Sharon Baillie
Todmorden,Lancashire
Overview
1
1
Certification
11
11
years of post-secondary education
35
35
years of professional experience
Work History
Product Advisor and Product Specialist roles
Safespaces Ltd
Todmorden
09.2018 - Current
- The orginal Product Advisor role involved responding to phone and email enquiries, booking home visits, conducting product demonstrations for a diverse range of clients from different sectors, facilitating joint assessment and design meetings, attending and presenting at exhibitions, and engaging with new clients face to face. This mobile role was adapted to a virtual role from 2020, working on cases with a telesales advisor sharing responsibilitis throughout the sales process. This lead to a promotion to Senior Product Advisor prior to the transition to amalgamated PA TA Product Specialist role in October 2025.
- In my present role I take ownership of the enquiry from start to finish, tracking and managing the progress of these leads, set follow-up tasks to expedite the quote stage and follow up to collate funding updates on the sales opportunities in my pipeline. I have high expectations of myself, am driven to achieve and manage my time effectively to ensure I keep on top of my workload, maintain regular contact with my clients. I proactively deal with all leads, requests for quotes, providing accurate guidance and advice about our product range, funding streams and our sales process. Developed strong working relationships with clients, adapting communication style to meet their needs. Maintained accurate records of enquiries on CRM system, shared critical funding information with colleagues and upper management, and proactively highlighted areas of concern regarding funding issues in the UK. I enjoy getting involved in customer support enquiries and the product development side of the business which requires working collaboratively with colleagues from other areas of the business and finding solutions as a team. I have enjoyed the challenge and variety this new role has offered and pushed myself to try to meet the set targets and KPIs.
- Identify customer needs through consultations, recommending appropriate products and designing those to meet the client needs.
- Conducting product demonstrations, highlighting features and benefits to drive sales.
- Developing and nurturing positive connections with clients, contributing to an improved brand image.
- Working to targets and KPIs.
Office Administrator
Site-Eye Time Lapse Films (Site Computers Ltd)
Mytholmroyd
06.2017 - 02.2018
- Managed office correspondence, including emails, phone calls and mail, efficiently and promptly.
- Handled incoming calls and correspondence, providing timely responses to enquiries.
- Handled telephone, face-to-face and email enquiries promptly, ensuring effective communication and resolution of client needs. Providing quotes for contractor companies.
- Stock control and ordering.
- Coordinated HR processes, addressing recruitment, inductions, absence and performance issues to support team development.
- Oversaw monthly accounts and payroll management, ensuring accurate financial reporting and compliance. Managed employee expenses and holiday records.
- Dealt with all of the company vehicle insurances, MOT and tax and dealing with the insurance claims after vehicle accidents.
- Communicated with staff through various internal platforms to keep colleagues informed of office updates.
- Reason for leaving – Left to go through fostering training.
Maternity Cover Administration Team Leader of the Holiday Illness Claims/Litigation Department
Farnworth Rose Solicitors
Nelson
01.2017 - 06.2017
- Led administration team of 4 supporting holiday illness and litigation solicitors. Oversaw, developed, and implemented new work processes to enhance claims progress within limitation timescales, managed billing and payments issues, allocated admin staffing resources, prioritised team workload, and proactively recontacted non-runner enquiries through win back campaigns in collaboration with marketing.
- Produced end-of-month and forecasting reports for firm's Directors, providing insights for strategic decision-making.
- Sourced alternative service providers to gain the most efficient services and value for money for the department's budget.
- Resigned to accept a job closer to home.
PPI Operations Outcome Quality Tester and Coaching
Capita for Lloyds Bank
Leeds
10.2013 - 10.2016
- Quality checked PPI loan and mortgage complaint and redress cases, ensuring adherence to bank processes and guidance throughout review process. Coached and developed case handlers through one-to-one feedback sessions, led group huddles and training sessions, identified trends in failure areas, raised issues, and suggested and implemented solutions. Exceeded personal targets while supporting performance of new contractors and those on improvement plans.
- Contracted for Capita supporting Lloyds Banking Group.
- Exited position upon contract completion.
Compliance Team Manager
Swinton Insurance
Halifax
10.2012 - 09.2013
- Led, managed and coached a team of 15 quality analysts in a brand new branch network compliance department.
- Developed the skills and performance levels of agents through weekly 121 review meetings, implemented performance improvement plans via a capability process, conducted compliance dip checks and feedback on calls, team call calibration/levelling sessions, coaching and completed twice yearly performance management reviews.
