Current Work Experience: Sports Authority Department Manager

Since December 2003 I have worked at Sports Authority and since August 2009 have been employed as the Footwear Department Manager. I started as a part-time sales associate in the apparel, footwear, and customer service departments at the Brick location, and while I attended school I worked at the Lawrenceville, NJ store.

After I graduated I became full-time and was promoted to the Footwear Merchandise Processing Lead in June. In the beginning of August I was placed in the Manager Development Program. Shortly after was when I was offered the position of Footwear Manager at the West Long Branch, NJ location. I currently work in the Brick, NJ location as the Softlines Manager, where I manage both the apparel and footwear departments.

My responsibilities as department manager include the following:

• Responsible for overseeing customer service, sales, operational functions, and merchandising within store
• Train new hires to ensure compliance with the company's selling culture as well as other corporate standards; actively coached sales associates to improve selling behaviors
• Accountable for executing the merchandising operations, upholding visual standards for the store, and driving sales within respective departments; assist customers regarding product
• Manage and develop the Merchandise & Visual team to set planograms and process merchandise in a timely manner, and ensure compliance with corporate visual and audit standards