Karl Jemson Email & Phone Number

Melksham

SBI Group T/O £101m, operate the UK’s preeminent upholstery brands - Duresta, Parker Knoll, G Plan, Parker Knoll, Collins & Hayes and The Lounge Co. renowned for style and comfort. Operating from four manufacturing sites the South West, Midlands and Lithuania. The strength of offer is design, craftsmanship, and value, furniture is distributed through 600+ outlets.Achievements- Project led a multi-site cross functional team resourcing recliner mechanisms delivering improved quality, reduced stock holding and shorter lead times, building strategic relationships consistent with Mendelow’s matrix. Realised 26% saving and increased stockturn 50%.- Initiated Guarantee term being increased and marketed which yielded a 15% sales increase.- Secured new utility contracts saving 25% of supplier spend, delivering a saving of >£100k.- Lead on enhanced website functionality team enabling prospective customers to view furniture in their choice of fabric. - Delivered an exclusive partnership with the largest manufacturer of Scandinavian Lifestyle recliner chairs with the customer benefit that furniture can be manufactured to match their suite.- Improved payment terms with core suppliers enabling the business to function as cash positive.- Capitalised on market conditions initiating a tender delivering a saving of 6% from vertically integrated foam suppliers.- Led a review reducing use of printed literature resulting in collateral moved online saving 45%.

Trowbridge, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Head of Procurement (Category Management), RM Resources, (Apr 2015 – Jun 2019)RM Resources T/O £139m, with c.13,000 stocked products supplied to c.30,000 schools and care homes internationally. With c.775 suppliers, RM operates The Consortium and TTS brands. Strategic Achievements- Led Stationery, Arts & Crafts, Exercise Books teams responsible for 162 global suppliers. - Led the Product Integration Team, following the acquisition of WMS delivering a differentiated proposition. - Flexing academic principles such as ADKAR to ensure lasting change aligning with business strategy.- Identified ranges and marketing initiatives facilitating private label sourcing - sales of £510k with 69% GM year one.- Supplier base consolidation (- 11%) 142 vs 127 LFY, rationalising sku’s (-12%). Commercial Achievements- Team sales +5.9%, cash margin +6.2%, both outperformed RM, which in turn outperformed the market +4.4%. - 21% of supplier base and 19% of products which delivered 54% of T/O and 60% of gross margin. - Exceeded CoS targets, delivering -0.28% saving against a budgeted 1.5% increase. Equivalent to +2 points of GM.- Increased below the line trading support monies by 21%.- EOY stock holding (-£1.3m), improving stock turn from 2.8 to 3.6. - Increased own brand revenue 38% vs. 49%, contributing an additional £450k GM.Supply Chain and IT Achievements- Proactively managed suppliers to 95.6% OTIF exceeding business targets of 95%.- Outstanding order book value of 0.3% immediately following BTS surpassing 0.45% target metric.- Member of warehouse management system (High Jump) and demand planning system (SO99) implementation team.People and Culture Achievements- Shifted team culture to an ambitious, commercial, customer centric, empowered team embracing change. - Individuals developed into high performing team of diverse characters who deliver efficiently and effectively.- Member of TTS/Consortium Integration Team delivering successful integration.

Trowbridge, Wiltshire, United Kingdon

Key responsibilities;• Formulate and lead the marketing, ranging and purchasing strategy for the destination product portfolios of Stationery, Art & Craft and Exercise Books. • Develop and maintain strong commercial relationships with vendors, underpinned by best in class terms.• Remit included constructing commercial range architectures, product development, supply chain, stock governance and planning for the key Back-to-School trading to mitigate supply risk, optimism customer service and maximise commercial opportunity. • Build range strategy including brand focus, vendor commercial targets and channel requirements.• Developed new range of Exercise Books from point of conception through iterations of specification and production, marketing & sales promotions, to drive innovation and revitalise the product offer to become the market leading range. Evolved time-sensitive, complex supply chain to support the growth of the Exercise Book offer (sales increase £1.7m, profit increase £1.5m over 2 years), involved blended supply solution covering far-shore, near shore and domestic supply.• Identified product ranges suitable for consolidating and sourcing from the Far East, gaining approval from the board, developing market led solutions to ensure success in private label product introductions. • Totally responsible for initially sourcing, branding and specifying all own brand products direct from Far East factories, working collaboratively with offshore manufacturers to achieve high service levels.• Responsible for multi-channel company promotions and catalogue production in conjunction with Marketing team.• Ensure best practice is shared cross-functionally throughout the Category Management Team by facilitating team forums, monthly meetings and presenting a quarterly road-map update with the Head of Sales and the Trading Director. Ensuring the team spirit remains high, individuals are engaged and feel part of a team, the sum of which is greater than its parts.