- Ensured QA's managed their workloads effectively and met their daily/ weekly and monthly productivity and quality targets.
- Oversaw agent absence management and behaviour, conducting investigations and disciplinary actions to maintain team standards.
- Contributed to development of systems and processes within new department, creating workflows, templates, and recording mechanisms for enhanced operational efficiency across teams.
Product Advisor and Product Specialist roles
Swinton Insurance
Halifax
04.2012 - 09.2012
- Managed and developed team of specialist agents to analyse data, trends, and call recordings, providing actionable recommendations and reports for senior management meetings.
- Led team of 15 agents to test new campaigns, resolve system and sales process issues, evaluate bonus structures, and recommend improvements for underperforming campaigns.
- Oversaw a diverse range of campaigns across business, including home, motor, customer remediation, accidental death benefit, personal accident, car breakdown, and home emergency protection.
Secondment Team Manager in charge of Recruitment/Ad Hoc Projects
Swinton Insurance
Halifax
05.2010 - 03.2012
- Improved recruitment process for outbound call centre and managed ad hoc projects as delegated by call centre manager.
- Implemented processes which assisted the management and day to day running of recruitment within the call centre.
- Hosted recruitment open days in local area, screening and interviewing candidates for outbound sales executive roles and fulfilling FTE requirements of recruitment/training plan.
- Organised the interview schedules, made sole decisions on offers or declines and provided objective feedback for candidates.
- Processed new starters, sent out weekly updates on the recruitment plan progress.
- Created Excel spreadsheets to track and analyse attrition trends.
- Provided handover information for each trainer on each set of new inductees.
- Attended monthly meetings to provide updates to the senior management team and liaised with them to ensure the required FTE was fulfilled.
- Managed call centre's monthly competency and induction reviews, tracking progress and completion for team managers and business unit managers.
- Managing the call centre's monthly competency and induction reviews through developing my own Excel spreadsheets, providing information for team managers and business unit managers, tracking progress and completion of them.
- Resolved issues and liaised with HR in a timely manner, providing weekly update reports for the call centre manager.
- Managing and implementing the roll out of the new bespoke training system throughout the call centre, briefing managers on the system and the implementation plan, organising, implementing, monitoring, revising and tracking progress against the plan
- Creating an Excel spreadsheet to log completion of competency tests, providing up to date reports to the call centre manager and ensuring the business deadlines were met.
Team Manager of Credit Control Team
Swinton Insurance
Halifax
11.2009 - 05.2010
- Led, managed and coached a newly formed team of 6 agents and campaign area.
- Developed and implemented new processes for the credit campaign ensuring legal requirements were met and adhered to.
- Developed the skills and performance levels of agents through usual mechanisms, conducting compliance checks and feedback on short calls, coaching sessions and completing performance management reviews.
- Monitored agents performance against monthly collection, compliance and productivity targets/KPI's.
- Facilitated team meetings to foster collaboration and idea sharing, creating opportunities for bonding and motivation through weekly incentives linked to productivity.
- Assisting staff with solving issues, liaising with other departments within the company to report system problems or errors, providing timely solutions to queries and problems, dealing with customer complaints, diffusing and resolving issues and situations.
- Provided additional system training and developed specialised Excel spreadsheets to track agent and team progress against monthly collection targets.
- Developed agents who aspired to become team managers, delegating set tasks and responsibilities to them, encouraging the team to share ideas and play an integral part in streamlining and improving the processes used within the campaign.
Call Centre Team Manager
Ticketmaster
Manchester
02.2008 - 11.2009
- Led, managed and coached a call centre sales team of up to 36 agents with the assistance of a team coach.
- Monitored agents' performance against monthly sales targets to drive sales outcomes.
- Conducted weekly quality assessments and coaching sessions, completing biannual performance reviews to enhance agent development.
- Developing my team coach and agents through monthly review meetings, implementing performance improvement plans via a capability process
- Managed agent absence, behaviours, and probation periods; performed investigations and disciplinary actions to maintain team accountability.
- Recruited candidates for call centre positions by screening resumes and conducting interviews.
- Providing additional system training, sales coaching and producing a range of resources.
- Improving customer satisfaction ensures customer loyalty and brand confidence.
- Taking on the duty manager role as required.
- Reason for leaving: New outbound team manager role at Swinton.
UK Sales Team Leader
Group RCI/Cottages4U
Earby, Lancashire
01.2005 - 01.2008
- Leading, managing and developing 2 different teams of 15 agents against 2 weekly commission based sales targets.
