- Marathon running: Completed 5 full marathons
- Golf: Avid golfer and member of local ladies league
- Youth sports leadership: Volunteer cross country coach at Olympia sports camp; hockey team manager; recognized as Coaching Staff of the Year in 2025
- Costume design: Transform and repurpose everyday materials into creative costumes
SARA WARD-PAIGE
Midhurst,Canada
Summary
Creative and dynamic professional with over 15 years experience in process analysis, process optimization, and business planning. Combines entrepreneurial experience as the founder of a fashion company with years as a Sr. Business Analyst, bringing a unique ability to align financial and business driven strategies with creative solutions that support innovative growth. Known for strong collaboration skills with cross-functional teams delivering data-driven insights that help fuel strategies and uncover opportunities. Thrives in a fast paced work environment with changing business needs.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Sr Programs Process Specialist
Hydro One
11.2011 - 07.2025
- Financial planning, budgeting and forecasting for a 30 million dollar program
- Established processes for a newly formed group known as the Distribution Damage Prevention Team
- Chair of the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) Events and Communications Committee
- Chair of the Ontario West geographic council
- Member of the Locate Alliance Consortium (LAC) Steering Committee
- Received ORCGA 2023 Member of the Year Award
- 2024 Nominee for Hydro One Presidents award in the category of Strategic Excellence - Customers
- Created and implemented reporting that were adopted as the standard for other programs
- Analyzed and interpreted data to inform business decisions resulting in improved reporting and cost savings
- Conducted detailed variance and trend analysis on a monthly basis, justifying any deviances from budget
- Negotiated and managed service agreements with 3rd party vendors and suppliers
- Projected 5 year outlook to the corporate business plan
- Created and delivered presentations, reports and dashboards for senior leadership
- Worked with many cross-functional stakeholders both inside and outside Hydro One (finance, field operations, corporate communications, government regulators and 3rd party vendors) creating various processes to improve reporting and establish seamless communication
- Trained team member on internal processes and reporting
Owner/Fashion Designer
Tryd&True
01.2006 - 12.2011
- Founded and built a contemporary women's fashion brand specializing in functional, and versatile apparel
- Developed a 5 year strategic business plan resulting in venture capital from Business Development Canada
- Managed the brand from concept to market, continuously enhancing product offerings each season
- Created marketing and sales materials that effectively communicated the themes of the collections and helped define the brand
- Built and executed financial strategies for inventory planning, pricing strategies and wholesale vendor management
- Managed supply chain costs balancing design details with financial discipline
- Technical designer for 7 seasonal collections (25-30 pieces)
- Drove wholesale growth by representing brand at the MAGIC trade show in Vegas
- Launched domestic manufacturing in Canada and strategically scaled operations by outsourcing a portion overseas, balancing cost efficiency with quality control
- Supervised and mentored co-op students providing guidance on developing skills in design, operations and business planning
Education
Certificate - Product Management
York University - School of Continuing Studies
Toronto03-2026
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) - Marketing
Queens University
Kingston, ON05-2002
Diploma - Fashion Design
International Academy of Design And Technology
Toronto, ON04-2005
Skills
- Strong business acumen
- Clear communicator
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Data-informed strategist
- Cross-functional collaborator
- Empathetic leader
- Critical thinker
- Strategic planning
- Aspiring product management professional
Interests
Timeline
Sr Programs Process Specialist
Hydro One
11.2011 - 07.2025
Owner/Fashion Designer
Tryd&True
01.2006 - 12.2011
Certificate - Product Management
York University - School of Continuing Studies
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) - Marketing
Queens University
Diploma - Fashion Design
International Academy of Design And Technology