Maria Spear

Experience

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  Disneyland Resort

  Aug 2009 - Oct 2012

  Parade Performer and Special Events Team Performer

  • Involved in atmosphere work, parades, shows, and special events throughout the entire resort to include:Celebrate! A Street Party, Disney’s Electrical Parade, Fantasmic!, A Christmas Fantasy, Mickey’sSoundsational Parade, Mickey’s Toon Town Morning Madness, Minnie’s Fly Girls, and Phineas andFerb’s Rockin’ Rollin’ Dance Party.• Performed taught choreography at high levels of energy while remaining true to the character or role invarious shows, parades, and events.• Utilized strong animation skills during performances while maintaining and representing the image andbrand of The Walt Disney Company. Show less

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  Feld Entertainment

  Oct 2012 - Apr 2015

  Performer and Media Mentor, Disney Live!

  • Performer for Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival and Disney Live! Three Classic Fairytales that touredboth domestically and internationally.• Involved in both domestic and international Public Relations events as a performer including: meet and greets, special events, television performances, and interviews for radio, print, and television.• Assisted the Performance Director with coordinating and carrying out media events.• Served as a mentor to new hires by briefing them on the Disney Live! brand, the Do’s and Don’ts of PR, and working with the media prior to and following media training.• Provided ongoing support and feedback to performers regarding interviews, including reviewing clips with performers and helping to prepare them for upcoming interviews.• Served as a back up to the Performance Director when multiple media events are scheduled. Show less

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  Flight Centre Travel Group, The Americas

  Jul 2015 - Sept 2020

  • Collaborated closely with the Team Leader to manage and motivate a team of 30 consultants in a virtual sales call center. • Successfully navigated the transition from multiple smaller teams to one large cohesive team.• Implemented effective coaching strategies, conducting monthly call evaluations to identify individual strengths and areas for improvement. • Utilized performance data to develop customized action plans for each team member, resulting in continuous performance growth.• Proactively monitored phone queues to manage inbound call volume, reducing customer wait times and enhancing the overall customer experience. Show less • Provided mentorship, training, and coaching to a team of consultants through weekly group sessions and one-on-one meetings twice a month. This resulted in a significant 4% increase in overall commission earnings for the team.• Motivated and inspired a team of 7 consultants by conducting weekly business meetings, instilling a clear vision, and fostering belief in their abilities to drive growth. This strategic approach led to a remarkable 5% increase in store sales.• Led successful initiatives to expand the customer base and fortify relationships with existing customers by skillfully organizing and executing impactful local store marketing events. These events were strategically held both in-store and off-site, resulting in a remarkable improvement in customer retention and acquisition.• Effectively communicated the company's goals and initiatives to team members, ensuring alignment and understanding throughout the team.• Proactively monitored key performance metrics of the sales team, promptly identifying challenges, and creating innovative solutions to provide clear focus and direction for the team.• Maintained exceptional customer service quality and standards for the team, fostering a positive customer experience and enhancing the store’s reputation. Show less • Developed and implemented sales strategies.• Conducted regular performance reviews, set goals, and provided ongoing coaching to maximize team efficiency and effectiveness.• Collaborated with the sales team to identify new business opportunities and enhance client relationships.• Oversaw the recruitment and training of new team members, ensuring a smooth onboarding process.• Handled escalated customer issues and complaints, resolving them promptly to maintain customer satisfaction. Show less

  • Assistant Team Leader, GOGO Vacations

    Feb 2020 - Sept 2020

  • Team Leader, Liberty Travel

    Jul 2018 - Feb 2020

  • Regional Assistant Team Leader, Liberty Travel

    Jan 2018 - Jul 2018

  • Assistant Team Leader, Liberty Travel

    Dec 2016 - Jan 2018

  • Travel Consultant, Liberty Travel

    Jul 2015 - Dec 2016
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  Flight Centre Travel Group, The Americas

  Apr 2021 - Feb 2024

  • Previously served as Interim Director of Marketing, provided strategic leadership in fostering collaborative marketing campaigns with preferred product partners, driving synergies that amplified our brand presence and market impact.• Oversaw a team of 5 marketing professionals, provided leadership, mentorship, and guidance to achieve team goals.• Continuously optimized the strategic utilization of the existing Wrike project management platform, enhancing team collaboration and project efficiency by 20%.• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to launch successful product campaigns, including coordinating product launches, promotions, and events.• Created and executed compelling content for campaigns, blogs, social media, email, paid search, paid social, and website catering to the distinct needs and preferences of B2C, B2B, and B2B2C audiences.• Provided comprehensive social media planning, including content calendars, campaign scheduling, and audience engagement strategies, tailored to resonate with diverse target demographics across the B2C, B2B, and B2B2C sectors. Show less • Selected and managed travel products and packages for the company’s website to showcase offerings effectively and ensured they aligned with business objectives.• Maintained the online product catalog, ensuring accurate product information, appealing imagery, and persuasive product descriptions to improve customer engagement.• Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including marketing and global land supply, to plan and execute promotional campaigns and seasonal offers.• Developed and delivered comprehensive product training programs for sales teams, enabling them to effectively communicate product features and benefits to customers.• Created engaging training materials, including product documentation, presentations, e-learning modules, and interactive webinars, to cater to diverse learning styles. • Collaborated with global land supply and preferred partners to ensure training content was up-to-date and aligned with our overall business strategies. Show less • Played a key role in the development of Liberty Travel's call center operations, focusing on selling Get Carried Away Packages with the integration of the Holiday Package workflow in Helio.• Actively participated in the project team responsible for designing the product line and executing the Get Carried Away Call Center Proof of Concept.• Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including brand leadership, marketing, product, technology, and CRM teams, to develop and implement the project plan effectively.• Streamlined the sales and post-booking process by leveraging our CRM system, leading to improved efficiency, enhanced customer experiences, and reduced team member errors.• Innovated a process within the team that utilized our CRM system as an effective avenue for relaying and reporting customer-specific information to other team members.• Designed, implemented, and measured call center sales processes to optimize performance and deliver exceptional customer service.• Achieved significant productivity gains compared to traditional Liberty Travel consultants, increasing average leads handled per consultant by 200% and average quotes created per consultant in Helio by 75%. Show less • Collaborated closely with the Network Manager to drive sales growth and improve performance within the network.• Thrived in a fast-paced and dynamic team environment, adapting quickly to evolving business needs.• Conducted one-on-one sessions with consultants, providing valuable feedback on coaching and support to enhance productivity and performance.• Implemented a structured time-blocking process to efficiently manage the increased customer inquiries post-COVID, resulting in improved organization and productivity.• Introduced daily check-ins with team members to address concerns and reduce employee burnout, fostering a positive work environment.• Recommended optimizing morning meetings by creating smaller, more personalized sessions, enhancing individual attention and team engagement.• Successfully resolved customer complaints related to sales and service, ensuring customer satisfaction and retention. Show less

  • Marketing Manager, Liberty Travel and Independent by Liberty Travel

    Aug 2023 - Feb 2024

  • Product Manager and Website Merchandiser, Liberty Travel and Independent by Liberty Travel

    Mar 2023 - Aug 2023

  • Call Center Manager, Get Carried Away by Liberty Travel

    Nov 2021 - Mar 2023

  • Assistant Network Manager, Liberty Travel

    Apr 2021 - Nov 2021
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  Liberty Travel

  Mar 2024 - now

  Marketing Manager