Senior Buying Specialist
Edcon Pty Ltd
Total years of experience :15 years, 8 Months
Monitor stakeholder performance & re-negotiate deliverables.
Negotiate contracts, project outputs & service agreements in accordance with the needs of the business.
Communicate effectively with external stakeholders.
Participate in projects to develop and implement systems for measuring service levels in the business.
Project Management and participation.
Identify and solve performance problems.
Working as part of a team to achieve results.
Co-ordinate and monitor seasonal merchandise &store displays.
Evaluate and analyse information to negotiate and source assortments from suppliers and brands.
Evaluate sales information to determine future buying requirements and discontinue the previous season’s slow-moving products from future buying plans.
Understand that the outcomes of internal and external supplier negotiations directly impact on the contribution to the overall profitability of the business.
Analyse and evaluate local and international trends so that emerging trends can be timeously implemented into the business.
Monitor supplier rankings & performance.
Critically evaluate fabric.
Identify key products and seasonal items.
Negotiate volume, price and lead times and verify supplier commitments and ability to meet volume requirements.
Form a view as to how the portfolio budget should be made up.
Control budgets.
Communicate and negotiate effectively with suppliers so that quality, quantity, styling and delivery elements are clearly understood and carried out in accordance with the business requirements.
Recognise and leverage the diverse skills and abilities within the business.
Conduct audits on individual and team capability using information from performance management and talent management processes.
Manage and administrate all essential duties and functions of an organised and successful department.
Higher education: University of South Africa (UNISA) Duration: Started in January 2006 to Dec 2011 (qualifying year) Qualification: Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Retail Management Sciences Subjects: *Public Relations *Retail Management *Marketing Management *Accounting Information Systems *Human Resource Management *Financial Management *Customer Behaviour *General Management *Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management *Accounting systems in a computer environment Other: Commenced studies at UNISA in 2006 and started the second year of the course due to previous studies at University of Johannesburg and am completing this degree on a part-time basis in conjunction with a full time clothing design and technology diploma.
Higher education:Edcon Retail Academy Duration:Started in August 2008 to January 2009 (qualifying year) Qualification:Merchant Development Programme Edgars Subjects: *Introduction to fashion *Marketing *Merchant Maths *Competitor Analysis *Pricing *Allocations *Managing the supply chain *Source suppliers *Negotiation Skills *Trends analysis *Buy merchandise *Product range *Analytical thinking *Thinking CAP *EWOM overview Skills Programmes: *Excel A, B, C *Arthur *Retek *Retek RPL *Port *JDA *Proclarity *GP matrix *Merchant maths *Merchant maths advanced *EDI *EQOS
Qualification: National Certificate: Clothing Manufacturing Technology:SAQA Reg. Number: 21871. Certificate Skills Programmes: Computer Assisted Design-SAQA Unit Standard Reg. Number: 115165–77% Tailoring-SAQA Unit Standard Reg. Number: 10921 & 10925–87% Textile Technology-SAQA Non-Credit bearing short course–79% Business Guidance-SAQA Unit Standard Reg.Number:115170 & 10008–85% Graduation Fashion Show-SAQA Unit Standard Reg. Number: 10925, 10920, 10918, 10922 & 9878–84% Clothing Manufacturing Technology-SAQA Qualification Reg. Number: 21871–83% Achievements: 2006:1st year Clothing Design and Technology Diploma Won the prestigious Bridal Africa Young Designers Award 2006–please refer to search engine “GOOGLE” type in “Neelufer Patel” for full press coverage. Top of the class in all fields. 2007:2nd year Clothing Design and Technology Diploma *Invited to design a collection for exhibition at Bridal Africa 2007. *Top of the class in all fields. *Contracted to design a new girl’s school uniform for Milner High School. *Worked part-time at ACW/Zenzele Trading Co. (clothing factory) refer to Marlene Oosthuizen 018 462 5149. *Invited to do a one hour live interview on the 8th of June with Udi Ya Nakamela who hosts an interactive talk show called “African Views” which airs on SABC Africa, the topic of the discussion was “Women in design in South Africa”. *Appeared in the Beeld newspaper on the 6th July regarding a fashion show that took place on the 30th June. *Appeared in The Klerksdorp Record on 1st November regarding the graduation fashion show that took place on 27th October. *Received awards for the following: Best Garment Construction Student Best Pattern Engineering Student Best Tailoring Student Best Business Skills Student Best Overall Achiever 2006 & 2007 *Obtained highest results in the history of the school with an overall average of 85% in the final exam written in Nov/Dec 2007.
Higher education:Damelin Institute of Higher Learning Duration:June 2003 to December 2003 Qualification:Certificate in Basic Bookkeeping Subjects: Accounting practices Tax and VAT Other:Completed this 6 month course at the top of the class
High School:Milner High School Duration:January 1998 to December 2002 Qualification:Senior Certificate with university exemption
