training facility for local hair and beauty professionals.