Swindon, United Kingdom

Connect Group T/O £1.8bn, 6000 employees. Previously Smiths News PLC prior to that a division of WHSmith PLC. I led the furniture product category (T/O £11.6m) within The Consortium division (T/O £55m).Achievements- Achieved (-2.1%) CoS and +£94k contribution over 3 years on contracts valued £6.9m P/A. - Improved the performance of direct suppliers over peak via the introduction of supplier circulated governance metrics.- Planned global visits to factories and exhibitions establishing commercial, sustainable, scalable sourcing models and personal relationships ensuring key stakeholders are invested and engaged in building business and relationships.- Introduced Value products sourced direct from China T/O of £420k, GM £245k from 31 sku’s.- Led Rationalisation Project, suppliers (-21%), sku’s (-31%). Following year sales +5.5%, with a record NPS of 86% as a result of the clearer to shop customer centric range. - B.I. Seasonal Trend Analysis, key participant – cross functional initiative to agreed updated stock forecast algorithms. - Introduced the concept of identifying savings opportunities from a strategic and holistic commercial perspective.

Trowbridge, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Originally a SW local authority supplies organisation 1995 management buyout led to its evolution into a national business. - Fundamental to implementing Category Management principles across teams at The Consortium.- Personally, facilitated importing Exercise Books from India; year one = 22 FCL’s, Y3+ >250 FCL’s.- Established overseas procedures driving a sourcing step change, mapped processes and disseminated.- Directly sourced c.£2m of product, over 4 categories, from 24 new suppliers, over 3 years, from a standing start. - Educated and provided awareness to purchasing team of the commercial benefits of directly sourced product.- Embedded a mindset promoting Overseas suppliers as diligent, conscientious, and reliable as UK counterparts.- Used direct import cost price benefits as leverage with UK suppliers where direct import was not a viable option.- Strong confidant and advisor to Marketing & Buying Directors leading to future appointment as Head of role.- Established and implemented Global Sourcing Policy, subsequently adopted by Connect Group and RM Group.- Recruited, developed and managed a high performing Overseas, Exercise Book & Office Procurement team.- Delivered resourcing CoS savings of >16%, over 3 years as percentage of Overseas spend increased.

Yeovil, Somerset, United Kingdom

Silverline Tools;- distributor of c. 4,500 hand and power tools, purpose built head office, warehouse distribution complex.- Led a team of 5, introduced 150-200 lines, resourced 250-300, delivered (-7.3%) CoS saving with lower MOQ’s.- SWOT analysis; range vs competitors, identify price and range expansion opportunities agreeing targets with Board. - Annual tender management with current and prospective suppliers, issuing contracts for material and finished products.- Ensured new products met current legislation and are certified with a respected QA test body.

Cadbury, Bristol, United Kingdom

Owned by Truffaut France’s largest garden and pet retailer T/O €510m, 51,000 staff in 6 countries. UK sites are destination centres serviced by c.490 suppliers, offering a vast range from plants and pats to clothing and food. T/O £65m.- Led a group-wide review establishing Purchasing Policy – authorisation levels, KPI’s and governance metrics. - Led centralisation and consolidation of Purchasing (Category Management), used group leverage to generate additional income of £490k, rising to £1m+ in year five. - Formulated budgets across 15 departments, c.£21m spend for board approval.- Led business cases validating; Farm Shop, Butcher, Pet & Aquatic introductions = Y2 sales £3.2m, profit £1m+.- Managed GNFR tenders; scope, specification and documentation for indirects.- Introduced Corporate Trading Terms documentation, including child labour, H&S and working hours .- Increased franchise income from £450k to £1.3m, identifying target areas at site and rental income.

Paulton, Bristol, United Kingdom

DIY Superstore; T/O £353m, 108 stores, c.6,000 products promoted via the bi-monthly Great Mills Flyer. - Led a team of six, responsible for £126m T/O- Ranges;- Bedding Plants, HNS, Houseplants, BBQ’s, Garden Furniture, Water Features, Seeds, Bulbs and Christmas.- Appraised sales and margin performance at minor/regional level, identifying focus areas.- Responsible for strategy to increase sales and profit, via a customer centric offer aligned to corporate business aims.- Initiated out of season promotional offers;- £99 petrol Lawnmower in Jan. Sale, generating £140k incremental sales, self-contained water features, following TV’s Ground-Force, generated additional margin of £160k from revenue of £270k.- Worldwide direct product sourcing.

Stockton-On-Tees

DIY Hypermarket, T/O £55m., NE based, five huge sites, internal sales area 51,000 sq. m., range 55,000 sku’s.- Product and supplier selection, issuing contracts and accountable for performance against KPI’s.- Far East Direct Sourcing; Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.- Identify targets for range and profit improvement & analyse market opportunities for promotional lines.- Copy writing – fifteen x8 page flyers p/a, distributed to c.4.5m homes.