Caitlin Brace Email & Phone Number

Hampton, Gb

London, United Kingdom

Manage the technical development of Harrods Own Label products including bags, apparel, SLGs, homewares, candles, soft toys and other small accessories in conjunction with the buying team.• Work collaboratively with suppliers to drive continuous improvement and sustainable practice• Manage the end-to-end quality process from supplier to store• Monitor annual auditing of suppliers, review audits including SMETA, BSCI, SA8000 and ICTI• Track sustainable fiber certifications and transaction certificates• Experience with chain of custody processes including GRS, FSC and BCI• Onboarding suppliers to Harrods and SEDEX• Set product performance and certification requirements, analyse test reports and approve technical labelling• Benchmark product standards against competitors• Support suppliers to achieve required accreditations such as UCKA and CE• Setting labelling and packaging requirements• Work with nominated test houses to ensure quality levels are maintained• Monitor the critical path, reviewing samples from concept to delivery to ensure all technical requirements are achieved on time• Ensure any quality issues that arise have minimum effect on stock availability by liaising with Merchandising and DC teams• Provide efficient solutions for customer-reported quality issues and create monthly reports to monitor faulty returns rates• Work alongside customer services to assist customers with any complaints or issues• Data analysis of customer complaints and quality issues, identifying the root cause and continuously improving processes• General admin tasks such as sample management, creating technical briefs, size specifications and report filing• Onboard and train new starters• Completed training with MHFA England to become a mental health first aider• Completed a 3 month secondment in the customer service team directly communicating with customers, addressing and resolving their complaints

London, United Kingdom

Assisting the Quality Controller working on all areas of product including accessories, womenswear, menswear, tailoring and special collections.• Assisting in fit sessions, sole responsibility for fitting all shipment and gold seal samples for the women’s range and the shipment samples for part of the men’s range.• Working on the sealing process from development to bulk.• Sending out comments and approvals to suppliers after fit sessions.• Liaising with suppliers over the phone and via email. Building and maintaining key supplier relationships.• Working on the British and Irish Lions range for their upcoming tour to New Zealand.• Part of the team responsible for measuring all potential British and Irish Lions players for their off pitch kit.• Assisting with the organisation of Lions fittings and ordering made to measure kit for the team.• Assisting at Lions photoshoots and promotional events linked with the Thomas Pink range, I was responsible for ensuring that the players were wearing the right pieces and were styled correctly for the photoshoots.• Grading up and altering measurement specifications.• Analysing and assessing returns for issues.• Working with a critical path to manage my time and ensure all products are approved on time.• Working on the new shirt and tailoring blocks project for ladieswear and menswear.• Repairing minor issues found on garments in the warehouse• Working to any resolve quality issues with suppliers

London, United Kingdom

Placement year conducted as a part of my degree. I was initially a part of the womenswear team focusing on outerwear, woven shirts and trousers and jersey tees and sweatshirts. I then moved onto the factory outlet team, this allowed me to work on a large variety of products including knitwear, jersey, outerwear and woven shirts and trousers.• Many of my day-to-day roles consisted of working with samples. This included organising and measuring them; keeping a log of them; checking them as they arrive to make sure they are as requested; checking graphic placements; fitting them on mannequins and live models.• Making the developers aware of any discrepancies before reviews.• Updating tech packs in PLM and communicate changes with factories.• Developing samples – given my own styles to set up for Autumn 2016.• Assisting with set up of meetings.• On the CSR committee – organising charity and volunteering events for my colleagues as part of Timberland’s 40 service hours.