Daniel Cottage

Company Overview: A multi-site hair and beauty supply wholesale business, located throughout the east and west midlands.

Promoted from within from operation's manager to Director of operations, overseeing the day to day operations of eight sites, 50+ staff, including branch managers, sales assistants and delivery drivers

My roles and responsibilities include:

• Implemented staff development programmes, resulting in an empowered workforce.
• Fostered a culture of continuous improvement, promoting operational excellence across the organisation.
• Championed change management initiatives, leading to smoother transitions during restructuring phases.
• Oversaw inventory control measures, reducing waste and increasing profitability.
• Developed standard operating procedures, enhancing efficiency at all organisational levels.
• Motivated team members by providing mentoring and development opportunities.
• Planned daily operations to maximise productivity, monitoring KPIs to promote consistent progress towards targets.
• Drove company mission and values, representing organisation at meetings and industry events.
• Interviewed, hired and trained staff on best bar practices, maintaining highly efficient service teams.
• Recruited and managed senior staff with focus on delivering clear results.
• Directed day-to-day work of 47 employees and motivated teams to exceed objectives.
• Allocated resources to teams and projects based on need, performance and availability.
• Spearheaded strategic planning and decision-making processes aligning with mission and stakeholder interests.
• Optimised operational efficiency by implementing strategic plans and procedures.

I have enjoyed my time at Professional Choice Hair and Beauty Supplies Limited, seeking a new opportunity after 9 years in a SMB in order to take on a more challenging environment and take myself to that next level.

Company Overview: Wholesale business within the hair and beauty industry

My role involved the day to day was the operational running of a family run business within the hair and beauty industry, coming back into the business during a time of unrest and uncertainty to help stabilise and maintain growth.

My roles and responsibilities

• Reduced overhead costs through efficient resource allocation and budget management.
• Led teams to achieve business objectives on time and within budget constraints.
• Created a collaborative work environment for positive team dynamics.
• Managed supplier relationships to ensure key brand support.
• Optimised workflow procedures with strategic planning and team coordination.
• Managed inventory efficiently to minimise stockouts and overstock situations.
• Translated senior management directives into actionable front-line policies and implemented changes with staff.
• Established clear budgets and cost controls strategies to meet objectives.
• Represented organisations at seminars, conferences and business events.
• Planned revenue generation strategies designed for growth.

Company Overview: Ecological Installations Provider

Head hunted for my expertise in order to implement there needed PAS 2030 accreditation to work with Government ECO funding. Once accreditation was achieved, I moved into the very challenging role working as both the project manager and quantity surveyor for the company

Roles and responsibilities.

• Managed complex projects ensuring timely completion and within budget.
• Enhanced team performance by providing continuous feedback and guidance.
• Implemented risk management processes, mitigating potential roadblocks.
• Oversaw the development of detailed project plans with clear timelines and deliverables.
• Conducted regular reviews of project progress with senior management.
• Established robust evaluation metrics for assessing project performance post-completion.
• Negotiated contracts with vendors ensuring best value for money without compromising on quality or service level agreements.
• Interviewed and hired top-performing talent.
• Developed analytics tools to track project progress and impact.
• Conducted technical and customer meetings, increasing communication and strengthening stakeholder relationships.
• Secured new business opportunities by conducting research and networking.
• Delivered on revenue targets and service KPIs.
• Negotiated with suppliers to reduce costs.
• Chaired project governance reviews and resolved challenges.

• Company Overview: ECO installations company that grew from a Direct Sales Company

I was one of the founder member's of part of a team that grew from a Direct Sales Company, known as Direct Sales Scotland, morphing into a ECO installations company. Starting off as a door canvasser, gaining qualifications in Level 3 DEA assessment, working my way up to Regional Projects Manager within three years. This role is really where I came into my own, I saw an opportunity in a rapidly growing and evolving business where I knew the sky was the limit for those ready to work and rise through the ranks, and I was one of those people.

My greatest achievement in this role was securing our first ECO contract with British Gas, this was in the region of 3 million pounds, it put my company on the map but the real achievement was that we were able to install external wall insulation to over 100 homes on a housing estate in Nottingham ECO installations company that grew from a Direct Sales Company.

• Jobcentre plus interviewer, hired for a temporary fixed term role, interviewing candidates for jobcentre plus
• This role was entirely competency based interviewing for various roles with in jobcentre plus, from call centre operatives, front of house staff to H-band managers

Company Overview: Family run business

Starting off in a family run business as a warehouse operative, stock counting and serving customers in store, working my way up to senior sales assistant, eventually onto a field sales executive.

My roles and responsibilities

• Counting stock, managing stock levels, stock rotation and facing up
• Face to face customer sales
• Upselling and cross selling products
• Acquiring new business, b2b sales, cold calling
• Cashing up, key holder

• Various roles both during and after college life, at McDonald's, Central Tyres and the youngest ever employee of Birmingham mail newspaper group, cutting my teeth and gaining some real world experience.