Ashley Thompson
Whistler,Canada
Summary
With 20 years of experience in hospitality and production management, and customer service, I bring a strong foundation in ethical leadership and improving team operations. My background includes proven success in production oversight, team development, and performance management. I am currently pursuing formal education in Human Resources Management, and am eager to apply my leadership expertise to a career focused on employee engagement, recruitment, and building happier workplaces.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Manager
Fresh Street Market
01.2023 - Current
- Assisted in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding of new employees to maintain adequate staffing levels in extreme fluctuating business levels.
- Mentored staff, enhancing team performance through targeted training and support.
- Collaborated with the management team to develop strategic plans for sales growth and workplace improvements.
- Addressed customer inquiries and concerns, fostering positive relationships and loyalty.
- Supervised day-to-day operations to meet performance, quality and service expectations.
- Completed regular inventory counts to verify stock levels, address discrepancies, and forecast future needs.
- Manage ordering and inventory to ensure gross profit margin targets are met weekly and monthly.
- Reduced waste and pursued revenue development strategies to keep department aligned with sales and profit targets.
Chef/Production Manager
Signé Toqué Group
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Coordinated resource allocation/ordering to meet production demands, minimizing waste, maximizing profit margin.
- Managed multiple projects concurrently, ensuring timely completion and meeting time constraints.
- Managed internal operational standards and productivity targets.
- Delivered direct feedback to senior management regarding project progress.
- Estimated labor requirements to meet seasonal project deadlines.
- Overseeing quality control, checks at every production stage.
- Enhanced employee satisfaction and retention by developing supportive and inclusive work environment.
- Fostered culture of continuous improvement, encouraging innovation and problem-solving among team members, as well as being an embassador for ethical behaviour in the workplace.
- Coordinated with other departments to align production with customer requirements, constant new menu implementation, etc.
Production Manager/Admin
Soma Chocolatemaker
01.2017 - 04.2018
- Oversaw production scheduling to optimize workflow and meet project targets for very large seasonal projects.
- Led cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency and communication across multiple business locations.
- Managed inventory levels, ensuring availability of materials while minimizing excess stock.
- Coordinated with suppliers to maintain timely delivery of ingredients and packaging materials for large scale projects.
- Resolved issues quickly to maintain productivity goals and both employee and customer satisfaction.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging open communication between team members and regularly soliciting feedback on operational procedures.
- Research and development participation on a regular basis, and facilitating meetings to discuss new ideas/innovations.
- Created streamlined production schedules and collaborated with production employees to communicate objectives and deadlines.
- Partnered with leadership on recruiting, hiring and coaching production personnel.
- Coordinated with sales and marketing departments to align production schedules with demand forecasts.
- Mentored junior staff members on best practices in production management, cultivating a skilled workforce capable of tackling complex challenges in a high pressure environment.
- Evaluated employee performance and provided feedback and training as needed.
- Enforced health and safety protocols to promote safe working environment.
- Estimated labor requirements to support anticipated workload.
Department Head (Pastry Sous Chef)
Four Seasons Hotel
01.2012 - 01.2016
- Ten years overall experience with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in three different locations.
- Directed departmental operations to enhance guest and employee satisfaction and service quality.
- Mentored and developed team members to foster a high-performance work culture.
- Enforced organizational rules and incorporated policy changes into departments' day-to-day activities.
- Promoted a positive work environment by fostering teamwork, open communication, and recognition of accomplishments among employees.
- Mentored junior team members, providing guidance and support to foster professional growth and success.
- Served as a liaison between the department and other divisions within the company, facilitating strong working relationships that contributed to successful projects.
- Evaluated performance continuously to identify areas in need of improvement and implement strategies to keep team on-track in fluctuating business levels throughout the year.
- Led regular meetings with team leaders and front-line staff to convey important operational information and new targets.
- Ensured compliance with industry regulations by implementing and enforcing policies and procedures within the department.
- Recruitment and weekly scheduling based on business levels, etc
Education
Human Resources Management Certificate
York University
Toronto03-2027
User Experience Design Certificate
York University
Toronto10-2024
Culinary Arts
Thompson Rivers University
Kamloops05-2006
Skills
- 20 years of experience in customer service and employee management
- Have lived and worked in multiple provinces and outside of the country, diverse experience
- Adaptive and quick to learn new systems and methods
- Excellent time management with a high volume of tasks
- Ability to manage teams and projects successfully and with confidence in high pressure environments
- Long and short term planning, and exceptional organization
- High level of self awareness and interest in human psychology
- Excellent conflict resolution skills, received Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Management training
- Values accessibility, inclusivity, and respect above all else
- Strong self-director with the ability to work well unsupervised and self-motivated
- Values personal and professional growth, and seeks opportunities to achieve this for self and others
Languages
English
Timeline
Assistant Manager
Fresh Street Market
01.2023 - Current
Chef/Production Manager
Signé Toqué Group
01.2019 - 01.2022
Production Manager/Admin
Soma Chocolatemaker
01.2017 - 04.2018
Department Head (Pastry Sous Chef)
Four Seasons Hotel
01.2012 - 01.2016
Human Resources Management Certificate
York University
User Experience Design Certificate
York University
Culinary Arts
Thompson Rivers University