Recruited via recommendation from former King Soopers Manager to support and launch a new team providing advanced merchandising solutions to multi-unit c-stores, grocery retailers, and pharmacies. ♦ Orchestrate category management with a total of 1500 retail locations in a 17-state region.♦ Utilized JDA Intactix Space Planning and Automation to optimize merchandising and sell-through of several hundred product configurations. Partner with software vendors from Digital Rep and JDA to develop new software features and functionality for greater productivity.♦ Consult with customers at the corporate and store level. Perform advanced analytics of proprietary data using JDA, Excel, Business Objects, and SAP to guide merchandising area sizing, product display planning, SKU assortments, and assure distributor execution of planograms. ♦ Track and distribute performance metrics (revenues, profitability, product losses, out of stock/overstock levels). Produce analyses of syndicated data from Nielsen, IRI, and individual retailers. Generate reporting by chain following semi-annual product resets.♦ Serve as mentor, coach, and trainer for a team which has grown from 2 to 35 in 2 locations. Promote sharing of knowledge and cultivation of best practices. Instrumental in developing technical process documentation.♦ Credited with maintaining or increasing overall sales revenues and profitability in key accounts (Circle K, 7-11, Valero, Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons, Walmart, Rite Aid, and Walgreens), despite declining demand of some products.♦ Earned corporate recognitions for exceptional problem-solving, on-target project completion, above-and-beyond efforts in automating business processes and meeting large spikes in demand for planograms.

Promoted to newly created role, supporting Category Managers in optimizing sales of higher-profit products through strategic, systematic merchandising.♦ Collaborated with multiple departments (Site Logistics, Pricing, Buying, and Store Managers) in analysis and decision-making processes, ensuring optimal product mix and profitability.♦ Consulted with multiple vendors and manufacturers; analyze proposals and negotiate product placement to ensure mutual success. Assisted with planning and execution of new product launches, incorporating strategic use of end caps, special merchandising displays, shelf talkers, promotional aisle placement, and cross-merchandising.♦ Utilized Apollo IS to produce corporate sales reports by UPC. Analyzed and designed schematics to optimize sell through of top performers. Compiled, integrated, and produced item-level reports for Category Managers.♦ Instrumental in 20 new store grand openings and 200 remodels in the region; designed and audited store layouts, planograms, shelving sets, and flow. Led merchandising buildout of 50K+ sq. ft. stores in an average of 4 days.