Lara Marie Rourke, professionally associated with the name Lara La Maison, has built a career rooted in the dynamic environment of retail and e-commerce. Based in Sandbach, England, she holds dual positions: E-Commerce Manager at La Maison Gifts and full-time Stock Specialist at Selfridges. With a decade of diverse experience in the retail industry, including supervisory roles and customer-focused positions at brands like Victoria’s Secret, Schuh, and Laura Ashley, Lara exemplifies adaptability, task ownership, and performance consistency.
This article presents a detailed view of Lara’s career trajectory, highlighting her current professional roles, technical and interpersonal competencies, and approach to team leadership, goal orientation, and cross-functional collaboration.
Academic Foundation
Lara’s formal academic training took place at the University of Salford between 2015 and 2018. The university experience provided her with a structured understanding of business operations, which later translated into practical applications across her roles in retail and e-commerce. She also gained familiarity with software tools like SPSS and WordPress, which became valuable assets in her digital and stock management responsibilities.
While her academic record may appear typical for many entering the retail field, Lara’s later work demonstrates a strong application of that knowledge, particularly in stock control, data management, and web platform maintenance.
E-Commerce Manager at La Maison Gifts
Since May 2020, Lara has been working part-time as the E-Commerce Manager at La Maison Gifts, a role that demands multi-layered engagement with digital storefronts, stock accuracy, and customer service.
Responsibilities:
- Order Fulfilment and Inventory Sync: Ensuring customer orders are processed correctly and stock levels on the website match the physical inventory.
- Website Management: Updating product listings, running promotional campaigns, and ensuring user experience remains smooth across desktop and mobile platforms.
- Customer Service Focus: Managing customer queries and concerns, addressing delivery issues, and maintaining brand standards online.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Liaising with buying teams and brands to align product offerings with seasonal demands and promotional activities.
Lara’s ability to keep digital operations efficient while juggling offline demands reflects her discipline and experience-driven decision-making. Her knowledge of e-commerce platforms and general digital tools is key to ensuring consistency across all consumer touchpoints.
Stock Specialist at Selfridges
Since 2018, Lara has also worked full-time as a Stock Controller at Selfridges, one of the UK’s most well-known high-end department stores. This position plays to her strengths in logistics, coordination, and team leadership.
Key Functions:
- Stock File Accuracy: Keeping inventory records up to date through regular audits and reconciliations.
- Interdepartmental Communication: Working closely with the buying teams and brands to ensure merchandise flows smoothly between warehouse and sales floor.
- Team Oversight: Supporting recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing training of new staff.
- Audit Preparation: Conducting regular checks and reviews to comply with internal controls and external compliance.
- Problem Solving: Handling urgent issues with stock discrepancies, delivery errors, and process improvements.
Lara’s consistency in a role spanning over seven years suggests both reliability and ongoing growth. Her presence in Selfridges’ operational ecosystem gives her direct exposure to luxury retail standards, customer behavior patterns, and seasonal retail logistics.
Previous Experience: Schuh, Laura Ashley, and Victoria’s Secret
Before her current dual positions, Lara spent over five years at Schuh, initially as a Sales Associate before being promoted to Supervisor. This period helped her develop core customer service skills, people management practices, and store-level performance analysis.
She also held roles at Laura Ashley and Victoria’s Secret, where customer interaction, product knowledge, and sales-driven performance were essential.
Each of these roles contributed to her ability to work in fast-paced environments and hit key performance indicators (KPIs), which remain a motivating factor in her career today.
Skills and Technical Proficiency
Throughout her retail and e-commerce career, Lara has developed a broad skillset that blends practical, operational, and technical disciplines:
- Retail Management: From hiring to performance reviews, Lara has helped shape front-line teams.
- Stock Management Systems: Proficient in updating inventory systems, running reports, and managing reconciliation processes.
- Customer Interaction: Known for maintaining a high standard of communication while adhering to GDPR compliance.
- E-Commerce Tools: Comfortable with WordPress CMS, order management software, and product listing tools.
- Data Analysis Software: Familiarity with SPSS allows for insights into customer behavior or performance metrics, although less frequent in daily tasks.
Her emphasis on data accuracy and procedural compliance suggests a structured and organized working style. Whether managing a website backend or checking physical stockrooms, Lara approaches each responsibility with consistency and focus.
Leadership and Communication Style
In addition to technical responsibilities, Lara’s roles have involved people leadership and team development. She has been tasked with:
- Hiring new employees
- Conducting probation reviews
- Promoting team members into senior roles
Her leadership method is based on clear communication and professionalism. These qualities allow her to navigate daily operational needs while supporting longer-term team development and performance monitoring.
Whether guiding a junior team member or collaborating with buying managers, Lara ensures professional conduct and clear documentation, aligning with both internal policies and regulatory frameworks.
Physical Endurance and Personal Motivation
Outside of her work roles, Lara is also committed to personal development through physical challenges. She has completed:
- 3 Marathons
- 2 Half Marathons
- Several other sporting events over a three-year span
This commitment reveals her mental resilience and a goal-oriented mindset, which align closely with her workplace strengths. Her ability to push through demanding challenges in both her personal and professional life suggests a well-rounded approach to pressure and achievement.
Running marathons not only highlights endurance but also her ability to train with discipline, maintain routines, and finish what she starts — qualities that are evident in her long-standing roles at Selfridges and La Maison.
Time Management Across Dual Roles
Balancing a part-time e-commerce leadership role at La Maison with full-time stock control at Selfridges requires structured time allocation and prioritization. Lara’s success in managing two distinct sets of responsibilities demonstrates:
- Efficiency: Optimizing hours without compromising quality.
- Adaptability: Switching between physical retail operations and online customer experience workflows.
- Consistency: Delivering measurable results in both environments over sustained periods.
This balance isn’t easily achieved and speaks to her work ethic, task organization, and ability to navigate overlapping deadlines and expectations.
Career Outlook and Industry Relevance
Lara’s presence in two roles across digital and physical retail is indicative of where the industry is headed — an integrated retail model. As retail continues to evolve through:
- Omnichannel experiences
- Digital-first marketing
- Inventory centralization
Professionals like Lara who understand both sides of the operation will likely become increasingly valuable. Her understanding of how stock impacts both in-store and online operations provides a competitive advantage to the organizations she supports.
Furthermore, her technical fluency, communication style, and leadership experience make her a versatile contributor in retail’s transformation landscape.
Conclusion
Lara La Maison represents a modern retail professional who has built her career by embracing both traditional and digital formats of commerce. With roles at Selfridges and La Maison Gifts, she demonstrates that it is possible to maintain high performance across different workplace formats — from logistics and auditing to website management and customer service.
Her academic background, technical competencies, people management experience, and personal commitment to endurance sports show a complete picture of a highly driven individual with a clear understanding of goal-oriented work. Her story reflects how consistent effort, attention to detail, and adaptability can lead to sustained success across evolving sectors of retail.
FAQs
1. What is Lara La Maison’s current role?
She works as a part-time E-Commerce Manager at La Maison Gifts and full-time Stock Controller at Selfridges.
2. How long has Lara worked at Selfridges?
Lara has worked at Selfridges since May 2018, over seven years.
3. What platforms or tools does Lara use for her e-commerce work?
She uses WordPress, general office software, and is also knowledgeable in SPSS for data-related tasks.
4. What retail companies has Lara worked for in the past?
Her past employers include Schuh, Laura Ashley, Victoria’s Secret, and currently Selfridges and La Maison.
5. What are some of Lara’s personal achievements?
She has completed 3 marathons, 2 half marathons, and several sporting events, reflecting strong personal discipline and motivation.
