ANKOBIA RUTH

Managed the day-to-day operations and human resources (HR) functions of the retail store, providing high level support and oversight while guiding staff in the achievement of defined corporate goals for sales, merchandising, and customer service; led the store to a top 20% ranking companywide.

• Implemented and enforced corporate standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practices, supporting staff in the interpretation of various policies to safeguard compliance with internal and external regulatory requirements; facilitated audits for perimeter security and cash management.
• Oversaw the end-to-end talent acquisition, onboarding, and new hire orientation process of the store, fostering a positive store culture that drove high levels of employee satisfaction and retention.
• Executed a comprehensive visual strategy for retail displays and merchandising, ensuring the appropriate product placements in alignment with consumer interests and active promotions; upheld strict compliance with internal and external best practices for merchandise protection, audit, and outbound merchandise.

Managed a cross-functional team of 40+ employees in a high-volume store grossing up to $18M in annual revenue, empowering and motivating staff in the achievement of aggressive sales targets.

• Assumed ownership of a diverse range of managerial responsibilities, including but not limited to performance management, merchandising, sales, operations, scheduling, payroll, and HR.
• Leveraged strong inventory management skills to set, track, and monitor stock levels, reconciling online orders with in-store merchandise to ensure the seamless execution of the omnichannel sales process.
• Administered performance reviews and initiated coaching as needed to safeguard employee success.

Developed a foundational knowledge base of topics in management and apparel merchandising, successfully analyzing, interpreting, and applying store policies to safeguard operational efficiency.

• Leveraged insights derived from in-depth procedural and data analysis to inform the store-level merchandising and marketing strategy, meticulously reviewing advertising collateral, promotional materials, display plans, operating and financial statements, and departmental sales records.