Aidan Fincham

- Manage the performance and development of a team of 6 retail consultants and 1 Assistant Manager.

- Plan and organise the schedule, taking into account daily target / current campaign to maximise the selling hours and recommended coverage.

- Demonstrated the ability to successfully manage a large team and assistant manager, planning and delegating activities to support the team's development and expand their skillset; alongside supporting the wider team with their objectives.

- Hold responsibility for leading the Central London cluster with the HR workstream, this role requires me to schedule weekly 1:2:1s with the People Services/HR department, and present to the cluster on our weekly calls.

- I implemented commercial strategies to maximise sales, taking into account staff discount days which made an average £10k per weekday during the offer period.

- I built professional and meaningful relationships with stakeholders internally and externally; I would submit weekly trade reports to my Retail Manager and organise monthly 1:2:1s on my plans for the team and overall health of the business. We worked closely together to implement profitable solutions. For example I organised two campaign tables to showcase a major fragrance campaign and Festive in 2024.

- I successfully managed disciplinary actions and probation termination, showcasing my natural flare for following and using HR tools to benefit the business. Thinking of the long term benefits of employment and making difficult decisions to allow us to succeed further down the line.

- I took 9 months out of my management role to focus on my degree studies.

- During this time, I continued to work for Aesop as a retail consultant 3 days a week. I learnt to understand the perspective of the retail consultant and could see how their outlook determines their approach to selling and receiving feedback.

- I believe this has allowed me to better manage my team and provide greater empathy and understanding when managing a team in Aesop.

- In my position and due to my background exceeding in retail HR casework, I headed up the people side of the Regent Street business, having oversight of all retail consultants and facial therapists, conducting return to work meetings, recorded conversations, investigations, mediation meetings, and probation termination meetings. In this role, I supported the wider London cluster by leading investigation meetings in other sites.

- Interim role created to support Shoreditch during peak trade season. I line managed a team of 5 retail consultants.

- Main achievements include implementing KPIs into a tenured team, I am proud to have put training sessions and strategic feedback looping in place to maximise sales ahead of peak. I worked closely with business stakeholders such as the training and performance team, to highlight focus areas and gentle goal setting.

- I managed the relations of a large amenity account, and worked closely with EMEA GM and Commercial Director in meeting the account holder and changing the agreement terms to better suit the Aesop business.

- Opening the site with a team of 30 retail consultants, I line managed 10 direct reports in this role, one of the only Assistant Store Manager positions in Aesop to do so.

- Take ownership of shop-floor standards and training, completing 1:2:1 consultation roleplay at the sink at all opportunities. Adapting focus to campaign and tracking analytic success.