Procurement Manager
Simat Trading Company
Total years of experience :22 years, 7 Months
SIMAT is a healthy food distribution company focusing on FMCG Organic, No Sugar Added, Gluten Free and Protein products.
• Analyze data and insights to determine industry and consumer trends, Market Gaps and Target Value Products.
• Developing the products variety by sourcing premium quality value adding items from around the world.
• Coordinating with marketing department to develop packages that delivers the healthy messages and and enhance customer's attraction.
• Participating in Marketing campaigns to insure products features are well communicate and delivered.
• Educating sales team about the products features, characteristics and benefits for both retailers and consumers.
• Preparing the supply plan with coordination with sales and marketing team to insure products availability and freshness at all times.
All international logistics, SFDA and import procedures are done by my team and under my supervision.
The role main mission is developing a range of Imported, Healthy and Private Label FMCG products in order to position Spar Saudi Arabia as a destination for lifestyle and health.
Main Duties:
• Sourcing the right range of value added products that can be competitively sold on the target profit meeting the changing customers’ needs.
• Managing the preparation of planograms and in store implementation.
• Working hand to hand with marketing department to introduce new products in the market.
• Managing the SFDA registration process to ensure fast applications success.
• Training stores’ team about healthy products usage and benefits to ensure the right customer service and product knowledge.
• Preparing the annual purchasing budget based on forecasted sales to meet the right delivery time and availability.
• Working to achieve budgeted sales, gross profit and department contribution.
• Negotiating with local suppliers to maximize BDA income and other support.
• Participating in the company’s flyer.
• Analyzing the sales of each item to improve performance and taking actions on SKU level.
• Taking staged and fast actions on SKU level to maintain stock holding days and avoiding expires of non-returnable items.
International Specialized Stores (ISSCO) is one of Al Sadhan Group's companies. ISSCO is a retail company running variety of retail brands in Saudi Arabia including CROCS, Hunkemoller, CLICHE, PEDS, ZERGA, NEW ZEALAND NATURAL and NoUBA Makeup.
NoUBA is an Italian outstanding luxury makeup brand with special makeup formulas that made it highly professional makeup brand globally. NoUBA clients are big retailers in the region including Al Shaya Group, Al Musbah Group, Saudi Airlines, FlyNas and WOJOOH.
As Key Accounts manager for NoUBA, I am responsible for:
* Developing new business opportunities through new sales channels and clients.
* Maintaining and improving relationships with current clients.
* Negotiating commercial contracts.
* Coordinating marketing activities and calendars.
* Ensuring inventory levels and providing products performance reports and recommendations to clients.
* Managing new lines lunching plans and implementation.
* Preparing buying plans and budgeting based on clients sales forecasts.
* Reporting performance and marketing reports to the brand principal.
Designation Chronology:
• September 2012 - July 2016: Marketing Manager - China
• March 2011 - September 2012: Brand Manager, Saudi Arabia
• April 2007 - March 2011: Products/ Procurement Manager, Saudi Arabia
Joined the organization as Products/ Procurement Manager at Saudi Arabia and crafted an exponential growth curve meriting roles of increasing authorities and responsibilities up till the position of Country Manager (China).
Notable Achievements:
• Successfully managed entire operational remit of setting-up the business in China from scratch; directed activities involved in pre to post operational stages up till its transformation into a profitable establishment.
• Presented operational direction and management to business in its nascent stages; researched elements such as product marketability, technology analysis, risk assessment, cost estimation and geographical appraisal to make substantiated and sound business decisions.
Key Responsibilities:
• Leading the development of marketing and sales strategy after quantifying elements like market intelligence, business targets/ forecasts, trends, competitor activities and retail industry dynamics among others.
• Implementing all planned strategies with high levels of efficiency, quality and cost-effectiveness. Monitoring performance in line with set targets and addressing any issues instantly to assure continual business growth.
• Exploring profitability/ revenue impact of prospective business opportunities. Proposing innovative ideas to management to tap market potential and chart a consistently rising business curve.
• Contributing turnkey product development, channel distribution, pricing, sales forecasting, marketing including consumer research and merchandizing strategies in lieu of sustained business growth.
