career profile

 

     accomplished buyer and regional product manager with more than 20 years experience in the retail industry.

     possess a solid work history with consistent promotions and increasing responsibility.

     successful team leader with stellar business acumen and project management skills to ensure sales and marketing goals are met or exceeded.

     train and mentor personnel to build morale and provide positive reinforcement for higher levels of job performance.

     technically proficient in microsoft office (word, excel, powerpoint, outlook, and access).

professional experience

 

home fashions international, dallas, tx                                                           03/2008-present

business manager

     oversee quality assurance, inventory, and communication issues related to bedding, window, and bath products between hfi and jcpenny.

     collaborate with jcpenney product development teams and designers to determine optimal locations for new product placement.

     partner with jcpenney buyers to meet strict product specifications and ensure samples are delivered on time within pricing requirements and quality standards.

     communicate current stock and supply issues with jcpenney inventory managers to guarantee all client needs are met.

     prepare weekly internal sales updates by product category and programs as well as weekly project and issue updates to upper management.

     serve as liaison with hfi china to discuss product, shipments, pricing, quality testing, and quality control issues.

     conduct market research and produce competitive analysis reports.

     deliver current trend product offerings to jcpenney by working with internal product development teams.

 

jcpenney, plano, tx                                                                                                    06/1988-03/2008

associate buyer, window (02/2007-03/2008)

     created, developed, and implemented purchasing, merchandising, and marketing plans for $170 million in annual product sales to effectively increase market share in target markets.

     conducted training sessions and mentored new direct merchandising associates in both classroom and one-on-one training.

     served as company classroom trainer for how to access, read, and use various internal reports to improve overall job performance of staff.

     acted as co-chair of united way fundraising for the direct home division, achieving a 300% increase in charitable giving.

     served as key member of the store manager s conference team by organizing, setting up, and participating in company-wide conferences for all executives, regional managers, and store managers.

 

 

 

 

 

professional experience (continued)

 

senior assistant buyer, kitchen furniture (01/2006-02/2007)

     conceptualized and executed innovative purchasing, merchandising, and marketing plans for increasing market share for $70 million in annual product sales.

     served as team lead for a country lifestyle catalog.

     collaborate with internal teams to create multimedia plans for both print and internet marketing campaigns.

     communicate with industry vendors and internal product development to capture accurate price points for products.

     negotiated contracts for space, marketing, and pricing with internal and external teams for all products.

     performed sales analysis to determine competitive pricing and marketing plans for products.  

 

assistant buyer, tabletop/housewares (01/2001-01/2006)

     maximized market share for $40 million in annual product sales by planning, purchasing, and controlling inventory.

     spearheaded development and publication of the gift registry catalog.

     partnered with the gift registry team to increase sales and meet marketing goals at the store level.

     provided contract negotiation to obtain optimal costs for marketing campaigns and store space for product placement.

     analyzed market and sales trends to create product pricing guidelines.

 

merchandise operations analyst (12/1992-01/2001)

     managed wholesale inventory management by forecasting and purchasing of various product categories including mattresses, lighting, decorative accessories, housewares, and kitchen furniture.

     controlled p&l markdown budgets for given categories and consistently exceeded budget goals.

     partnered with direct inventory analysts to improve customer fill percentages and maintain appropriate inventories for catalog.

     trained administrative associates as well as new analysts.

 

merchandise support assistant (06/1988-12/1992)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

date

 

 

 

hiring agent name

title

company name

address

city/state/zip code

 

dear__________________:

 

i am currently seeking a challenging career opportunity in a regional management capacity and am submitting my resume for your review. in advance, thank you for your time and consideration.

 

as demonstrated in the accompanying resume, my professional qualifications include a solid 20+-year work history moving from assistant buyer to senior buyer positions with jcpenney and currently working as a business manager for home fashions international. i have effectively applied my skills and knowledge toward inventory control management, product pricing, marketing campaign development, executive management support, and team leadership.

 

to complement this background, i offer a high level of business acumen, conducting competitive market analysis, negotiating product placement contracts, and evaluating product performance of multiple retail store locations.  

 

as an employee, you will find me to be a driven team player committed to supporting you in achieving your objectives through superior performance. i am confident that i could be a valuable asset to your firm, and look forward to interviewing with you in the near future.

 

sincerely,

 

 

 

yyyyyy x. yyyyyy