Cheryl Mitchener Email & Phone Number

San Francisco, CA

• Managed inventory, planning and production for retail shops, ecommerce and wholesale for a headwear company.
• Established inventory planning department, developing standards for inventory levels, turn, and margin resulting in reduced inventory levels, increased sales and profitability.
• Directed inventory team for retail, ecommerce and wholesale, maintaining strong inventory planning and forecasting, increasing turn and minimizing markdowns.
• Initiated and maintained inventory replenishment for retail stores, effectively communicated with store and regional management to ensure appropriate stock levels maintaining 95% in stock levels for key items.
• Supervised production group to deliver timely arrival of orders and maintain strong vendor relationships.
• Created annual sales and inventory plans for retail and ecommerce, reforecasting through the year.

San Francisco, CA

• Oversaw inventory planning team for national furniture retailer.
• Directed inventory planning team, managing inventory levels, open to buy and buy plans, providing leadership to create strong team environment.
• Developed and communicated annual financial plans supporting the merchandising, marketing and financial objectives of the company.
• Managed inventory levels for 70 stores, ecommerce and catalog sales, reducing inventory levels while maintaining sales and gross margin objectives.
• Collaborated with merchandising and marketing teams to develop and communicate department strategies for financial and product opportunities.
• Lead planning team in implementation of inventory control software, successfully transferred planning team from manual buy plan to new process.

Alameda, CA

• Buyer for party goods for full line, outlet and franchise stores.
• Managed diverse categories, including paper goods, toys, catering supplies, stationery, décor, and candy for 275 stores.
• Cultivated strong relationships with both existing and new vendors, negotiating optimal terms increasing gross margin.
• Developed differentiated product lines with vendors to distinguish product from competition.
• Established annual planning calendar to coordinate program launches and changes to improve merchandise flow to stores.
• Coordinated merchandise assortments through two acquisitions, maintaining volume and gross margin.

Newark, CA

• Operated and managed an electronics retail location.
• Orchestrated all strategic planning, cash management, financial audits, business analysis, inventory control, in-store promotions, advertising and sales functions.
• Enhanced store profitability through achievement of volume budgets, net operating profit, and management of store expenses.
• Improved the quality of management staff and associates through hiring, training and developmental feedback.
• Managed store visual merchandising standards utilizing established corporate strategies and the unique characteristics of the location to create an exciting and interactive customer experience.

San Francisco, CA

• Bought and managed worldwide assortments for the world's largest travel retailer for the United States, Asia, and Oceania.
• Planned assortments for diverse regions worldwide, accounting for local market preferences. Coordinated assortments with six regional buyers to accommodate diverse customer profiles and markets.
• Built and maintained strong vendor relationships with resources in Europe, Asia and domestically. Successfully negotiated for exclusives, advertising funds, listing fees, cost reductions, and demonstration allowances.
• Managed, trained and motivated a staff of assistants and clericals, resulting in three promotions. Responsible for interviews, hiring decisions, reviews, and providing regular feedback.
• Developed extensive product lines, creating private label brands for individual regions and exclusive co-branding with key vendors, resulting in increased sales and gross margin dollars.