Head of Category Management
Panda Retail Company - Saudi Arabia
Total years of experience :14 years, 7 Months
• Developed, executed & monitored the format strategy, achieved 4% growth in sales in 2017 & another 4% in 2018.
• Analyzing the market trends through market data & shopper insights to anticipate future opportunities
• Managing a scattered portfolio of +3000 SKUs over +180 Pandati stores
• Organizing promotions & liquidation deals with vendors
• Negotiation of Business Development Funds agreements and submission
• Managing planogram (product display) by coordinating with MKT, space planning based on category strategy.
• Agree and align with vendors on joint business plans and growth opportunities
• Accountability for DSD availability and being the top level escalation phase.
• Cross functional alignment between MKT, Finance, SC, Store ops, IT, Central Buying and vendors to implement the category strategy.
• Arranged training for stores team to ensure the proper awareness for the category products is assured
• Initiated the pricing strategy and tactics for the category items based on competition to increase margin, market share and customer count
• Led in-store activities by designing and agreeing on the activities with the suppliers, negotiate rental fees
• Develop process improvements to achieve company inventory goals
• Managed and analyzed stores/DC’s demand to ensure the on shelf/DC availability of items, gained 22% in shelf availability.
• Arranged and attended meetings with top suppliers and sat direction for inventory team to ensure vendor relations are properly managed.
• Forecast demand and managed special deals, provided depletion plan for slow moving items and overstocks to minimize the cost of the supply chain.
• Support new store opening by forecasting and planning extra demand flow, and communicate with store opening team.
• Utilizing the Supplier replenishment attributes to be used for Replenishment Set-up to increase availability.
• Decide sourcing method of item (DC or DSD) in discussion with Commercial
• Approve the replenishment attributes proposed by the Replenishment planner
• Cross-functional alignment with the buyers/category managers on the Seasonality, Pay-weeks and Promotions
• Led a team to source more than 100K SKUs from Europe suppliers
• Sending request for quotations to suppliers and analyzing the received quotation based on purchase requisitions to create long term contacts
• Created long term contracts for specific items to have a smooth and easy link between Sabic and their suppliers in order to automate the purchase request (PR) from plants till it is delivered in order to save cash and time
• Created legacy reporting Excel tools implemented with Excellency in procurement contracts Department, has made massive improvements in different areas
• Handled more than 20 contracts with more than SAR 35 million a year to be renewed on time
• Negotiated with suppliers on prices and terms&conditions to be in line with company targets
• Managed shipment from origin plants to GCC countries to ensure delivery on time
• Handled 8 imported direct plants in different regions to supply goods to AP
• Communicated forecast to all plants for short/long term planning
• Conducted service level agreements across all functions related to supply planning with plants
• Conducted Inventory Parameters Review in a quarterly basis
• Controlled sourcing matrix for more than 200 SKUs for 8 sourcing sites
• Tracked & reported the imported shipment for all AP-P&G categories to improve shipment service level
• Ensure supply complementary for new launches
• Participated in the Organization Cultural Development team
• Worked in crisis situations to ensure product availability
• Saved 80 man hours / monthly by deploying a DRP system between Plants and Market to read forecast and replenish stocks automatically
• Evaluating the service level of all plants every year based on service provided
• Maintained the product life cycle stages in system for more than 200 SKU
• On boarding & Training of new hires
• Owner of NPI (Non Performing Inventory) action plan and inventory glide path
• Handled Local Supply Planning (day to day production scheduling)
• Building Capabilities as a Member of Education and Training Group
• Managed 7 countries in Arabian Peninsula (AP) and GCC
• Maintaining stocks level and ordering cycle for 7 distributers
• Issuing POs according to truck size for more than 200 SKUs
• Achieved Zero NPI (non performing inventory) in both distributers and distribution center
• Implemented new ERP system and ordering sheets to simplify the ordering process
• Operated two legacy systems in parallel while launching a new system as a safe back up
• Saved $350, 000 / yearly by reducing inventory and rerouting lane shipment
• Reservation call center, was the main contact for passengers
• Solving issues for passengers providing full support
Industrial Management College - Degree in Management Information System (MIS), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
Industrial Management College - Degree in Management Information System (MIS), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals