Maria Ward is a highly motivated and results-oriented manager with strong communication, leadership, and strategic planning skills. She has over 16 years of retail experience, including managing departments and a restaurant. Her current role involves leading a team to deliver excellent customer service while achieving sales, profit, and food safety targets. She enjoys challenges and strives for continuous improvement.

1. Maria Ward
Strength Based Portfolio
Personal Information
Maria Ward
28 Garnqueen Crescent
Glenboig
ML5 2SX
Tel: 01236873809
E-mail : avewardy@yahoo.co.uk
Nationality : British Female
Date of Birth : 10 April 1973
Personal Statement
I am a highly motivated, adaptable and results orientated manager. I have a clear, logical mind with a
practical approach to problem solving and a drive to see things through to completion. I am self
motivated, organised and work well under pressure. I try to learn something new from every experience
because I believe that there is always room for self-improvement both personally and professionally.
I constantly embrace opportunities to develop my skills.
Key Skills
Open and honest communication
I communicate well at all levels and do so clearly and concisely. I am an active listener and I deal with
difficult situations with tact and sensitivity. I spend a lot of time getting to know people and recognising
their needs, which allows me to develop effective working relationships.

2. Leadership Skills & Striving for Excellence
I consistently recognise and praise the efforts of others and ensure that everyone in the team is working
towards shared goals and are aware of the bigger picture. I am positive and determined and I take
responsibility for my own objectives and set priorities. I display a ‘can do’ attitude, take ownership of
problems and suggest improvements.
Managing Performance
I use ‘on the job’ coaching to improve the performance of others and give fresh relevant constructive
feedback and praise to encourage the learning and development of my tam.
Strategic Planner
I am very well organised and always plan ahead, this helps me manage my time allowing me to spend
more time with my team.
Results orientated
I am motivated to achieve results, and get the most satisfaction from achieving results through my team.
Academic Qualifications
O’grade
English, Secretarial Studies, Geography, Arithmetic
Higher
English, Geography
HNC Business Studies

3. Food Safety level 3
Personal license Holder
Interests
I am 42 years old. I am married and have two young boys Connor who is 6 and Charlie who is 4. Charlie
starts school after the summer holidays. I enjoy exercising and go to metafit and various other clubs
weekly. I enjoy spending time outdoors and enjoy camping with my family. As a mum of two boys I enjoy
spending quality time with my family.
I also enjoy reading, music, socialising with friends and family.
About me
I have a retail background which began at the age of 15 in What everyone wants as a weekend cashier. I
worked there for around 6 years during college and eventually left to take a temporary job in Marks and
Spencer. I then rejoined WEWW as a manager before moving to Sports division as a manager. I spent a
few years there until January 1999 where I began my career in John Lewis as a manager. I have worked
in various departments within the store from ladies shoes, beauty, furniture, audio, in fact there are only 3
departments that I haven't worked in. On return from my second period of maternity leave I returned as a
catering manager to run a very fast paced restaurant. Catering is by far my favourite area to work in. I
enjoy the fast pace of the work and the great team work that it creates. I also enjoy the procedural side of

4. my job which involves all aspects of food safety and critical controls. I am qualified to food safety level 3
and hold a personal license.
I enjoy leading a large team and contributing to the creation of a happy working environment.
Teamwork Example / Leadership Example
An example of where I have been involved in great team work would be our last food safety audit for
which we achieved a staggering 96%. this is the best result we have ever achieved and it was done so by
everyone contributing and goals being set. My leadership skills were tested in the run up to our audit by
allowing me to flex my skills to ensure that all my team knew exactly what was expected from them and
the results that we needed to achieve.
Positive things about my personality
I am a creative person. I am unbiased and considerate. I think outside the box. I have a great sense of
humour and I am down to earth. I am confident and I am self motivated, enjoy completion of tasks from
beginning to end, I am approachable, trustworthy, loyal and a great team player.
Things I could bring to the Job.
Organisation, experience of running a multi million pound restaurant. Experience in dealing with all
aspects of food safety legislation and due diligence. Experience with working to HACCP procedures and
a strict food safety policy. Experience of managing a large and diverse team. Experience gained from 16
years of working within one of the most successful employers and investors in people.
Current Responsibilities
Job Purpose
A customer facing line management role to lead a team to deliver the Retail operating plan, through the
delivery of the JL Food offer and Food safety compliance.
Develop staff and team performance through active use of performance management and development
tools.
· Use staff opinion to drive continuous business improvement.
· Lead the team to deliver Food safety compliance and the John Lewis food offer.
Customer
· Lead the team to deliver a warm and friendly customer experience.
· Lead the team to be John Lewis brand ambassadors and resolve customer queries or complaints at
the first point of contact.
· Lead staff to deliver the John Lewis Food offer, achieving the agreed food production, service, and
presentation standards.
· To meet all legislative requirements for the Catering environment.
Sales

5. · Achieve sales and transaction targets by leading the Catering team to actively sell the full product
assortment; offering advice and recommendations based on the customer’s needs.
· Lead the section’s commercial performance and implement effective plans for driving sales, using
all relevant information sources.
Profit
· Achieve Catering profit targets by understanding trading performance and implementing plans to
maximise profit by driving sales, amending food production schedules and controlling food costs.
· Drive a culture of Continuous Improvement.
· Interpret the catering income statement, and communicate financial information to the Catering team.
Recommend corrective action where necessary.
Section Staff Opinion Survey score
Levers:
· Quality completion of staff appraisals and personal development plans.
· Absence.
· Turnover.
· Accurate and timely completion of staff Health & Safety training records.
Asset management
Customer
Contribution to Branch Service score
Levers:
· Achieve the business standard for customer service.
· Compliance with Food Safety and Partnership procedure (Targets issued annually by Central
Catering).
· Line management and Head Office staff feedback on delivering the John Lewis Food offer and food
presentation standards.
Sales
Section Sales/Transactions vs. Last Year and Budget
· Achieve the business standard for product knowledge and expertise.
Profit
Section Profit vs. Last Year and Budget
Section Wastage vs. Last Year and Budget
Levers:
· Pay costs
· Food costs
Relationships
Partner line reports.
Line Manager and peer group colleagues.
Branch leadership team.
Finance.
Maintenance.
Marketing

6. Visual Merchandising
Head Office Partners.
Head Office Catering Team.
My MBTI Style:
Activist:
As an activist I involve myself fully and without bias in new experiences. I enjoy the here and now. I am
open-minded, not sceptical, and this tends to make me enthusiastic about anything new. My philosophy
is: "I'll try anything once." I thrive on the challenge of new experiences.
MBTI Type: ESTJ
As an ESTJ I have a practical, realistic, matter-of-fact approach. I am decisive, quickly move to implement
decisions. I organize projects and people to get things done, focus on getting results in the most efficient
way possible. I take care of routine details. I have a clear set of logical standards, systematically follow
them and want others to also.

7. Visual Merchandising
Head Office Partners.
Head Office Catering Team.
My MBTI Style:
Activist:
As an activist I involve myself fully and without bias in new experiences. I enjoy the here and now. I am
open-minded, not sceptical, and this tends to make me enthusiastic about anything new. My philosophy
is: "I'll try anything once." I thrive on the challenge of new experiences.
MBTI Type: ESTJ
As an ESTJ I have a practical, realistic, matter-of-fact approach. I am decisive, quickly move to implement
decisions. I organize projects and people to get things done, focus on getting results in the most efficient
way possible. I take care of routine details. I have a clear set of logical standards, systematically follow
them and want others to also.