Results-driven and accomplished professional with over 15 years retail experience with extensive practice in managing buying operations, developing and implementing strategies, and building and strengthening vendor relationships. Competent to prioritise tasks, meet stringent deadlines and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Head of Buying- E-Commerce Beauty & Lifestyle
Company : On request
Period : 2022 - 2023
• Developed, implemented, and delivered the buying strategy for the company to maximise sales and hit profit margins.
• Ownership and negotiation of all commercial terms to ensure favourable outcome for the business, with both growth in revenue and margin. Used sales and performance information to steer the buying team to maximise opportunities.
• Established buying disciplines, implemented SLA agreements, created structured reporting, set company commercial terms, and with the CEO and FD set the companies KPI’s to reach growth targets.
• Collaborated with the CEO and Head of Marketing to deliver a new company website with increased functionality and enhanced customer experience.
• Spearheaded the company’s upcoming expansion to the US, setting the strategy and leading the buying, operations, and compliance piece to establish the foundation for growth in a new territory.
• Managed 3PL and all stock management, taking appropriate action to ensure correct stock levels and stock turn.
• Lead and managed a buying team of 3, including recruitment and development to ensure skills are in place to deliver department plans.
• Established excellent vendor relationships to develop the business within the beauty, home, and wellness landscape, identifying new sourcing opportunities and providing focused, clear development direction to the current supplier base.
Global Buying Manager- Luxury
Company : On request
Period : 2020 - 2022
• Achieved company sales of 100m across multi product categories in accessories and ready-to-wear.
• Responsible for developing and executing the strategy for the luxury category across the 14 global regions ensuring the strategy was translated at local level and adjusted according to market trends.
• Identified new vendors and agreed commercial terms, defined the range, assortment, and space allocation for the category. Ensured continuous growth of working relationships with brands.
• Supported director in delivery of winning bids business case. Solely responsible for identifying key categories and brands to support the new business bids.
• Managed and developed a team of 6 buyers
• Set detailed KPI’s on margin compliance, markdowns, stock turn, aged stock management and sell through for the buyers to execute for their region. Managed the weekly activities, performance management and delivery of business objectives with buyers.
• Collaborated effectively with the e-commerce team on the launch of ecommerce sites within certain regions, on-boarding brands and ensuring relevant product mix.
• Worked cross functionally within the business, with a particular focus on business development and delivering key new store projects working on refits, store concepts, layouts and adjacencies.
Buyer- Accessories and Womenswear
Company : On request
Period : 2008 - 2019
• 11 years’ experience as the senior buyer for accessories for 7 airport stores. Experienced buying across multi sites and tailoring buys to the different passenger profiles, demonstrating a deep understanding of the wider international shopper, identifying opportunities for growth and development.
• Achieved company sales of £20m, accountable to the business on delivering stretch targets across sales, stock & margin KPI’s. Defined budgets with financial merchandising function to deliver growth and increase profitability in line with business needs.
• Managed end-to-end product life cycle, from product selection to in-store execution, and exit strategy. Working in collaboration with various cross functional teams, implemented and drove merchandising strategies and floor set launches to optimise financial performance.
• Accountable for all aspects of the buying cycle including new brand additions and exits, negotiating trade terms, staffing contributions, and end of season strategies such as RTV’s, sell through agreements and markdown contributions, ensuring healthy bottom-line figures and margin plan achieved.
• Fostered performance of company workforce, including buying assistants and assistant buyers, a team of three junior buyers by leading, guiding and assisting members towards work excellence and goals attainment.
• Maintained strong working relationships with more than 50 brands and developed the in-house label across women’s and men’s accessories.
• Spearheaded a new in-store ‘pop up’ concept to generate additional revenue, meanwhile creating retail theatre.
• Instrumental in the redevelopment of 12 retail stores, from concept, design, brand and product selection, ensuring timely delivery of each project.