Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Nicole Ward

Saint Paul,MN

Summary

Dynamic leader with over 10 years of experience in strategy planning within sales and marketing leadership roles, demonstrating a consistent track record of growth. Performance-driven with expertise in maximizing resource utilization to support scalable operations and enhance profitability. Strong organizational skills combined with leadership abilities foster effective cross-functional collaboration and relationship-building with executive leadership and teams. Committed to driving business impact through innovative solutions and talent development.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Assistant Store Manager

Evereve
Woodbury, MN
11.2023 - Current
  • Partner with the Store Manager to lead a diverse team of stylists, visual merchandisers, and inventory specialists.
  • Train and coach team members to ensure a continuous delivery of top-tier customer service.
  • Responsible for brand and product education for both employees and customers.
  • Evaluate sales activity reports for productivity metrics to find gaps in performance, and increase sales goals.
  • Implemented best practices and strategies to increase annual sales by 25% over the previous year, exceeding sales plan 10 of the last 12 months.

Visual Merchandiser

Evereve
Woodbury, MN
06.2023 - 11.2023
  • Developed creative visual displays to showcase products and attract customers.
  • Analyzed sales data to identify high-performing products and adjust visual strategies to increase underperforming categories.
  • Trained retail staff on visual merchandising standards and practices to ensure store-wide consistency.
  • Inspected existing displays regularly to ensure they were up to company standards.
  • Ensured all signage was up-to-date and accurately reflected current promotions.
  • Restocked shelves with current merchandise in attractive displays to promote sales.

Sales Enablement Manager

Stout Risius Ross
Eagan, MN
08.2022 - 05.2023
  • Stood up the Sales Enablement function to assist with business growth goals and strategies to grow revenue by nearly $300 million over the next 8 years.
  • Implemented processes and procedures for various business development objectives such as sales playbooks and internal one-page overview documents to educate Business Development professionals.
  • Increased productivity between Marketing and Business Development by assessing available resources and needs across both departments.
  • Launched the Account Leadership program to scale relationships with key client accounts.
  • Assisted in launching an internal collaboration effort to increase speed to trust between colleagues, to effectively cross-sell each other's services, and to achieve revenue goals, leading to an increase in cross-sold dollars by 20% ahead of the prior year.
  • Provided expertise on best practices for business development introductions, proposals, and pitches.
  • Created best practice documents for business development professionals, such as how to create an elevator pitch, best practices for client outreach, and how to prepare for a business development meeting.

Head of Marketing and Sales Support

Equiniti Trust Company
Mendota Heights, MN
06.2021 - 06.2022
  • Managed the Marketing and Sales Enablement Team for the U.S. division of EQ while staying aligned with the Chief Customer Office in the U.K. to ensure brand and strategy consistency.
  • Implemented creative sales and marketing strategies to assist the sales team with reaching targets, leading to a 500% increase in sales directly sourced by marketing campaigns, contributing to a total of $13 million in closed revenue in 2021.
  • Trained new and existing team members to optimize marketing performance and learn the industry to save 2-4 hours on each RFP or creative project by streamlining processes, handoffs, and sign-offs.
  • Directed market research to identify competitor digital strategies and content themes, leading to increased web traffic click-through rates.
  • Developed and implemented digital marketing plans, incorporating SEO, social media platforms, and video campaigns, leading to a number one placement in Google search results.
  • Used trends in customer industries and marketplaces to shape solutions and refine the sales support approach, increasing the bid win rate by 300%.
  • Created and launched enhanced content strategies, improving engagement with current and prospective clients, resulting in increased downloads and article viewership by 25%.
  • Reduced process lags by continually refining the approach, processes, and collaboration across the team and business, always encouraging the seeking out of best practices to ensure optimal productivity.

Sales Enablement Manager

Equiniti Trust Company
Mendota Heights, MN
12.2018 - 06.2021
  • Oversaw a team of content writers focused on creating 35+ proposals and RFPs annually, consisting of high-quality, informative, consistent brand messaging specific to prospective client needs while strategically illustrating connections and similarities of our brand to the buyer's brand.
  • Worked closely with Creative Team to develop engaging collateral focused on concept and messaging.
  • Spearheaded sales strategy meetings with sales, division president, operations, and finance to collaborate on client-specific win themes to drive growth and increase win rates 300%.
  • Created presentation materials for sales, relationship managers, and executives to assist in industry speaking engagements and client meetings.
  • Developed unique proposal designs and campaigns to drive company forward in the industry by transforming written responses into infographics and visual formats easier to understand and digest.
  • Served as key contributor in all phases of concept design for website re-write and revisions, collaborating with key strategists to increase quality of final content and overall experience.
  • Managed all aspects of copy review and editing, including guidance and oversight of production to produce best possible content.

Solutions Architect

Equiniti Trust Company (formerly Wells Fargo)
Mendota Heights, MN
01.2016 - 12.2018
  • Negotiated and reviewed all new business contracts to ensure Equiniti's ability to fully deliver on technology, processes, and people to meet client expectations.
  • Managed work according to tight project timelines and high quality standards.
  • Played a key role in creating unique marketing proposal presentations and RFP responses for existing and prospective clients by linking knowledge of Equiniti's operational processes, procedures, and regulations with prospective client needs and requests.
  • Partnered with team members across the business to optimize processes and expand capabilities and meet specific and unique needs of clients.
  • Partnered with sales representatives during customer consultations to build customer relations and promote value proposition.
  • Maximized branding initiatives by preparing marketing packages and advertising collateral to secure prospects and increase sales 25%.

Conversion Coordinator

Wells Fargo & Company
Mendota Heights, MN
02.2011 - 01.2016
  • Managed client relationships through the onboarding process, linking the client experience from the sales representative to the ongoing relationship manager.
  • Oversaw operational and back office implementation to ensure a seamless transition for client and their shareholders.
  • Maintained quality-focused performance benchmarks and schedules when leading implementation teams to ensure a successful go-live.
  • Built partnerships with product management, product support, product technology, sales, finance, and operations teams to implement best practices and streamline new client implementation.
  • Created sales RFP responses related to new business and onboarding of new clients.

Lead Bank Teller

Wells Fargo & Company
Inver Grove Heights, MN
10.2007 - 02.2011
  • Maintained optimal financial controls by securing funds and making accurate transactions.
  • Completed monthly audits and managed overdraft reports.
  • Warmly welcomed customers and offered pleasant service during entire transaction, ensuring service standards were upheld.

Education

Associate of Arts -

Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Minneapolis, MN

High School Diploma -

Saint Francis High School
Saint Francis, MN

Skills

  • Inspirational leader, team player, and collaborator
  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills
  • Well-organized multi-tasker with meticulous attention to detail
  • Excellent problem solver focused on end results
  • Flexible and adaptable, always seeking ways to improve
  • Strong strategic and decision-making skills

Timeline

Assistant Store Manager

Evereve
11.2023 - Current

Visual Merchandiser

Evereve
06.2023 - 11.2023

Sales Enablement Manager

Stout Risius Ross
08.2022 - 05.2023

Head of Marketing and Sales Support

Equiniti Trust Company
06.2021 - 06.2022

Sales Enablement Manager

Equiniti Trust Company
12.2018 - 06.2021

Solutions Architect

Equiniti Trust Company (formerly Wells Fargo)
01.2016 - 12.2018

Conversion Coordinator

Wells Fargo & Company
02.2011 - 01.2016

Lead Bank Teller

Wells Fargo & Company
10.2007 - 02.2011

Associate of Arts -

Anoka-Ramsey Community College

High School Diploma -

Saint Francis High School

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Nicole Ward