Julie Sumner Email and Phone Number

Develop and execute Marketplace growth strategy for Beauty category through seller and brand acquisition, improving site discoverability, influencing pricing and inventory, and driving adoption of seller growth programsManage collaborative relationships with retail merchants, brands, and third-party sellers to deliver expanded assortment offering and channel alignmentDrive strategic seller growth by partnering on expanded selection, improving offer quality, and managing in-stockCollaborate with cross-functional partners to execute the category strategy and deliver best in class customer and seller experiences including business development, strategy, operations, site merchandising and marketingManage, coach and train a team of strategic account managers to exceed account goals and revenue targets

Managed expanded scope of total division delivering higher sales comp and margin above divisionExceeded all financial targets growing sales +230% in 3 years to $80M, improving gross margin 2000 basis points, and rightsized profitability to deliver positive contribution profitLed partnership with site operations to deliver customer centric shopping experience across desktop, mobile, and app to improve search and browse relevancy, increase SEM/SEO traffic and conversion, and improve Net Promoter ScoreDefined channel optimization strategy for total division across marketplace, drop ship, & owned to deliver optimal assortment and maximize profitability Led and developed high performing team of 14 Category Managers and Specialists

Defined and communicated pre-season strategy for complex category to cross-functional partners and large team of direct reports to deliver business resultsDemonstrated deep expertise in assortment matrix, inventory management, pricing models, and digital optimization as owner of customer shopping experienceDeveloped best in class merchandising assortment partnering with internal product development team on omni and ecommerce exclusive programs as well as building strong executive level relationships with national market brandsInfluenced annual plans, seasonal positioning, and monthly open to buy forecasts partnering with Planning team to identify solutions to maximize sales and mitigate risksCollaborated with marketing and site operations to develop content calendar supporting product strategies and financial targetsIdentified opportunities to solve problems and improve internal processes and tools for efficiencyLed and developed team of 8 Category Specialists and interim manager for other teams

Managed site merchandising and digital marketing for $50M business to achieve sales targets, maximize site conversion, increase traffic, and acquire new customers. Categories included Shoes, Jewelry, Men's Apparel, Beauty & Gifts.Executed omni-channel strategies online through assortment, promotions, and marketing working cross-functionally with executive team, merchants, marketing, and site productionManaged execution of promotional and site content calendar through daily content refreshes, promotions, and flash sale events to ensure flawless customer experienceUsed metrics to improve customer shopping experience through site taxonomy, features and functionality execution, A/B testing, and tracking of updates through web analytics and competitive analysisPartnered with Product Managers to prioritize projects based on customer impact and cost, assist in writing technical requirements, and track results pre and post launch.

Delivered 40% sales increase and 3600 basis point margin improvement for Contemporary and Designer Apparel category by developing strategic vendors, category assortment mix, and pricing strategyExecuted all aspects of the business cycle including buying, planning, inventory management, promotional cadence, marketing, and site optimizationManaged portfolio of 60+ vendors identifying opportunities to increase selection through business development of new brands and assortment expansionPartnered with Marketing to drive increased traffic through emails, search, display, and category landing pageOptimized site experience with improved taxonomy, visual standards, and cross sells to increase conversionCollaborated with Fashion Office to select editorial product for marketing to increase customer awareness and elevate the fashion experience on Amazon.com

Defined assortment strategies and executed to financial plans and forecasts for $30M departmentAchieved inventory turn and profitability targets by building strong vendor relationships to develop exclusive product to fill assortment white space and secure marketing co-op, RTV’s and markdown allowancesAnalyzed trends, geographical assortment, and price band selling to optimize buys to maximize sales and adjusting future on order to minimize riskDeveloped new in-store visual strategy with Store Operations resulting in improved regular price sell-thru

Worked cross-functionally with DMM and Buyers on seasonal department plans aligning with product strategy and company financial targetsForecasted seasonal and multi-year plans to identify opportunities and minimize down-trending departmentsCreated buy plans and managed OTB receipts by vendor, category and stores based on product strategies, sales performance, and profitability to maximize sales and inventory productivityWorked collaboratively with Buyers and Digital Operations team to plan sales and inventory for launch of LastCall.com Influenced omni promotional marketing calendar to drive top line sales and reduce markdown liabilities meeting weekly Executive TeamDeveloped and launched first private label cashmere program for NM Last Call and grew main line private label Neiman Marcus Cashmere Collection sales and margin to historical high. Managed all planning and buying functions including pre-season planning, regional assortments, pricing, delivery, marketing, and direct communication and training in stores to drive sales

• Managed multiple P&L budgets working cross-functionally with Finance, Marketing, Stores, and external suppliers• Set and allocated $40 million staffing budget to stores and negotiated with 40+ suppliers on salary contribution, rates and hours needed to drive sales volume in each store• Effectively communicated with department and human resource managers regarding open census and performance issues impacting sales• Executed seasonal multi-million dollar omni event collaborating across internal functions, suppliers, and stores including gift with purchase sourcing, vendor contribution, operational logistics, marketing plan and execution, and time & action calendar • Allocated advertising budget to Buyers based on business needs, managed spend by department, and coordinated advertising jobs between Buyers and Marketing including direct mail, magazine, and newspaper ads

• Assisted in planning and driving $100+ million store and digital Beauty business achieving sales, turn, and margin targets • Effectively communicated between vendors and stores to identify sales opportunities, pricing models, optimal stock position, and developed exclusive product• Planned product assortment, managed inventory optimized website functionality for Neiman Marcus online• Negotiated vendor RTV’s, markdown dollars and marketing co-op in order to meet Receipt and Gross Margin goals, contributing on average $10 million in profit annually• Responsible for negotiating and managing the annual $250 million advertising budget.• Coordinated all aspects of seasonal events; including negotiation, logistics, sales goals and allocations