Tarah Shields
Freeburg,IL
Summary
Take-charge professional delivering executive support and team leadership to business operations. Dependable and detail-oriented to manage multiple tasks and priorities. Broad experience includes office management, accounting, accounts receivable, invoicing, dispatching, database management, vendor negotiations and contract management. Recognized for exemplary customer service and team collaboration.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Business Navigation Operations Manager
IKEA US
St. Louis, MO
02.2021 - Current
- Lead the store Business Plan process together with the store manager and management team and proactively working with local market data to understand people’s life at home and our customers experience in our different touch points to provide relevant insight
- Drive and coordinate the financial business planning process and secure that the financial dimensions are aligned with the store challenges and priorities while involving and creating commitment among stakeholders when setting goals
- Together with the commercial team identify commercial opportunities and promote the use of business case thinking when evaluating and acting on these
- Having the full understanding of the Profit & Loss for the store and steer actions to provide a store in shape as new, reducing costs and considering all impact on the P&L
- Follow up the result and create forecasts and (if needed) activate scenario plans
- Optimize and develop the store results and performance continuously by implementing best practices, using close the gap to identify opportunities and follow-up benchmarks KPIs
- Provide relevant, user-friendly business information, promoting standardized reporting and securing competence in the organization to allow for analysis and understanding of performance to make optimal business decisions
- Secure that all investments are done with a proper analysis or business ROI considering all aspect of the different projects Ensure payroll guidelines align with staff costs and financial guidelines
- Lead and develop leaders and teams in the areas of responsibility of the BNO function
- Identify and develop talents and secure succession planning
- Provide a safe, secure and compliant environment for our customers, suppliers and co-workers
- Secure implementation of relevant rules and guidelines in the areas of Risk and compliance, cash administration routines, accounting rules etc
- I am seen by co-workers in all functions as an approachable, trustworthy and knowledgeable speaking partner who leads by example and taking a multidimensional approach to steering the business.
Customer Service Manager
IKEA US
St. Louis, MO
11.2017 - 02.2021
- Manages the Customer Service Team in order to ensure that co-workers are available and ready to help by putting customers before work tasks
- Oversees and ensures daily operations are completed according to processes and routines within payment, after sales, and home deliver
- Monitors performance against agreed goals, adapting and taking action when required and analyzing customer concerns, KPIs and root cause analysis to make future improvements
- Provides input to Field regarding HD capacity, pricing and forecast requirements and needs for the location within the service products area, provider performance, and service provider challenges to the Field Customer Experience Advisor
- Ensures payroll accuracy for all employees
- Creates a customer-centric environment within the team that leads with empathy and empowers co-workers to act quickly and make decisions to resolve issues, create happy customers, and ensure co-workers are recognized for exemplary service to customers (HUTI, etc.)
- Handles escalated customer issues that cannot be resolved at a co-worker level
- Ensures a smooth customer flow in front of customer checkout area and provides and implements IKEA’s returns policy
- Lives the IKEA values and nurtures a strong IKEA culture that inspires and empowers co-workers to extraordinary achievements
- Understands and recognizes co-worker contribution.
Staff Planning Coordinator
IKEA US
St. Louis, MO
05.2015 - 11.2017
- Identified improvements in the staff planning process while respecting the agreed financial hour budget
- Managed the daily reforecasting to meet the business needs as well as administered tasks associated with timekeeping, payroll, and creations of schedules of over 200+ employees
- Kronos systems
- Partnered with store management team to develop strong relationships on more efficient ways of working throughout the store
- Lead interdependent meetings to align processes around scheduling and co-worker development
- Anchored the hours dimensioning tool to align with productivity, hours, co-worker mix, and budgeting goals
- Ensures IKEA’s global employment standards are being implemented and met on a regular basis
- Monitored the P&L to ensure we are achieving goals
- Partnered with key areas to produce and implement Return on Investments
- Worked with re-forecasting and budget changes
- Supported in accounting practices
- Worked interpedently to help implement the business plan, scenario planning, and business cases.
Area Manager
Crocs Retail
Hazelwood, MO
07.2008 - 05.2015
- Traveled between locations, hired, created business improvement plans, trained staff on proper procedures, inventory, payroll, scheduling, HR, LP, P&L, multi-unit management, and opened new locations.
Area Manager
Crocs Retail
Las Vegas, NV
10.2007 - 07.2008
- Traveled between locations, hired, created business improvement plans, trained staff on proper procedures, inventory, payroll, scheduling, HR, LP, P&L, multi-unit management, and opened new locations.
Manager
Crocs Retail
Fairview Heights, IL
12.2005 - 08.2007
- Payroll, scheduling, P&L, HR, LP, hiring/recruiting, training ambassadors, ordering, shipping/receiving, merchandising, and inventory.
Key Holder
Crocs Retail
Fairview Heights, IL
08.2005 - 12.2005
- Performed opening/closings of location, cash handling, inventory, sales, stocking, paperwork and achieving daily goals.
Education
Business Management/Accounting
Southwestern Illinois College
Skills
- Business Development
- Customer Service
- Financial Management
- P&L Management
- Performance Reporting
- Workflow Optimization
- Data Analysis
- Organizational Management
- Business Planning
- Inventory Management
- Process Improvement
- Cross-Functional Communications
- Performance Evaluations
- Staff Development
- Business Administration
- Operations Management
- Multi-Unit Operations Management
- Sales Background
- Contract Development
- Policies and Procedures Implementation
- Solutions Development
- Budgeting and Forecasting
- Goal Attainment
- Data Evaluation
- Cost Reduction
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Regulatory Compliance
- Staff Training
- Staff Retention
- Decision-Making
- Strategic Planning
- Invoice Processing
- Client Relationships
- Planning and Implementation
- Operational Efficiency
- High-Pressure Environments
- Problem-Solving
- Purchasing and Procurement
- Capital Investment Planning
- Staff Coordination
- Schedule Management
- Critical Thinking
- Calendar Management
- Attention to Detail
- Account Management
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Resource Planning
- Key Relationship Development
- Health and Safety Compliance
Major Coursework Skills
- Multi-Unit Management
- Scheduling
- Payroll
- Kronos scheduling
- Inventory
- Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
- Shipping/receiving
- Hiring/recruiting
- HR
- Risk & Compliance
- P&L
- Training ambassadors
- Training Management
- 8+ Store openings
- 18+ years management exp.
- Warehouse sales
- Change Oriented
- Traveling, foreign countries
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Multi-tasking
- Communication
- Goal-oriented
- Confidentiality
- Attention to Detail
- Prioritize time
- Problem solving
Awards
- MVP 2009 Market Leader Crocs St. Louis, MO
- T2 (2019) Manager of the Tertial-IKEA St. Louis
Timeline
Business Navigation Operations Manager
IKEA US
02.2021 - Current
Customer Service Manager
IKEA US
11.2017 - 02.2021
Staff Planning Coordinator
IKEA US
05.2015 - 11.2017
Area Manager
Crocs Retail
07.2008 - 05.2015
Area Manager
Crocs Retail
10.2007 - 07.2008
Manager
Crocs Retail
12.2005 - 08.2007
Key Holder
Crocs Retail
08.2005 - 12.2005
Business Management/Accounting
Southwestern Illinois College