Business Operations Manager

• Aug 2020 - Present

Buyer/Category Manager

• Apr 2018 - Oct 2019

•Successfully managed Open to Buy (OTB) and analyzed Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for three online entities •Established negotiation strategies including pricing, vendor terms and opportunity buys to maximize company profit •Created assortment plans and established product lifecycles •Maintained comprehensive market, customer and product knowledge research •Partnered with suppliers on product development and as needed •Saved company an additional 15% margin on end of life product by implementing mark downs and promotional campaigns •Created SOP’s for new product and replenishment buy processes •Aided in SKU integration and inventory management of two company acquisitions •Proactively sought out solutions to inefficient processes within the supply chain •Created and Presented Supplier Bi-Annual Reviews to inform executive management and vendors of performance and growth opportunity

Purchasing and Planning Manager

• Oct 2016 - Jan 2018

• Developed, led and executed purchasing strategies, both internally and externally • Saved company over 1.5m dollars by successful implementation of VMI (vendor managed inventory) negotiations, reduction of internal costs, contract terms and market research • Successfully managed relationships with 60+ Domestic and International (China, Europe) suppliers to ensure quality product, on-time delivery and low cost of goods • Monitored and maintained the budgeting, production and inventory of all open projects within the company on a daily basis • Tracked and reported key functional metrics to reduce expenses and improve efficiency and effectiveness • Forecasted price and market trends to identify changes of balance in buyer-supplier power • Monitored and forecasted future levels of demand using past sales reporting, ERP systems and Microsoft Excel • Communicated analysis results and recommendations to Executive Management Team on a weekly basis • Created production plans for projects, development and flow of requisite materials • Planned and prioritized operations to ensure maximum performance and minimum delay • Developed and implemented purchasing and contract management instructions, policies, and procedures • Effectively negotiated contracts and formation of policies with new and existing suppliers • Negotiated penalty terms with suppliers to ensure on time delivery i.e. 1% a day on entire purchase order. • Responsible for reviewing all documentation within quality management system (QMS) as head of operations • Assisted with the implementation of ERP system from a purchasing and planning perspective

Assistant Buyer - Women's Athletic Apparel

• Jun 2015 - Jan 2016

•Increased department sales by driving and leading change within the Category Management Team (Buyer, Planner, Replenishment Analyst, Forecast Analyst, Ecommerce Merchandiser, and Space Planner)•Contributed in all aspects of the Line Review process, i.e. Assortment Planning, Financial Planning and Advertising; by carefully choosing items, pricing items strategically, working with allocation team to ensure in-stock and working with marketing team on various aspects of product advertising•Communicated and maintained relations with vendors on a regular basis in order to accurately review product, track purchase orders, prepare re-orders, request fill-ins and closeout orders as needed•Increased product profit by negotiating supplier product prices •Recapped and analyzed product, category and store performance on a weekly, monthly and ad hoc basis•Partnered with Allocation team to successfully execute four new store processes, assisting Space Planning team with POGs, Supplier representatives, DC/Logistics groups on supply chain concerns, and Allocation team on transfers, consolidations, and promotional calendars•Performed successful and profitable size scaling for 3 seasons and initiated item definition through product research•Served as primary point of contact for store communications and initiated store task related directives in partnership with Store Operations•Communicated analysis results and recommendations to the Category Management Team•Monitored new store performance for adjustments post-opening as needed•Coordinated monthly business reviews with all key suppliers•Scheduled vendor meetings and prepared vendor meeting agendas, as needed

Omni-Channel Supply Chain Specialist

• Sep 2013 - Jun 2015

•Contributed in growing company Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) revenue by 85% between 2014-2015 •Identified and proactively sought out 150+ viable vendors and product lines to further DTC program expansion•Worked with vendors and buying team to strategically market new products to online assortment in order to successfully generate sales and grow the company’s bottom line•Oversaw and managed vendor implementation using Drop Ship schedule and timeline •Effectively negotiated supplier handling fees per transaction to ensure company profitability •Generated and distributed weekly reporting for executive teams across company to present DTC growth and profitability•Created all DTC policy and procedure documentation•Communicated and created business solutions with various internal divisions•Exclusively responsible for training new coworkers to successfully manage duties and achieve program’s overall goals

Assistant Buyer

• Jan 2012 - Sep 2013

•Used negotiation tactics to capture best cost while sustaining high gross margins for products retailed •Ordered and tracked shipments from suppliers on a daily basis •Built and maintained business relations between various suppliers •Maintained inventory and stock levels of all products •Assisted in the planning and tracking of different product lines •Conducted market, sales and competitive comparison analysis •Wrote thorough descriptions of items through extensive product knowledge and research •Verified quantity and quality of stock received from manufacturers

Sales/Marketing

• Jun 2010 - Dec 2010