Buyer
M. H. Alshaya Company - United Arab Emirates
Total years of experience :14 years, 11 Months
The role includes 360 Brand Management of product and brand life cycle within the OTB deployed by business unit, product selection, ensuring the highest quality of offers to maximize sales and profit as set out in the Business Plan with well executed Brand Image.
Category Management
• Ensure conformity of Catalog management and Assortment planning, review of assortment of visible stock (actual vs Brand’s guidelines), and provide insights for store Purchase budget
• Responsible for managing and delivering of Boots Brand across all markets to achieve the Organizational objectives & growth.
• Plan and project manage new brand launches
• Negotiate with supplier for recommended new lines, price and profit target
• Ensuring planner rebuild meets the category growth strategy based on understanding from the category review.
• Category review to ensure Boots brand has representation in all business categories.
• Work in partnership with the key host brand members and develop a mutually beneficial business relationship with each to deliver category growth, Gross Margin in line with company growth objectives & Target.
• Coach, support and guide Assistant Buyers and Merchandisers, assist in formal training of team, and overall assessment of individual performance and training needs
Inventory Management
• Inventory Management through Planning & forecasting within the OTB.
• Develop a buying plan based on various retail related factors like Promotional trends, sales
records, products, ranges and any external factors which could influence the sales performance.
• Implementing the agreed markdown strategy for ageing, slow sellers and communicating to stakeholders.
• Work in partnership with the supply chain team to deliver the best supply chain processes and services.
• Forecast 12 months sales/order keeping in mind the current sales trend, stock holding and future plan
• Provide support in deciding for Replenishment reordering
• Manage stock ageing, stock cover, and stock liquidation by category
• Design reporting templates and reports Promotional & Marketing Plan
• Develop and deliver a strong Boots promotional sales & marketing plan to achieve budgets
• Manage all sales plan information in line with the sales plan timetable
• Recommend a profitable offer for products within the category
A merchandiser’s role has to deal with providing maximum display for categories under responsibility alongside that there are optimal stocks that can go with the planned display.
• Assist with business planning and ongoing planning of merchandise and forecasting of sales,
subsequently accountable for sales / margin measurement.
• Decide product procurement through host brand range reviews or direct negotiation, including
in season buys.
• Assess store execution of merchandising plans, recommend optimum space management
options (where applicable) based on store trends / category sales performance.
• Recommend retail pricing levels, decide sale lines and mark down percentage strategy.
• Develop relationships with internal/ external contacts, and assess appropriate and critical
information (where applicable).
• Identification /plan promotional events, and deliver in consultation with Operations and VM`s.
In general, Buying Assistant has to do with preparation of routine reports deemed necessary by
merchandisers, buyers, and category managers. During my tenure as Buying Assistant, I was exposed
to different departments with very dynamic differences - the Cosmetics Department, the Local Buying Team, and the Boots International Buying Team. Integrating the differences and the learning, I was able to succeed in mastering the processes involved, and was deemed appropriate to be deserving of promotion to Merchandiser
Inventory Management / Procurement
• Product Sourcing, Organizing Samples and Pricing Negotiation.
• Maintain effective relationships with existing suppliers and establish new business network.
• Coordinating with the warehouse team regarding stock update, deliveries and other requirements.
• Order administration including raising orders and tracking deliveries and resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries.
• Management of fast moving and Slow moving items.
• Maintaining Availability & Reviewing Expiry of the stock.
• Recommended and followed up on department policy and procedures.
• Provide purchasing support through checking and verifying thoroughly all LPO issued by different departments and compares the prices with alternative supplier’s price list.
• Check and compare quotations from different suppliers..
• Prepare, maintain and review purchasing files, reports and price lists.
Sales & Distribution Coordinator
• Coordinate with Sales Team & Preparation of quotations & Proposals according to the sales team requirement.
• Sales analysis and stock control.
• Provide sales support and assist in phone handling and stock take.
• Maintaining Customer Purchase Order and Executing in time.
• Responsible for maintaining files of sales invoice, Performa invoice and purchase orders.
• Maintain MIS for management review.
• Promoting companies products & services to identified and prospective clients.
• Maintain CRM with clients.
• Ensure timely delivery of products to customers.
• Preparing Import Export Documents.
Office Administration
• File and retrieve documents, records, and reports & updated daily expenses of the organization.
• Update daily report of sales team to Sr .Sales & Purchase manager & General Manager.
• Communicate with eligible candidates for interviews.
• Secretarial works done for General Manager, Sales Manager & Finance Manager.
• Knowledge of HACCP procedure and maintenance of records.
• Responsible in preparing the application forms for the admission for various universities with the required documents for the admissions & Coordinating with the universities regarding the admission status.
• Organized institution recruiting events.
• Offered counseling for near about 200 students from 14 through 18 ages. Told students about the college admission process and helped them in preparing applications. Students who were desired to enter trade school and more technically inclined, vocational counseling was offered for them. Ensure emotional and mental well-being of the student body.
• Resolve customer service related issues.Provide administrative/secretarial support for various departments/divisions.
• Compose and edit correspondence and memoranda from dictation, verbal direction and from knowledge of policies of established departments/divisions; prepare, transcribe, compose, type, edit and distribute agendas and minutes of numerous meetings.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings, interviews, appointments, events and other similar activities for supervisors, which also include travel and lodging arrangements.
• Coordinate with various staff for operational support activities of the unit; serve as a liaison between departments and operating units in the resolution of day-to- day administrative and operational problems.