Demand Planning  (Retail - Wholesale, Consumer Products - FMCG)

• Spearhead end-to-end supply chain strategies, optimizing stock management and forecasting accuracy, resulting in a 30% reduction in overall forecast error.
• Develop high-level merchandise financial plans, driving a 25% increase in departmental profitability and achieving 98% of KPIs in stock availability.
• Implement innovative inventory management techniques, enhancing stock efficiency by 40% and cutting excess inventory costs by R30 million annually.
• Lead cross-functional teams to streamline operations, achieving a 15% reduction in departmental expenses and a 20% increase in resource utilization.
• Execute data-driven promotional strategies, boosting sales by 35% and improving gross profit margins by 5 percentage points.
• Cultivate high-performance teams through strategic talent development, achieving 100% of transformation targets and reducing staff turnover by 25%.

• Providing business expertise, strategic direction and consultation to a Fashion Retail Company in the Small/Medium Enterprise (SME) sector, specifically with regard to new business development in South Africa, and expansion strategies to extend the business from an online store to the establishment of a new store.
• Assisting with various special projects and serving as interim manager and brainstorming partner. 
• Serving as management consultant whilst investigating and assisting with cost saving and the improvement of organisational efficiency. 
• Taking responsibility and advising the business on retail financial budgeting and forecasting; marketing and E-commerce strategies; brand development and creative direction.
• Providing direction on supplier introductions and relationship management; quick response to market sourcing; market awareness and benchmarking, as well as planning and merchandising expertise.

• Reporting to the Managing Director whilst collaborating with the Board of Directors and managers of HR, Finance, IT, Buying and Marketing departments, as well as the Warehouse and regional managers.
• Responsible for Retail merchandise systems development and architecture to ensure transparency to the business and shareholders. 
• Developing a strategic business plan based on analysis of products, departments and categories and aimed at addressing trends, opportunities and gaps in the company’s product range.
• Providing guidance on the movement of stock, taking into consideration trading opportunities, problem areas and impact on forecasts and budgeting; reducing stock movement to the minimum and ensure the profitable use of couriers; managing stock in terms of sales history whilst aligning buying plans with sales forecasts.
• Maintaining in-season adjustments and post-seasonal reviews;evaluating procurement plans and sales forecasts.
• Planning the assortment of merchandise in terms of classification or price and maximising the cost of goods and retail price points. Handling inbound logistic by ensuring merchandise availability to customers at the right price in the right place, at the lowest cost to the supply chain, and the appropriate use of technology.
• Taking responsibility for people and staff management, including performance appraisals, building talent and succession within the team; providing leadership, guidance and coaching and addressing staffing needs through recruitment and training.

• Worked for seven years in a key position for a leading retailer of clothing, footwear, textiles, cosmetics, accessories and cellular products in Southern Africa. The company represents famous international brands and trades through subsidiaries such as Edgars, CNA, Boardmans, Jet and others.
• Served as specialist merchandise planner for CNA gifting and in the same capacity for other subsidiaries, with responsibility for maternity wear, evening wear, dresses, men’s formal wear and the Donatella range of larger sizes.
• Comprehensively involved in all areas of corporate strategy, including planning, targets, buy plans, sales analysis, brand performance, promotions, product life cycle management and more.
• Sales and supply optimisation that included, amongst others, responsibility for the national sales plan budget of R250 million per annum for 195 stores.
• Forecasting, which required a fundamental understanding of forecasting intricacies in terms of system forecast accuracy, business processes, replenishment, new business initiatives, trends and reporting.
• A focus on stores, including store performance, product selection in stores, promotions and more; distribution plans, cross plans, grading and allocation, i.e. sales, customer demographics, store budgets and marketing.
• Utilised the Arthur Plans system as planning tool for product management; established sound supplier relationships; handled customer complaints and visited stores on a regular basis.
• Planned seasonal financial budgets, focusing on financial deliverables, turnover, margin and GP and inventory.

• Responsible for merchandise planning for a prominent fashion lifestyle retailer, acquiring valuable experience in women and children’s foot wear and Donna Claire intimate wear. 
• Also accountable for strategy, store focus, distribution plans, product management with the Arthur Plan system, cross plans and grading, store maintenance and visits, relationship building in stores and the field, supply chain management and manufacturing.

Previous Position Held

Retail Associate (part-time), Pick ‘n Pay Supermarket
1999 - 2000

Tutor, Microbiology Department
1996: 10 months