Stella Neeson has over 20 years of experience in retail management, currently serving as Area Manager for Lloyds Pharmacy. She has a proven track record of achieving sales targets and improving team performance. Notable accomplishments include an 8% sales increase as a pharmacy Area Manager and transforming the culture of her team to focus on results. She is also an active member of her local business community, working to make the city more dementia-friendly.

1. Curriculum Vitae:
Contact
Details:
Profile:
Area Manager
Lloyds
Pharmacy/
April 2013 to
present
Stella Neeson
Flat 6 27-37, Woodvale Road, Woolton
Liverpool L25 8RY
07720054040
I am an extremely driven individual with a proven track record of achieving results
through coaching and developing my team. I am an organised, analytical and
strategic person with a creative mind. I deliver by clearly communicating my
objectives, which motivates my team and allow us to collectively exceed targets. I
am an honest and open individual; coupled with a genuine belief in people.
● 21 stores with 3 levels of management including pharmacists delivering 2.1
million profit = 8% increase on last year , 21 million pounds sales – 1% up on last
year . Retail sales 2%lfl ; better than region and company.
● Actively changed the culture on my area to one that focuses on results with a
management team who proactively plan to deliver them. This has seen all KPIs
improve year on year for my area. I have done this by driving more stores to hit
target rather than rely on several stores to over perform. For the last 8 months I
ranked 34 out of 77 areas for performance. This was from a position of 67th in the
first two months of the year. My highest monthly position is now 17th and shows
the changes I’m making in the area are coming to fruition
● Big Question (colleague engagement) - improved on all questions year on year.
The best scored question was “ my manager recognises me for a job well done”
showing my ethos - I challenge, develop, engage, motivate and praise my team
● Liaised with local governing bodies, NHS representatives’, doctors, practice
managers to ensure that my pharmacies were the 1st choice for partnering and
that our service levels exceeded customer expectations
● Complete Professional standard audits that saw all my stores demonstrate a high
level of clinical adherence to processes and SOPs. This was evidenced by
successful GPHC unannounced audits in all stores, a clinical body who
independently moderates pharmacy.
● Trained all managers and store colleagues in my expectations for what good
customer service looked like. Also trained them all in link sales which resulted in
my area being one of a few who delivered lfl growth of 2.3%
● Member of a party Liverpool business leaders who meet regularly to raise
awareness of Alzheimers, the effects it has on business and how we can make
Liverpool city more Alzheimer friendly. We held a conference in Liverpool city hall
backed by the mayor and counselors for 20+ business leaders in Liverpool to
make them aware of the challenges customers face and the impact it has on their

2. Regional Sales
Manager:
– Bathstore
Nov 2007 -
April 2013
Sainsbury’s
Local:
− Area
Manager
businesses. Each business was challenged with making commitments to what
they were going to do to change and improve. Im a trained Dementia champion
and trained 30 people to be dementia friends.
● Active Local Pharmacy Council member since joining in 2015 - this involved me
influencing governing bodies and championing all pharmacies across Sefton to
maintain their profitability
● Selected as one of 7 AMs from 77 AMs in the business to be part of the People
working party of our business. We gave feedback on all projects related to
people. Key project from this was “Best Welcome” - This required me to give
recommendations on how to improve our recruitment, selection, and induction
process. - This evolved into a program called “Best welcome” - a strategy to
ensure that we became an employer of choice.
● In this group we developed a training program for all levels of management within
the company and delivered numerous training days covering the following topics
– Performance Management, Change Management , Business planning and goal
setting, Disciplinary and Grievances, Attendance Management, Train the Trainer,
Customer Focus, Coaching for Performance., Stakeholder management - Each
topic was followed up with my managers on visits and reviews.
● One of three Regional managers – 10RMs less than when I started the job – this
shows I have a proven track record of delivering and successful in adapting to
change and a growing role.
● Accountable for 42 Stores across great Britain - 21 million at 58% gross profit
● Prevented the closure of three stores by implementing a focused and intensive
training plan for both managers and sales colleagues over a three-month period.
● Researched, constructed and launched a sales improvement program which
culminated in launching a Mystery Shopping program for the company.
● Worked in conjunction with HR team to launch a training scheme for all levels of
retail management within Bathstore.
● Collaborated on producing an Operations manual for the company so that every
store was clear on the correct process to follow
● Launched new SMART 121 documentation and process
● Initiated the cluster manager role. allowing for a cost saving to be made
● Facilitated 3 stores and a depot closure/redundancy program for 45 people
● 16 stores @ 42 million sales spanning North west and Scotland
● Integration and migration of 280 colleagues and 14 managers from “Jacksons
stores” to Sainsbury’s Local through a TUPE situation
● Delivering + 9% LFL – out performing the convenience sector industry average.
● Delivering all KPIS and store accountable profit – labour, shrinkage and waste

3. 2005 - 2007
Sainsbury’s
Local:
− Store
Manager
2004 – 2005
Clarks Shoes:
− Store
Manager
2003-2004
Sainsbury’s
Local:
− Operations
Manager / Store
Manager
2001 - 2003
Sainsbury’s
Supermarkets:
− Trainee /Duty
Manager
1996 – 2001
Education:
Interests
References:
budgets met.
● Best Mystery Shopper scores in the Company.
● All stores achieved GREEN audits for health / food safety
● Part of a working party to reduce the amount of process required by stores thus
allowing the store teams to focus on the stores and the customer.
● Liaised with Food Safety teams to produce a License to trade audit.
● Responsible for identifying profitable sites
● Received an outstanding “colleague talkback” score, 10% higher than company
● Led a company wide project to reduce shrinkage from external suppliers.
● Reduced colleague turnover by 8%
● Full profit and loss accountability of the store.
● 2.2 m turnover 17 staff
● Turned round a poor performing store that was achieving sales budgets within 4
months of taking over by motivating the team to achieve
● Became a highly effective “Sales” Manager
● Introduced performance management to the region.
● Operationally managed the opening of the first two locals in the North.
● This involved liaising both with the building contractors and retail team to ensure
that the shop was built to the required operational standards.
● Recruiting and training all staff
● One of 2000 applicants to successfully complete JS trainee management program.
Heldvariouspositions –Produce Manager;CustomerServicesManager;Admintoduty
managercoveringall these depts.
● Coleraine University Northern Ireland 1993 – 1996
● BA Hons. Retail and Distribution Management.
● 3 A Levels. 9 GCSEs – 2 A’s 5B’s 2Cs – including Mathematics and English.
● Founder member and treasurer of Phoenix netball team – now have 4 adult teams
and 2 kids teams – 2015/16 won national “Goalden globe” award “Best team in
Liverpool” for our culture and development of both children and women in sport .
Skiingisanotherpassionof mine
Available on request