Samantha Vermeulen
Summary
A proud Partner with 19 years experience across multiple branches. I thrive in the fast‑paced, ever‑changing food retail sector and enjoy leading teams through change. As an experienced manager, I’ve developed Partners’ technical skills and coached them to think independently so their ideas can take shape.
Results focused and data-driven, using data to make informed decisions to improve KPIs and sharing this knowledge with my team.
Passionate about delivering a first‑class customer experience and running a shop we can all be proud of—consistently strong in availability and standards.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Branch Manager
Andover
2025.05 - 2026.05
- Successfully led my team through a major refit, guiding the team through significant operational challenges, managing partner experience and striving to meet customer expectations - delivering excellent quality of service scores despite the disruption.
- Supported the development of my Team Management team who were performing below the expected requirements of the role alongside working through multiple challenges with management long term sickness and underlying cultural issues within the branch.
- Team Leader Development through managers learning to delegate. Team Leaders now own different areas of responsibility across the branch and partners are more engaged to work in different areas.
- Built relationships and managed expectations with external stakeholders due to working in a shopping centre, which comes with its own complexities.
- Strong RPD results for the first three months of this trading year 26/27 (8/11/12 points), continued momentum to return to delivering great results in all KPI’s, following the disruption of the refit in Oct 2025.
Branch Manager
Waitrose Worcester Park
2024.07 - 2026.05
- Led the branch through a significant period of change with 80% new management team, building relationships and trust. My expectations and standards set with the team, ensuring managers complete all relevant tasks and continue to drive to improve the partner lifecycle.
- Continued development of new to role managers through coaching and feedback.
- Faced into aligning the branch to BDOM using my analytical skills, holding challenging conversations and managing poor performance.
- Led the branch through a regeneration project, working with key stakeholders internal and external to deliver change with as little impact to partners and customers as possible.
- Above business benchmark results in Lloyds Food Safety, Profit Protection audits and Democratic Vitality Health Checks.
Branch Manager
Waitrose Wimbledon Hill
2023.07 - 2024.07
- I took over Wimbledon Hill when the branch had been through a turbulent time and when morale was low in the shop.
- I had the opportunity to recruit a brand new management team into the shop and build the branch back up; this has been a great opportunity to test my resilience and support my managers with their development and adjustment to working in a Convenience branch.
- Through my open approach and leading through my team of managers, I was able to rebuild trust and relationships with partners in the branch.
- I had to fully change the way the branch operated and embed Simpler Shops, with foundations in place, stock levels were well controlled, and the branch operation run smoothly led through my partners.
- Successful Wimbledon Tennis fortnight 2023, with sales exceeding 300k in two weeks.
- I have improved and maintained strong results for the branch in pay management, stock management, customer service metrics and improved the Democratic Vitality score.
- I have continued to support the region with Compliance, working with new peers and influencing results across the region.
Branch Manager
West Kensington
2022.07 - 2023.07
- I provided experience and set foundations within the branch allowing routines and processes to be built, so the branch run to the branch BDOM at all times, this enabled structure, efficiency savings and productivity gains.
- I have developed a team of managers to understand my expectations, their accountabilities, and deliver on KPI’s.
- I had the opportunity to work with key stakeholders as a Convenience Focus Shop and influence changes made within the branch to increase branch profitability.
- I was the Compliance and Profit Protections SME for LSE1, enabling me to work across the region and influence my peers.
Team Manager Retail
Frimley Waitrose/Goldsworth Park Waitrose
2017.11 - 2022.07
- I was accountable for ensuring all elements of the retail operation are completed throughout the trading window, whilst being delivered by the Customer Service Lead, ensuring cash office tasks are carried out effectively at all times, stock management processes are instilled and effective management of the overall processes of the Retail operation and the partners that work within this area.
- I people managed three Assistant Team Managers, who I coached to deliver an effective and productive operation at all times through setting standards and consistent follow up.
- I completed investigations and disciplinaries, ensuring performance is managed effectively and timely, and supported my colleagues in completing these themselves to the required standard.
SM Customer Service
Esher Waitrose
2015.06 - 2017.11
- I was accountable for all section results and developed my partners to be able to achieve KPI’s consistently including customer service and cash loss. I implemented consistent stock management routines across Food Service resulting in a Green Saw Score, and have achieved a green score in both EFSIS and Hygiene Audits, and also developed the branch’s deliver operation resulting in us receiving one of the best results in the business on the yearly Transport Audit.
- I developed my ASM’s to seek to forward plan enabling us to move the section forward effectively, both of which have been successfully appointed as a Team Manager and ATM in a profitable, London branch. I analysed branch sales to enable me to restructure the section hours to reflect branch trade patterns.
ASM Customer Service and Dot Com
Staines Waitrose
2013.09 - 2015.09
- I was accountable for the service counters and implemented stock management routines and cleaning expectations, this resulted in an excellent EFSIS result. I influenced the measuring the magic score for the branch in this area.
- I was responsible for the growth and development of Dot Com through Christmas and Project Trafalgar and the sustainability after this period.
- At a Group D Awards Day last year I was the overall winner for the partner behaviour 'Opens and adapts to Change'. This was awarded to me for My open approach and commitment in making Dot Com as efficient and productive as possible, preparing myself and partners for imminent change.
ASMT
Staines and Twickenham Waitrose
2011.09 - 2013.09
- I began my management development training, picking up skills and responsibilities of a manager, completing tasks such as BSA, rota's, holiday bookings and holding section meetings, and guiding the section through the FBS transition. I managed and led a successful deep clean through the nights for one week.
- At Twickenham, I gained an understanding of the Operations role and the impact this has on the rest of the branch. I implemented a RACI to the section and was responsible for packing and bringing these costs down by starting to introduce an ordering requirement list.
Team Leader Fresh Foods
Staines Waitrose
2007.05 - 2011.09
- I was accountable for the service counters and implemented stock management routines and cleaning expectations, this resulted in an excellent EFSIS result. I influenced the measuring the magic score for the branch in this area.
- I was responsible for the growth and development of Dot Com through Christmas and Project Trafalgar and the sustainability after this period.
- At a Group D Awards Day last year I was the overall winner for the partner behaviour 'Opens and adapts to Change'. This was awarded to me for My open approach and commitment in making Dot Com as efficient and productive as possible, preparing myself and partners for imminent change.
Education
BTEC National Diploma - Dance
Brooklands College
Weybridge, SurreyGCSEs -
Thamesmead School
Shepperton, SurreySkills
Delegation
Coaching
Communication
Analytical Thinking
Customer Service
Food Safety
Health and Safety
Affiliations
- Dog Walks
- Live Music/Theatre
- Time with friends and family
Certification
Personal Licence Holder
Food Hygiene Level 3
Timeline
Branch Manager
Andover
2025.05 - 2026.05
Branch Manager
Waitrose Worcester Park
2024.07 - 2026.05
Branch Manager
Waitrose Wimbledon Hill
2023.07 - 2024.07
Branch Manager
West Kensington
2022.07 - 2023.07
Team Manager Retail
Frimley Waitrose/Goldsworth Park Waitrose
2017.11 - 2022.07
SM Customer Service
Esher Waitrose
2015.06 - 2017.11
ASM Customer Service and Dot Com
Staines Waitrose
2013.09 - 2015.09
ASMT
Staines and Twickenham Waitrose
2011.09 - 2013.09
Team Leader Fresh Foods
Staines Waitrose
2007.05 - 2011.09
BTEC National Diploma - Dance
Brooklands College
GCSEs -
Thamesmead School