Experience

iLoveToCreate

• United States
• Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director of Sourcing & Procurement

  • Jun 2021 - Present

• Purchasing and Sourcing Manager

  • Mar 2016 - Present

  Manage domestic and international purchases of finished goods and manufacturing Raw Materials primarily for Craft , Cosmetics and Ceramics products.Played an instrumental role in product development processes along with various brand and product team members, negotiating lowest cost, best quality with the best qualified suppliers. Negotiated new and existing agreements, including requests for information or requests for proposal and reverse auction generation and facilitation.Built competitive bidding environment with a broad range of suppliers within products and freight suppliers. Lead the team that coordinated the importation of products via ocean and air from international suppliers.Managed yearly budget covering all company purchasing needs.Negotiated yearly cost savings from 2%-7% of total company sales year over year.Instrumental in the development and launch of 3 cosmetic brands, over 500+ craft and adhesive products selling to Craft, Department stores, mass Merchants, dollar and drug channels. Collaborated on multiple cross functional teams- Product Implementation team, Cost savings, Product task Force, RFP , Leadership, Located and vetted vendors, established good relationships and negotiated contracts. Show less

• Senior Sourcing Buyer

  • Jun 2009 - Feb 2016

  Managed buys from international and US suppliers for replenishment and new product buys. Communicated closely with stakeholders, including vendors and internal teams , helping to secure well-timed product deliveriesMade 2-3 annual international trips to preview new items and approve products in production at factory locations in China .Sourced new vendors and suppliers to boost product offerings and increase profit margins along with Product Development team. Tranistioned all business from companies largest supplier to newly developed supplier for a total cost savings of $200K. Team comprised of R&D , planning, engineering and product development. Show less



Gottschalks

• Retail
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Apparrel Buyer- Children's

  • Dec 1994 - Apr 2009

  Analyzed buying trends at each store location to identify appropriate mix of inventory items for top-tier sales Analyzed sales trends to maximize sales potential Sourced new vendors and suppliers to boost product offerings and increase profit margins at each store location Made 5-6 annual buying trips to preview new items and make purchases Negotiated favorable contracts and determined the lowest possible cost, factoring in quality and reliability, by analyzing data Communicated closely with stakeholders, including vendors and merchants, helping to secure well-timed product deliveries Performed detailed reviewed of high and low-performing products Researched competitors and sourced new vendors Assessed trends and reviewed inventory usage to provide maximum coverage for different time frames Managed $15K budget for products, apparel and accessories for regional department store chain Show less