Paul Vousden

Exceptionally organized researcher, with a wealth of academic, retail and warehouse experience, including management roles.  Currently searching for a final challenge to support art practice. 

Education 

29th Sept 2015– 25th April 2022 Philosophy PhD candidate at the University of the Arts London

Created and controlled a self-funded research project, which explored to what extent Edmund Burke’s Philosophical Enquiry (1757-9) can be used as an applied methodology in the production of contemporary landscape depiction.  I produced a body of original research, which showed an ability to meticulously explore an eighteenth-century aesthetic, moral and ethical argument, and demonstrate its relationship to contemporary realities.  Implicit in my research were a range of management skills including controlling a research budget, liaising effectively with academic staff, presenting my findings to academic audiences, and developing an innovative contribution to knowledge.  During this project, I repeatedly delivered my findings in a timely fashion and to a doctoral standard.  References available on request.

2014 Master’s Degree with Distinction, Fine Art

2012 Batchelor of the Arts, First Class, Fine Art

Other Qualifications:

1991 NVQ level 2 bricklaying.  1996 NVQ level 3 information technology.  1985 HND promotional graphics.  1983 Degree foundation pass.  4 x A levels. 8 x O levels.  Sales Achievement Certifications, various.

Work Experience

18th August 2007 – 20th September 2009   

Applied for three jobs per week.  Empirical evidence, informed by market conditions, indicated I would be unable to return to retail at management level.  Began exploring other options.

1st August 2003 - 17th August 2007 Evesham Technology Retail Branch Manager

Responsible for promotion of the Evesham’s range of personal computers within Norwich and Norfolk, customer care, staff recruitment at branch level, training and career development. 

Staff and sales development: Several of my staff became senior salespersons or managers at other stores.  During the financial year 2006-7 I achieved a 30% year on year increase in my store’s sales.  This increase was made possible by my ability to hold together a small group of employees whilst other branches, and the wider company, experienced dramatic reductions in sales and staff losses.

Branch administration:  Responsible for setting and achieving branch sales targets and the production of weekly and monthly reports to my area manager.  My stock control was exceptional and resulted in the achievement of a perfect audit result, (a rare achievement within Evesham retail), in 2007.  The audit, my organizational ability and chairing of several managers’ meetings during 2006-7 led to me being offered the unique opportunity to run two stores simultaneously.

Networking: I successfully used cold calling and networking techniques to implement the government’s home computing initiative.  In a league of 19 retail outlets, my branch achieved sales, which were surpassed only by the much larger Birmingham store.

Customer care: because of the nature of I.T.  Retail I was often required to deal with the emotional ‘fallout’ created by faulty goods or delivery supply problems.  I became effective as a diffuser of tension and on several occasions turned poor customer experiences into positive outcomes, which resulted in repeat custom and unexpected friendships.

1st October 2002 - 31st July 2003Evesham Technology Retail Assistant Manager

Supported manager within Norwich branch and took lead in ensuring sales targets were met. Responsible for all administrative tasks whilst manager was absent.

1st September 2000- 30th September 2002 Evesham Technology Sales Advisor 

Head hunted by Evesham Tech thanks to Linda Redmond (director at Software Warehouse).  Sold computers and software to customers. Consistently achieved top sales at branch after 2001.  After 2002 I was also given stock control duties.

30th August 1997- 8th August 2000 Software Warehouse Sales Advisor

Sales advisor. Responsible for customer service and achieving personal sales targets.  Invented a simple system for keeping track of customer software reservations.  Also became responsible for driving Apple Mac software and hardware initiative at store level.  This initiative was eventually adopted company wide.

1985 -1997 Summary of Job Roles 

Worked as a part-time illustrator.  Obtained a few small commissions and card sales.  Became a client of Vicki Thomas Associates illustration agency.  Also worked as a warehouse worker and van driver for John Menzies in Ipswich, Yarmouth and Woking.  Promoted to Sunday newspaper Pack Foreman and Newspaper Manager at Woking branch.  Organised and managed approximately 90 Sunday packs.  My first job was as a Litter Picker, Sheep Dipper and Sedge Cutter at Roydon Fen Suffolk.

Awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2022