CARIN KAYLA HARDY
North Brunswick,NJ
Summary
People-focused professional with a background in coaching, visual presentation, and operational coordination across customer-facing and communications roles. Brings strengths in mentoring teams, organizing events, and streamlining processes to create engaging, organized, and inclusive learning spaces and high-performing group environments.
Overview
1
1
Certification
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Sales Floor Manager
Nordstrom Rack
Bound Brook, New Jersey
02.2026 - Current
- Trained associates on selling standards, fitting room service, and product knowledge to improve customer engagement.
- Supported sales floor operations at Nordstrom Rack, enhancing the customer service experience.
- Managed merchandise recovery and maintained consistent visual presentation across departments.
- Monitored POS activity and supported cashiers during peak traffic to ensure seamless transactions.
- Streamlined the price check process with use of Google Lens technology
Visual Merchandising Manager
Banana Republic
11.2023 - 03.2026
- Executed visual storytelling through strategic mannequin styling, window displays, and floor layouts, enhancing customer engagement. Managed team of 15 and led customer relations initiatives, resulting in improved satisfaction scores.
- Boosted in-store foot traffic by 30% within a three-month period through targeted customer engagement outreach campaigns
- Coordinated 5 private styling events featuring curated capsule collections, resulting in 25% increase in foot traffic.
- Executed weekly outreach campaigns to 65+ VIP clients, securing RSVPs for exclusive styling experiences and fostering customer loyalty.
Client Communications Coordinator
Healthfirst
11.2022 - 05.2024
- Functioned as a strategic communications liaison for medical provider offices, coordinating high-volume record retrieval to facilitate accurate service verification. Recognized as a product knowledge expert adept at optimizing and streamlining operational workflows.
- Coordinated daily with external providers to ensure timely retrieval of critical records, meeting all project milestones.
- Streamlined project management practices, reducing delivery times for critical communications by 20%.
- Led monthly team meetings as primary product expert, aligning departments on objectives for new launches.
- Created team-building initiatives with leadership, including product-knowledge trivia event to improve internal alignment.
Project Communications Associate
L'Oreal USA
11.2019 - 05.2020
- Coordinated global production centers in France and Mexico, ensuring 100% on-time project delivery aligned with launch timelines.
- Synchronized cross-functional teams (Marketing, Packaging, Lab) by translating bi-weekly reviews into critical path schedules to prevent launch delays.
- Advanced organizational and project management capabilities by leveraging meticulous documentation and coordinating professional development events to enhance team skills.
- Managed intern professional development, executing volunteer events, executive speaker sessions, and facility tours to foster skill development and professional growth.
Education
B.A. - Public Relations, English
Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ05-2019
Skills
- Visual Merchandising
- Customer Engagement
- Inventory Management
- Time Management
- Microsoft Office
- Strategic Communication
- Complex Problem Solving
- Group Management
- Market Research
- Concept Development
- Skill Coaching
- Interpersonal Communication
Projects
Paint & Sip Instructor (2020-2023), Conducted and instructed virtual and in-person paint & sip events for 10+ participants
Internships
- Marketing Assistant, Rutgers University: Newark, NJ (2019)
- Public Relations Intern, 3E Public Relations: Montville, NJ (2018)
- Content Manager, Michelle Burroughs Realty (2019-2022)
Certification
- NJ Instructional Substitute
Affiliations
- Host of Paint & Sip Events (2020-2024)
Timeline
Sales Floor Manager
Nordstrom Rack
02.2026 - Current
Visual Merchandising Manager
Banana Republic
11.2023 - 03.2026
Client Communications Coordinator
Healthfirst
11.2022 - 05.2024
Project Communications Associate
L'Oreal USA
11.2019 - 05.2020
B.A. - Public Relations, English
Montclair State University