LAHILAN PANNEERSELVAM

Core Responsibilities

People Leadership & Culture

• Lead, coach and develop Store Managers to create engaged, high-performing teams.
• Embed a people-first, customer-focused culture while ensuring clear accountability.
• Support talent development through succession planning and progression into management roles.
• Role-model company values, behaviours and leadership expectations.

Operational Excellence & Compliance

• Deliver consistent standards across service, quality, food hygiene, and health & safety.
• Complete regular site visits, audits and performance reviews, tackling issues proactively.
• Maintain strong store presentation standards across customer areas and equipment.

Commercial Performance & Cost Control

• Own area performance across sales, labour planning and controllable costs.
• Track KPIs and financial results, taking action to improve efficiency and profitability.
• Identify opportunities to grow revenue and strengthen cost control.

Customer Service & Experience

• Champion excellent customer service across all locations.
• Use customer feedback and performance insight to drive improvements and loyalty.
• Ensure every site delivers a consistent, high-quality and dependable experience.

Stakeholder Communication & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with central support teams to implement new initiatives, promotions and processes.
• Provide regular updates, insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Respond quickly to operational challenges and changing business priorities

• Led teams to achieve business objectives on time and within budget constraints.
• Analysed performance metrics, identified areas for improvement in operations management.
• Negotiated contracts with suppliers for cost-effective procurement of resources.
• Directed safety protocols implementation, created safer workplace conditions.
• Identified bottlenecks, implemented solutions, increased productivity.
• Implemented quality control measures, enhanced product standards.
• Managed vendor relationships to ensure timely delivery of services.
• Optimised workflow procedures with strategic planning and team coordination.
• Improved operational efficiency by streamlining processes and implementing strategic plans.
• Developed risk mitigation strategies, ensured business continuity during crises.
• Fostered a culture of continuous learning, improved workforce competency levels.
• Devised operational policies for regulatory compliance and best practices adherence.
• Applied lean principles to operations management, reduced waste significantly.
• Coordinated cross-functional teams, achieved project milestones on schedule.
• Reduced overhead costs through efficient resource allocation and budget management.
• Streamlined supply chain processes to reduce procurement cycle time.
• Managed inventory efficiently to minimise stockouts and overstock situations.
• Created a collaborative work environment for positive team dynamics.
• Encouraged innovative thinking in the team, fostered an environment of growth and development.
• Liaised with stakeholders for transparent communication and better decision making.
• Maintained smooth-running business operations by delegating priorities to staff abilities.
• Led and managed administrative staff to maintain smooth daily operations.
• Monitored health and safety measures for guaranteed compliance.
• Translated senior management directives into actionable front-line policies and implemented changes with staff.
• Streamlined processes to improve and optimise office operations.
• Handled negotiations with outside vendors and service agencies to meet group needs.

• Oversaw operations across multiple ASDA convenience and petrol forecourt sites, driving growth, compliance, and customer satisfaction.
• Provided strategic leadership, operational excellence, and people development across all managed sites.
• Acted as Area Manager, responsible for the performance, compliance, and profitability of 15 stores.
• Led, coached, and developed Store Managers to exceed KPIs in sales, waste, labour management, and customer service.
• Managed budgets, forecasting, and P&L; accountability for multiple business units.
• Delivered effective merchandising, stock management, and operational standards to maximise sales.
• Ensured full compliance with company policies, health & safety, and food safety regulations.

Led and Supervised a Team: I was responsible for managing a team of sales associates, including training new staff, assigning daily tasks, and providing ongoing feedback. This allowed me to develop strong leadership and team-building skills while ensuring the store operated smoothly.

Customer Service Excellence: I maintained a strong focus on customer satisfaction, addressing inquiries, resolving complaints, and ensuring a high level of service. I consistently helped achieve positive customer feedback and high customer retention rates.

Inventory Management: I assisted with inventory control, including tracking stock levels, placing orders, and ensuring that products were displayed according to company standards. This helped me gain hands-on experience in managing stock flow and maintaining accurate inventory records.

