Thomas Stokes

What I do.

• Work in a fast paced retail environment where no day is the same.
• Have my own management team to inspire, lead, coach and guide.
• Put my skills, experience and instincts to the test; chasing opportunities, finding better ways of working and getting things just right for our customers and colleagues.
• Often be the most senior colleague in the store, responsible for ensuring the best possible service for our colleagues and customers.
• Role model, helping colleagues to know and love our products and services, involving everyone in community projects and proving just how much we can achieve together.
• Grow my own team by spotting talent and giving feedback and support needed for Managers to be at their best.
• Maximise sales, impact and presentation in my store, while making sure everything is safe and compliant, and everyone’s in the right place at the right time.
• Lead operational areas in store ensuring routines, processes, sales, standards, coverage and change are all well managed by your team.
• Run the store, covering the Store Manager.
• Creating an inspiring, welcoming and inclusive working environment for everyone.
• Promoting a culture of safety first within my store through leading and managing safe & legal routines.
• Ensuring that the team are fully trained and validated in their roles.
• Creating an environment of two way communication, inspiring a culture of trust.
• Coaching and managing Managers to enable them to deliver daily priorities and ensure everyone is in the right place at the right time to meet our customer’s needs.
• A role model living the values and a brand ambassador that builds colleague advocacy.
• Thriving on change and leading people through it to deliver excellent value for customers.
• Understanding the key performance indicators for my store, leading my team to deliver the targets and root causing/action planning where targets are not being met.
• Reviewing systems/reports to deliver the right improvements for customers and colleagues, action planning as required.
• Understanding the store operating model making sure the right activities occur.
• Developing my own operational and leadership skills, actively seeking feedback.
• Recruiting and developing the best Team Managers.
• Ensuring the store is well resourced and stocked for key trading times/events.
• Driving sales opportunities within my area/store at every opportunity.
• Celebrating success and recognising when colleagues give great service.
• Providing coaching/feedback where necessary and having everyday conversations with your team, inspiring great performance.
• Supporting those who need help to improve their performance by inspiring great performance every day.
• Looking ahead and seizing opportunities, acting quickly to do what’s right for colleagues and customers.

Current Lead Manager Role.

I have a direct team of 4 Team Managers and 4 Shift Leaders with 220 colleagues.

We run an online grocery shopping operation that will pick 300,000 products a week and will deliver across a fleet of 21 vans that amass a total of 1900 driving hours a week.

My responsibilities cover 4 key activities where I spend my time.

• Safety responsibilities- Cleaning and equipment standards.

Colleague and customer data protection.

Fire safety management for all colleagues and customers.

Food Safety and Hygiene.

Health and Safety.

Safe and legal.

• People Responsibilities- Legislation policies and conduct.

Attendance.

Performance Reviews/ Coaching and management.

Seeking talent and providing opportunities to get on and develop.

• Operational responsibilities- Stores Business performance.

Managing the performance of daily routines.

Shrink, stock loss and security.

Dealing with exceptions.

Leading store and operational standards.

• Customer and Community responsibilities- Community and charity efforts.

Being a great neighbour & great on the roads.

Managing noise and energy from the site.

Customer Contacts.

The role evolved over the four years. My main responsibilities in the role initially were looking after the store operations of fresh food.

I had 4 team managers and 100 colleagues.

I performed in the role of Lead trading Manager, overseeing the planning and executing of the businesses operational model for all packaged foods and general merchandise including our clothing brand F&F.

I had 5 team managers 2 Shift leaders and 100 colleagues.

I was lead night manager during this time. I finished in the role in July 2014 at New Oscott but had previously started in the role at another large format store in Telford. During this time I would have worked with a team structure of 6 Team Managers and 6 Shift Leaders and was responsible for these and approximately 200 colleagues. The role was looking after the stores out of hours operations of replenishment of the shop.