• Presenting sterling business ideas and optimizing a variety of media channels aimed at creating interest, recognition and demand of the product.
• Key person for sourcing products from China for the entire Group - exploring suppliers, developing samples and negotiating extensively to acquire goods at the most competitive process with no compromise on quality.
• Personally examining goods/ materials for required quality and custom specific standards while certifying the quality requirements have been adequately met by the vendors in the orders placed with them.
• Managing entire gamut of shipping and documentation operations researching routing information, opting for modes that are cost-effective and convenient as well as assure goods are delivered on precise time and location.
• Contributing significantly towards continuous improvements in marketing and sales strategies as well as new product development to align organization’s offerings with ever-changing business environment.
Key Responsibilities:
• Spearheaded the business planning and forecasting process, provided leadership to a team of 3 supervisors, 5 area managers and 120 sales staff and applied strategies that drive attainment of sales/ profit target.
• Directed researches on local/ international platforms, garnered market intelligence to comprehend factors like consumer behavior and brand perception thus develop solutions that drive brand performance.
• Integrated strong marketing expertise and strategic planning with creative vision while designing brand visuals and themes to improve brand communication, awareness and thereby achieve business goals.
• Developed strong network of channel partners for establishing strategic tie-up/alliances; endeavoured revenue-generating relationships with existing/ prospective franchises for enhancing market share.
• Attributed key driving factors in developing seasonal promotion activities; aligned all operations with prescribed budgets and resolved any deviation instantly to assure continual business growth.
• Played a critical role in developing an automated system that ensured uniformity, integrity and consistency in procurement and warehousing operations between Jeddah and China.
Key Responsibilities:
• Led and managed a cohesive procurement strategy, which meets organizational standards, while ensured that the materials and services are acquired at the most competitive market prices with impacting quality.
• Cultivated professional relationships while negotiated suppliers/ vendors (local/ international). Maintained a continuous flow of materials while demanded economies of scale to minimize costs.
• Developed a network/ database of suppliers in markets like China in lieu of minimizing costs; contributed market information and analysis in designing procurement strategies that provide long-term benefits.
• Researched extensively elements like industry dynamics, market trends, economic conditions and consumer sentiments in addition to products profitability, budget and forecast and updating management on statues of product and performance.
Key Responsibilities:
• Systematized sales administration function i.e. prepared production orders, organized export documents and shipping logistics to deliver tin-cans as per client’s design/ budget specifications at their desired location.
• Prepared and processed all orders and documents as per export protocols for land, sea and air freight; tracked goods en route to their destination and resolved any issues in an expedited manner to avoid delays.
• Generated sales management reports with detailed break-down and past-trend analysis; including achieved vis-à-vis forecasts and routinely updated management with business activities/ risks / issues/ opportunities along with requisite course of action.
Designation Chronology:
• February 2002 - August 2004: Training Officer
• September 2000 - February 2002: Sales Representative
Joined the organization as Sales Representative and moved up the career hierarchy meriting promotion to the role of Training Officer through exceptional performance
Key Responsibilities as Trainer:
• Spearheaded field training program for staff to sharpen sales, leadership, service management and soft skills; defined scope, organized resources/ logistics and delivered programs with close tabs on budget and deadlines.
• Tracked progress of field staff via Statistical Computer Software such as MINITAB and SPSS; skill/ performance shortfalls; customized programs to effectively translate business goals into human performance requirements.
• Adopted a variety of approaches (presentations, role plays, team exercises/ contests, group discussions) to maximize staff participation; devised evaluation techniques to ascertain achievement of training objectives.
Key Responsibilities as Sales Representative:
• Merited “King of Month” consistently and reputed as one of the best sales representatives in Jordan for demonstrating exceptional sales, customer service and business proficiency.
• Explored and capitalized opportunities to maneuver existing business forward - researched markets, built database of prospects, contacted these customers by calling/meeting them, thus win new business.
• Communicated effectively with customers via meetings/ presentations; provided deliverables that best meet their requirements and endeavored to add value to job accomplishments in lieu assigned business targets.