Helen Thompson

• Leading and overseeing all Children's Ministry Activities at Highfield Church both on a Sunday and during the week
• Recruiting and developing a volunteer team for Sunday Children's work and week day activities (both adult and young team)
• Training a volunteer team of both adults and young to ensure that everyone is resourced to undertake their roles
• Pastoral support for the Children's team
• Sourcing, planning and delivering programmes and materials to appropriately support each in their faith journey
• Outreach activities to families through toddler groups, schools work and other activities
• Supporting families with preparation for key events e.g. infant baptisms
• Supporting children exploring baptism
• Planning, leading and developing All Age worship services that are engaging and accessible to all
• Planning and leading special seasonal services for both church families and the community for key events, e.g. Easter Good Friday Family Service, Christmas Eve Crib services
• Leading and co-ordinating weekly collective worship services for Highfield CE Primary School
• Supporting Highfield CE Primary school as key link from the church for RE and pastoral support as Children's Pastor
• Supporting other local schools to develop RE lessons to support learning and to extend outreach to other locations
• Leading and evolving a weekly toddler group to support the community
• Planning, leading and resourcing an annual Holiday club to support both children in the church and to reach out to the local community
• Managing and developing an annual budget for Children's Ministry to ensure good stewardship of resources and maximum impact in the ministry

Basic office administration to support Church ministries to include:

• Creation of materials for ministry activity both digital and hard copy
• Collation of materials into packs
• Laminating and presenting materials to be used
• Organising workload and delivery of needs to support children's ministry, older people's ministry as well as general office duties
• Updating church records
• Interacting with those contacting the church office in person and via phone call and email
• Time managing self to ensure that all work was completed to a high standard at all times including peak ministry needs (e.g Christmas)

I undertook this role as a volunteer fro Sept 2012-2015

This role then became a paid role from 2015

2015-2019 Deputised for Children and Families Pastor

Working in voluntary capacity alongside the Children and Families Pastor to deliver Sunday ministry to children, weekday outreach to families and to lead Messy Church ministry which then led to formal paid (PT) employment

Deputising in the absence on the Children and Families Pastor to lead Sunday activities

Planning and leading weekly toddler group

Planning and leading Messy Church activities termly/seasonally

Supporting C&F Pastor to lead and deliver an annual outreach holiday club

Supporting and developing all volunteer teams (adult and youth) in their roles in the children's team

Pastoral support for families

Planning and leading collective worship church services for the local C of E Primary school

Leading and innovating a weekly Bible based study group for mum's of young children

Worked in a variety of HR based roles at Costa Coffee from 1999-2012

• Regional Training Manager
• Regional Learning and Development Manager
• Learning and Development Project Manager
• Talent Planning Manager
• Regional Talent Planning Manager
• HR Manager
• Planned, organised and managed recruitment and selection processes, consistently meeting budget targets and recruitment goals.
• Overseeing and supporting recruitment process for middle and senior management roles up to Regional Director as well as recruiting Store based management roles
• Served as senior point of contact for Employee Relations matters.
• Managed performance appraisal systems and policies.
• Liaised with line management staff to accurately identify in-house training needs and deliver appropriate development programs.
• Hosted welcome events for new hires to build company culture.
• Used staff survey findings to implement enhanced working conditions and practices.
• Educated line managers on policy and process changes for implementation.
• Created succession plans and promotion paths for staff.
• Recruited, hired and trained new employees to optimise profitability.
• Advised line managers on correct disciplinary procedures for compliant issue resolution.
• Assessed new staff eligibility through rigorous reference and right-to-work checks.
• Reduced staff turnover through improved performance development programmes.
• Planning and implementing practical skills based training across the company to ensure high staff performance
• Creating, planning and implementing robust management development training from site manager to director level

Assistant Manager title but running Coffee stores in the following locations:

Kingston Upon Thames

Richmond

Guildford

Store Manager

Gateshead (Homebase concession)

Gateshead Metro Centre

In my time in store management I had experience of

• Planning and opening new sites
• Recruiting store teams from scratch to staff stores
• Delivered brand values and excellent customer service in all sites
• Updated store pricing, signage and merchandising based on current promotions, heightening customer interest.
• Ensuring profitability of each site by rigours management of resources
• Training and developing staff to ensure great service and efficiency
• Created and delivered daily schedule assignments to staff members through motivational team meetings.
• Managed staff scheduling and payroll to optimise performance.
• Delivered training and appraisals to build staff performance.
• Trained new staff on store procedures and policies, developing knowledgeable, confident teams.
• Managed day-to-day operations for popular, high-turnover stores, consistently exceeding revenue targets.
• Reduced costs and improved operations by analysing processes and customer feedback.
• Maintained daily transactions records, enabling diligent financial monitoring and assessment.
• Resolved customer problems by answering questions, investigating concerns and building positive rapport.
• Oversaw inventory tracking, management and counts, maintaining accurate stock records.

Assistant Manager across the following Laura Ashely Stores

Southampton (Homebase concession)

Winchester

Guildford - until February 1997

• Strengthened operational efficiencies through improved reporting and stock management.
• Analysed sales and data trends to anticipate customer needs.
• Carefully managed and recorded cash and credit transactions, diminishing financial discrepancies.
• Created engaging, appealing merchandise displays to motivate impulse purchases and improve revenue.
• Oversaw daily operations of store, including inventory and supply restocking, cash-handling and assisting customers.
• Nurtured positive customer relationships, enhancing membership loyalty and driving client retention.
• Built customer relationships with consultative sales approach.
• Scheduled and led weekly store meetings to discuss sales, performance and customer service benchmarks.
• Recruited, interviewed and hired high-performing individuals, developing passionate, dedicated teams.
• Established clear budgets and cost controls strategies to meet objectives.
• Trained staff on best practices to achieve optimal productivity.
• Evaluated staff performance, implementing training and development programmes to maintain exceptional service levels.
• Addressed customer issues calmly and professionally, delivering quick, successful resolutions.
• Initiated inventory control measures to manage and replenish stock, maintain costs and meet customer demands.

• Maintained and replenished stock according to store merchandising layout, ensuring consistent product availability.
• Delivered consistently good customer service to every customer
• Checked and processed incoming deliveries, unpacking and storing with care to avoid stock damage.
• Handled complaints calmly and professionally, minimising conflict and maintaining customer satisfaction.
• Completed store opening and closing, shop floor cleaning and till reconciliations.
• Attended regular training opportunities to maintain up to date product and service knowledge.
• Quickly built customer rapport, identifying needs and making appropriate product recommendations to close sales.
• Provided effective self-checkout assistance, facilitating faster customer transactions.
• Practised safe and secure stock handling methods, reducing product damage and loss.
• Assisted customers with product selection, recommending associated items to increase transaction value.
• Supported store goals by delivering promotions and upselling programmes.
• Promptly identified and retrieved items in stock room to maximise sales opportunities.
• Set up Point of Sale and window displays to boost sales.
• Strategically arranged and displayed new season merchandise to promote and maximise sales.
• Handled returns and exchanges, recommending alternative items to reduce store losses.