- Conducting weekly 1 to 1 quality coaching and feedback sessions setting weekly sales performance and quality targets.
- Managed department efficiency and service level agreements by monitoring adherence via IEX Totalview and Nice, coordinating overtime and adjusting staffing as necessary.
- Tracked absence, behaviours, and performance; enforced disciplinary actions to maintain team standards.
- Oversaw recruitment processes for call centre positions, ensuring alignment with company needs.
- Assisted HR with recruitment for UK and overseas sales department through telephone screening, organising assessment centres, interviewing candidates, coordinating shift patterns, liaising with HR, IT, workforce management, training, and payroll, conducting induction sessions, and organising mentors for new staff.
UK Senior Reservations Consultant
Group RCI
Earby
08.2004 - 01.2005
- Trained to sell UK, France, and Ireland holiday brands and insurance (ABTA Travel Insurance Training Level 1), enhancing product knowledge and customer service skills. Mastered bespoke software to book holidays and identify products matching customer requirements, reinforcing understanding of sales techniques through regular refresher training.
Part time teacher of Music & Drama
Falinge Park School
Rochdale
09.2002 - 08.2004
Head of Music
Falinge Park School
Rochdale
09.1998 - 08.2002
Full time teacher of Music
Outwood Grange School
Wakefield
09.1991 - 08.1998
Education
P.G.C.E Secondary Music - Secondary Music
Bath College of HE
Bath 01.1990 - 01.1991
B.A(hons) Music Degree - Music
Bath College of HE
Bath 01.1987 - 01.1990
A Levels - Music, Sociology
Wakefield District College
Wakefield 01.1985 - 01.1987
7 O Levels incl. - English, Mathematics, Music, Biology, History
Crofton High School
01.1980 - 01.1985
Skills
- Product consultation and demonstration
- Technical product knowledge
- Quote processing
- Funding assessment
- CRM administration
- Pipeline management
- Lead nurturing
- Client management
- Relationship management
- Sales strategy
- Project management
- Process improvement
- Data analysis
- Results-driven mindset
- Service excellence
- Problem solving
Interests
- Music - listening, singing and playing.
- Theatre, Films, Concerts.
- Holistic Therapies
- Cooking
- Socialising
- Wild Swimming.
- Gardening.
Personal Information
Available: One month’s notice period
Certification
Attended Call centre training courses in:
- Conflict Resolution.
- Time Management.
- Recruitment Centre.
- Assessment.
- Engagement.
- NVQ Assessor award Level 2.
- Fire Marshal.
- Quality Evaluator.
- Eversheds Bullying & Harassment.
- Eversheds Disciplinaries & Grievance.
- Team Leader NVQ Level 2.
- 8 module Team Leader course, INCITE
Timeline
Product Advisor and Product Specialist roles
Safespaces Ltd
09.2018 - Current
Office Administrator
Site-Eye Time Lapse Films (Site Computers Ltd)
06.2017 - 02.2018
Maternity Cover Administration Team Leader of the Holiday Illness Claims/Litigation Department
Farnworth Rose Solicitors
01.2017 - 06.2017
PPI Operations Outcome Quality Tester and Coaching
Capita for Lloyds Bank
10.2013 - 10.2016
Compliance Team Manager
Swinton Insurance
10.2012 - 09.2013
Product Advisor and Product Specialist roles
Swinton Insurance
04.2012 - 09.2012
Secondment Team Manager in charge of Recruitment/Ad Hoc Projects
Swinton Insurance
05.2010 - 03.2012
Team Manager of Credit Control Team
Swinton Insurance
11.2009 - 05.2010
Call Centre Team Manager
Ticketmaster
02.2008 - 11.2009
UK Sales Team Leader
Group RCI/Cottages4U
01.2005 - 01.2008
UK Senior Reservations Consultant
Group RCI
08.2004 - 01.2005
Part time teacher of Music & Drama
Falinge Park School
09.2002 - 08.2004
Head of Music
Falinge Park School
09.1998 - 08.2002
Full time teacher of Music
Outwood Grange School
09.1991 - 08.1998
P.G.C.E Secondary Music - Secondary Music
Bath College of HE
01.1990 - 01.1991
B.A(hons) Music Degree - Music
Bath College of HE
01.1987 - 01.1990
A Levels - Music, Sociology
Wakefield District College
01.1985 - 01.1987
7 O Levels incl. - English, Mathematics, Music, Biology, History
Crofton High School
01.1980 - 01.1985