With combined annual sales of $50m and 70 stores nationally, this specialty retailer across 2 separate brands sold luggage, handbags, wallets and travel accessories. Reporting to the CEO, the Merchandise Manager was responsible for leading the merchandise team of 15 in developing and executing the merchandise strategy.Key achievements included:+40% increase in December / January sales over 4 years by introducing a seasonal stock peaking program and dynamic advertising campaignRefining OTB planning to maximise company cash flow Expanding the Indian supplier base to improve sales and margin in leather categoriesIntroducing a more robust and detailed post seasonal review process resulting in more productive assortments and better merchandise planning

Adairs is Australia's largest specialty retailer of home textiles and decor. Home Republic was the modern proprietary brand across the Adairs bed, bath and decorator assortment. Urban Home Republic was the new retail store concept designed to showcase the Home Republic range in a more contemporary environment.Reporting to the Buying Director this role was responsible for working across the merchandise team to ensure a consistent brand identity during the Home Republic product development process, whilst identifying opportunities to grow the brand in both Adairs and Urban Home Republic stores.Product sourcing, development and selection of the brand's merchandise assortment across both chains were key responsibilities, as was the accountability of the Urban Home Republic stores' daily operations.Key achievements included:Achieved brand sales and margin target in the Adairs business in the first year

Myer is Australia's largest department store with 58 stores nationally.With annual sales in excess of $60m, the category was one of the largest in the Homewares business.Reporting to the Homewares Business Manager, this role was responsible for the development and implementation of the merchandise strategy, working with local and international suppliers to deliver an assortment to achieve budgeted sales, margin and inventory targets. Managing the advertising calendar, overseas sourcing, negotiating supplier terms and income and presenting to senior management were all key responsibilities of the role.Key achievements:Best performing Homewares category for 3 consecutive seasons over 2005/06Rationalised the local supplier base by half whilst negotiating more favourable terms and increasing supplier income from around 1% of sales to 4% of sales over 5 yearsGrew the cookware category by more than 8% annually for 8 consecutive years

Reporting to the Homewares Business Manager, this role was responsible for the development and implementation of the merchandise strategy, working with local and international suppliers to deliver an assortment to achieve budgeted sales, margin and inventory targets.Key skills acquired during this time included line item analysis and assortment planning, overseas product development and local supplier terms negotiation.Key achievement:Launch of private branded cookware assortment Esse Design, entirely sourced directly from China and Italy, growing to become the largest cookware brand in the business within 2 years.

Reporting to the Business Manager of the special project team for new store refurbishments, this role was responsible for the merchandise planning of 4 key stores as they transitioned through new store refurbishments.The primary function in this role was to work across the national buying teams to establish the relevant brand mix in each category for each store and then to plan sales and margin budgets to category brand level according to the new carrying capacity of the revised floor layouts and new fixturing. Resourcefulness, problem solving, a capacity to communicate across all levels of management whilst displaying personal initiative were all key attributes required for success in this new to business role. Establishing new processes and methodology whilst manipulating historical merchandise data were central to delivering the right amount of stock in the right place at the right time.Key achievements:Successful fit out and opening of each store according to budgeted opening stocks to category brand level

Reporting to the Planning Manager of Homewares, the Merchandiser role would in time evolve into the modern day Merchandise Planning role.Key responsibilities included budgeting and forecasting of sales, OTB, margin %, markdowns and gross profit, order quantification, in season and post season analysis to category / brand / product type and supplier level. Managing the workflow and performance management of the 3 Buyers Assistants was also central to the role.

The Divisional Administration Officer was a 12 month cadetship open to junior executives from the National Buying Office to advance their career in buying and merchandise planning. Successful candidates admitted to the annual program were assigned to work alongside a Planning Manager of a merchandise division, with the aim of being trained up and placed back into a merchandise buying team as a trainee merchandiser (the precursor to the redefined role of merchandise planner). In this role, I was seconded to work with the Planning Manager of Sporting Goods and worked as part of the cross divisional team to oversee the merchandise planning for the new Myer Melbourne Sport concept.

Reporting to the Buyer, this entry level position into the National Buying Office involved relocating from Perth upon completion of my university degree.