Julie Polnik

Thirty years of store and area managerial experience at a store and regional level, including overseeing all aspects of store management including setting and monitoring KPIs, sales, shrinkage, payroll and service. Well-versed in using clear communication to drive business initiatives at both customer-facing and regional levels when working with senior management and other stakeholders. Tasked with improving performance of underperforming stores and training staff, at both entry and management levels.

Motivating and developing teams in order to boost sales and customer satisfaction, people management and motivation has been a key career pillar.

Associate Floor Manager - Merthyr Marble

(2020-01)

• Working with customers. Assisting showroom customers with product selection, understanding their bespoke needs and advising on suitable products. Processing orders & calculating prices.
• Responding to business enquiries via phone/internet. Dealing with information requests, including following up on requests for product information, and processing customer complaints.
• Providing after-sales support, including reaching out to assess customer satisfaction.
• Producing and delivering sales reports based on customer orders and specific requirements. Relaying findings to senior management.
• Managing accounts, liaising with and paying suppliers, taking payments off customers. Liaising with various stakeholders, including ordering of stock and managing time-sensitive deliveries.
• Opening and closing premises, managing money and & reconciling receipts.
• Generating invoices and associated paperwork.

Area Manager - Poundstretcher - South Wales and parts of England

(2012-01 - 2020-12)

• Managing twenty different stores across South Wales and parts of England.
• Communicating and collaborating with a wide variety of colleagues to ensure policies were fully understood appropriately implemented at all levels.
• Staff recruitment. Selecting, interviewing, and training new staff, from sales assistants to managers.
• Working on development for all new store openings, and managing store closures, staff redundancies and relocation of staff to different stores.
• Conducting annual reviews of store managers, focusing on any training requirements or development needs.
• Managing KPIs including payroll and stock loss.
• Seasonal sales planning (e.g. Christmas). Chairing in-area meetings of store managers to provide information of new company policy, store targets and aims, with the aim of driving staff to achieve targets.
• Training staff in customer service.
• Overseeing store refits. Reorganising to promote specific products and increase overall sales.
• Ensuring teams were motivated, productive and focused on achieving company targets.
• Ensuring all mandatory staff training was completed and associated records kept up to date.
• Responsible for Health and Safety procedures in all stores under my supervision, including training and development programs, which were reviewed regularly.
• Liaising with environmental and health associations to ensure all legal requirements were met.

Store Manager (various stores) - Poundstretcher

(1992-01 - 2012-12)

Managing five stores over a twenty-year period. From small high-street stores, to large outlet stores.

• Troubleshooting problem stores. Sent to transform underperforming stores, to ensure they achieve set targets and reduce stock loss. Responsible for helping reduce problems in stores that were under performing around the area. All saw increases in performance, profitability and reduction in staff turnover.
• Managing outlet store for ten years. Achieving set targets every year.
• Repeatedly developed store team who in my absence could keep the store well managed and organised, in various stores.
• Achieving lowest stock loss in the entire company and the best audit results.
• As a result of these achievements, store was used as a training store for all the new managers.

Merchandiser (regional) - Poundstretcher - England, Wales and Scotland

(1991-01 - 1993-12)

• Working at stores across England, Wales and Scotland.
• Opening new stores, as part of a team.
• Delivering openings to deadlines.
• Working long hours, alongside new and old teams, developing skills so new stores could function autonomously.

Sales Assistant - Poundstretcher

(1989-01 - 1991-12)

• General sales assistant work. Stocking shelves, operating tills, pricing, and cleaning.
• Assisting customers.