Sr Manager - Category Management
X-Cite Electronics
Total years of experience :12 years, 5 Months
Sr. Manager - Category Management
Negotiating and Signing Commercial terms with Vendors as new entrant in Saudi Arabia for Appliances
Defining space allocation to categories and sub categories.
Analyzing Market requirements and plan range keeping in view brand rationalization and profitability
Planning for Home Brand in the Range Mix
Ordering for Home Brand Directly from China and transferring from Kuwait fulfilling Saudi regulation.
Buying & Merchandising Head
Negotiated improved commercial terms with vendors in annual agreements.
Managed category wise P&L against budgeted top Line and profitability and reduced buying process cost.
Analyzed Market requirements and plan range keeping in view brand rationalization and profitability
Setting up of OTB with sales forecast to ensure health Margins & right Inventory at department level
Meticulously designed and implemented promotions & marketing activities.
Continues Competitor analysis and market watch & to stay on top of latest technology trend.
Working closely with visual merchandiser and department heads to decide how goods should be displayed to maximize customer interest and sales, close coordination with the operations teams.
Training and mentoring junior staff
Key Highlights
Successfully created Mega Sale Event for Emax -Oman in Nov -Dec’13 doubling the sales during the period.
Concept Manager - Bahrain
Managed Emax (Bahrain territory) retail operations, buying and distribution.
Accountable for setting of Territory annual budgets and achievement in terms of Sales, GP & NP, Profitability, Retail Productivity, Cost optimization, Manpower requirement and Employee Performance, Marketing, Supply chain.
Conceptualized and developed strategies apart from setting benchmarks for service standards, store experience for customers and continuous strive to achieve those benchmarks with improvisations if necessary.
Initiated and implemented Loyalty program successfully.
Improved agency distribution business in Bahrain with renowned brands like Midea, Hisense and Hama.
Achieved forecasted monthly targets by formulating and aligning all strategies along with communication and promotional activities and ensuring proper execution of the same.
Recognition
Winner of “Retail Executive of the Year” for Bahrain Territory at MERETAIL ACADEMY 2012
Noted Contributions
Setting up, opening and running E-max in Marina Mall, Al-Muharraq and Al-Riffa in Bahrain
Credited for significant efforts in achieving 104% of Budgets in 2011-12 at E-max.
Achieved over 100% growth in distribution Business in 2011 & 12.
Created three Promotional Properties for Emax to be used annually to increase business two-fold or more during the duration.
Category Manager
Overseeing purchase & inventory control entailing analyzing department needs, diversifying purchase, departmental profitability, dead stock reduction, contract negotiations, marketing and team management
Meticulously designed and implemented several promotions & marketing activities.
Instrumental in implementing Buying and inventory control plan by implementing open to buy.
Ensuring the best buying by following business-cycle, Planning and execution of Marketing strategies, to have an excellent Supplier and customer relationship
Key Highlights
Demonstrated abilities of outstanding efforts by overshooting the target for Opening Fees, branding and Space selling.
Started new process by actively involving floor staff in the buying process.
Streamlined Buying by systematizing the vendor management by scheduling the meeting with agenda’s which saved time and increased productivity of buying team.
Streamlined the supply chain by preparing ordering schedule and setting up of minimum quantity required
Operations Functions
•Performing Daily Operational Activities:
Make the selling area ready before opening.
Daily price checking i.e. Change in price & Missing shelf labels
Checking the Promotional Price posters and if need be get the posters ready
Finding the out of stock Product and make purchase orders to be In-Stock
Got the warehouse arranged
Display vs. stock checking & displaying new item
Managing the home delivery for customer
Face the customer complaints and solve them
•Performing other Operational Activities
Making returns to the supplier
Managing the warehouse and did Inventory checking once in a month
Deciding the promotional items for each season
Met suppliers for price negotiations for the promotional items
•Performing Marketing activities
Competitors survey to find out their policies and prices.
Customer survey to find out their ever changing wants and preferences
Lead a team of seven, and help then achieve the budget through regular training and motivation and by getting their feedback on the products and Customer behaviour and by bringing in the change required.
Achieved sales target both for the team and self.
Including new items in the repertoire for all range of consumers
Job and Responsibility: Business Co-ordination from Sales to final settlement, including looking after the whole commercial process.
MBA Specialization: Marketing
B. A(Arabic)
Diploma in Sales & Marketing