Sales and Profitability: I supported the team in meeting sales goals and promotional targets. By analyzing sales data and implementing sales strategies, I contributed to improving store performance and driving revenue growth.

Store Operations and Visual Merchandising: I was involved in daily store operations, such as opening and closing procedures, cash handling, and managing store layouts to ensure a visually appealing shopping environment.

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: During my co-op, I developed the ability to make quick and effective decisions, particularly when it came to resolving operational issues or customer concerns. I also identified areas for improvement and worked with the team to implement solutions.

Supported the Store Manager in leading a high-turnover retail store, driving sales, availability, and excellent customer service in line with Aldi’s performance-focused culture.
Managed daily store operations, taking full duty management responsibility for opening/closing, cash office, and store standards.
Led, coached, and developed a team of up to 21 colleagues, delivering clear priorities, performance feedback, and hands-on leadership on the shop floor.
Planned rotas and deployed labour to meet trading needs while maintaining tight control of payroll and productivity.
Drove stock management, including ordering, replenishment, inventory counts, and waste reduction to protect margins.
Ensured compliance with health & safety, food safety, and legal standards, maintaining excellent audit outcomes.
Managed cash handling, banking, and loss prevention, minimising shrink and ensuring security procedures were followed.
Delivered strong visual standards and availability across all areas, ensuring a clean, well-merchandised store.
Analysed KPIs such as sales, productivity, waste, and shrink to identify actions and improve performance.
Handled customer issues professionally, role-modelling Aldi’s fast, friendly service.
Supported recruitment, training, and onboarding, building a high-performing, flexible team.
Acted as Store Manager in their absence, taking full accountability for results and team engagement.

Led day and night teams across Fresh and Grocery departments, ensuring shelves were fully stocked, faced up, and presented to Tesco standards to maximise availability and sales.
Managed and motivated teams of up to 30 colleagues per shift, delivering clear briefs, coaching performance, and fostering a positive, inclusive working culture.
Planned rotas and deployed labour effectively to meet trading patterns while controlling costs and maintaining productivity.
Drove availability by overseeing replenishment routines, stock rotation, date checking, and waste reduction, achieving strong KPIs on availability and shrink.
Ensured full compliance with food safety, legal, and health & safety standards, particularly in Fresh departments, maintaining high audit results.
Took duty manager responsibility, opening/closing the store, managing incidents, and ensuring a safe, secure trading environment.
Analysed sales and performance data to prioritise workload and deliver departmental targets.
Managed deliveries and backstock, ensuring efficient stock flow from warehouse to shelf.
Handled customer queries and complaints professionally, role-modelling great service and resolving issues promptly.
Supported recruitment, onboarding, and training of new starters, building a flexible, multi-skilled team.
Communicated effectively with senior management and cross-functional teams to deliver store plans and promotions.
Led night replenishment operations to ensure the store was fully prepared for trade, achieving strong handovers to the day team.

Supported the Restaurant Manager in the day-to-day running of a high-volume fast-food outlet, ensuring excellent customer service and smooth operations across all shifts.
Led, motivated, and developed a team of up to 25 staff, conducting training, shift briefings, and performance coaching to meet brand standards.
Managed shift operations, including staff scheduling, deployment, and labour control to achieve sales targets and optimise productivity.
Ensured full compliance with food safety, health & safety, and hygiene regulations (HACCP), consistently achieving high audit scores.
Handled customer queries and complaints professionally, turning issues into positive experiences and driving repeat business.
Oversaw cash handling, till reconciliation, and daily banking with a strong focus on accuracy and loss prevention.
Assisted with stock control, ordering, deliveries, and inventory checks to minimise waste and control costs.
Monitored KPIs such as sales, speed of service, and customer satisfaction, taking action to improve performance.
Stepped up to manage the restaurant in the Manager’s absence, taking full responsibility for operations and results.

• Worked on PanTFL cross rails project designing elevator and lifts. I worked with Architect, where I help them with designing and sharing my idea and knowledge to make any improvements and also administration work such as liaising with customers and engineers.