Stephen Looney

Experience

• 

  B&Q

  Sept 2000 - Oct 2006

  Store Manager

  Duties/Responsibilities/Achievements • Co-ordinated new store project from the initial pre-site planning to the very successful opening of the company's first store in Ireland.• Interviewed, screened and shortlisted candidates for various senior roles• Developed contractor relationships via on-site visits • Co-ordinated mass recruitment and induction events• Delivered excellent opening merchandising standards and stock procedures• Delivering all cost control budgets• Sales Kpi management Show less

• 

  Next Group PLC

  Sept 2005 - Oct 2006

  Commercial Manager

  Duties/Responsibilities/Achievements • Implemented the closure of the older store and co-ordinating the new flagship store opening• Delivered excellent opening merchandising standards and stock procedures• Sales Kpi management• Ensured compliance of all store legislation and operations• Delivering all cost control budgets• Recruitment, training, development and payroll of all personnel• Delivered a stock shrinkage result under budget • Ensuring excellent service to both internal and external customers Show less

• 

  Boots Ireland

  Oct 2010 - now

  My key accountabilities are loss, safety and operational processes across ROI, as well as successfully implementing new initiatives. Results are delivered through effective communication, by challenging stakeholders, developing capability and holding the tension in stores to deliver the operational agenda in Ireland.Loss• Leads an expert team to provide coaching and guidance to store teams in incident management and areas of loss i.e. burglary, cash loss, stock take preparation. • A catalyst for the safe and fair deployment of security investment across the region including guarding/security hardware.• Provides the central loss team with timely loss insights from the stores to inform company strategy.• When required, carries out store and corporate investigations to identify colleague and customer cash and stock loss, fraud and theft.People safety• Leads and completes the defined number of objective and independent legal and regulatory store compliance audits • Tracks trends through the team and suggests appropriate improvement to the business to highlight where a capability intervention may be required either locally or nationally.• Interacts with our external stakeholders to help them understand our focus on standards and due diligence.Operations • Leads and supports stores to understand the importance of company operational processes in delivering a world class operational platform in stores.• Partners stores and the field teams to create timely actions to maximise the processes in stores to deliver a world class operation. Implementation• Leads the implementation of store projects to a high standard • Networks with stakeholders to resolve issues• Ensures stores are in a great position to deliver the return on the investment, with everything they need to maximise the opportunities of any change. Show less Duties/Responsibilities/Achievements • Engage and challenge area and store teams to improve KPIs across Store Standards, On shelf Availability, Stock Loss and Compliance• Oversee and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of Support Services (Operations, maintenance, IT and distribution)• Manage and coordinate all communication between support and stores functions.• Coordinate and support activities of category departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, and distribution of products.• Deliver Operational Change Programmes across the region, making sure store interventions go smoothly and according to plan.• Deliver outstanding customer service by liaising with category and stores to meet and exceed expectations Show less Duties/Responsibilities/Achievements • Was instrumental in Boots Ireland becoming the first retailer to be awarded the Business Working Responsibly Mark • Awarded Best Corporate Charity Partnership with The Irish Cancer Society at the 2014 fundraising awards• Working in partnership with community groups and charity partners• Co-ordinating volunteer activities and events, drumming up support and persuading employee participation • Presenting to CSR stakeholders, selling the business case of a CSR programme • Negotiating and overseeing sponsorship deals and other educational or environmental partnerships • Promoting activities undertaken, both to the media and to other stakeholders • Measuring the uptake and outcomes of CSR campaigns • Coordinating the Boots national employee forum• Lead role in the trade union negotiating team Show less Duties/Responsibilities/Achievements • Sales Kpi management• Delivering all cost control budgets• Delivered a stock shrinkage result under budget • Delivered excellent merchandising standards and stock procedures• Delivered a “Great place to work” staff satisfaction survey of 93%.• Ensured compliance of all store legislation and operations• Recruitment, training, development and payroll of all personnel• Handled disciplinary, grievance and employee appeal issues for the Dublin area.• Area manager holiday cover and support role Show less

  • Reward Manager

    Jun 2023 - now

  • General Manager

    Nov 2018 - Jul 2023

  • Store Operations Support Manager

    Feb 2016 - Oct 2018

  • ROI Trading Operations & Store Communications Manager

    Sept 2014 - Feb 2016

  • Corporate Responsibility & Engagement Manager

    Mar 2012 - Sept 2014

  • Store Manager

    Oct 2006 - Mar 2012

  • HR Project Manager

    Oct 2010 - Oct 2011