Megan Hulse Email & Phone Number

Sykesville, Md, Us

• Strategic Merchandising Management: Developed and executed merchandising strategies that aligned with corporate objectives, enhancing product selection, pricing, and promotional efforts to significantly improve customer satisfaction and profitability.• Inventory and Supply Chain Oversight: Managed the Open-to-Buy (OTB) budget for over 60 brands, optimizing product turnover and fill rates, and ensuring efficient product availability through meticulous inventory and supply chain operations.• Sales and Marketing Leadership: Led the integration of marketing and sales functions, boosting brand consistency and sales through innovative merchandising and multi-channel marketing strategies.• Market Research and Product Development: Directed market research to identify consumer needs, leading to new product opportunities in the pet supplies market. Spearheaded full-cycle development of consumables and hard goods from concept to market.• Vendor and Supplier Management: Cultivated strong relationships with vendors and suppliers, negotiating favorable terms and ensuring product quality.• Data Analysis and Forecasting: Utilized sales data and market trends to enhance strategic decision-making and responsiveness to market dynamics.• Team Leadership and Development: Fostered a culture of collaboration and innovation by mentoring teams across sales, merchandising, and marketing.• Process Improvement and Merchandising Innovation: Implemented processes to manage product damages and recalls, improving operational efficiency and product quality. Curated category-specific merchandising sets and Planograms to enhance retail presentation and consumer appeal.

Sykesville, Md, Us

Woodbury, Minnesota, Us

• Managed 20+ categories, including Consumables (shelf stable, refrigerated, and frozen), Health and Beauty, Toys, Apparel, Collar and Leash, and Gifts.• Assisted the new store taskforce with the launch of 20+ store locations, including development of regional assortments, creation of promotional strategies, and relationship-building with local vendors.• Maintained data integrity and unified reporting across 2 disparate ERP systems.• Created in-store and omni-channel pricing policies to achieve category margin goals and be price competitive with main competitors. The implemented policies are projected to add $2M+ to the bottom line within the next 12 months.• Optimized product catalog assortment for both local delivery services and "Buy Online / Pickup in Store" options.• Coordinated weekly open-to-buy schedule and financials for upcoming product launches. • Reduced out of stock rate on top 500 skus through distributor optimization by region. • Added $5.2M in profit to the bottom line through implementation of a marketing rebate program and enrollment of 50 cross-category vendors. • Developed a 100% vendor funded promotional program and partnered with vendors to ensure a smooth transition. • Unified the core product assortment through a mix of historical sales data analysis, integration of new products, and product mix optimization across brand, product, and price. These changes offer comprehensive and profitable category ranges across 175 stores in 13 states.

Minneapolis, Mn, Us

• Facilitating the development and innovation of product lines• Managing of product life cycle and identifying expansion opportunities• Proactively managing, planning and forecasting inventory needs• Identifying global manufacturing relationships abroad• Orchestrating shipments through third party logistics firms to receive goods on time in the most cost effective manner (Fish & Wildlife and Customs clearance)• Negotiating pricing with vendors based on fluctuating costs of materials and competitor pricing• Managing and modifying quality control processes that meet or exceed company standards for manufacturers, third party QC partners and fulfillment centers• Coordinating creation and shipment of all pre-production and photo quality samples• Directly addressing the needs of customers to strengthen category assortments• Identifying and implementing process improvements to increase efficiency and cost savings• Representing company interests at international trade shows• Travelling internationally to represent company interests onsite at manufacturing facilities• Maintaining product reference samples and idea library• Partnering with Evine, Bed Bath and Beyond and CommerceHub for product setup• Partnering with sales and marketing departments to address category assortment needs and strategic development to drive sales across all media• Organizing and executing marketing communications for a leading luxury tabletop brand• Planning catalog pagination and directing of product photo shoots• Managing products on e-commerce site via Magento

Eagan, Minnesota, Us

• Facilitating and managing of licensing relationships with The Smithsonian Institution, The National Zoological Park, The International Olympic Committee, and the United States Olympic Committee• Visitation and quality control, on location, at vendor production facilities• Managing and co-managing of the two largest product lines• Actively creating new product lines and programs• Proactively seeking and acquiring new vendor and product production relationships• Managing of product life cycle and expansion • Representing company interests at international trade shows• Developing, designing, and re-designing of new and existing product lines• Creating marketing materials for new and existing products and programs• Proactively forecasting and monitoring inventory levels• Partnering with sales management to fill product gaps increase customer engagement• Designing and implementation of streamlined policies, procedures, and processes• Planning and process modification pre-and-post merger, acquisition, joint venture, and divestiture• Coordinating category assortment planning and strategic development to drive sales across all media• Ensuring correct product pricing to reflect fluctuating costs of materials

Eagan, Minnesota, Us

• Managing of product life cycle and expansion• Actively creating new product lines and programs• Leading account management of primary vendors• Creating marketing materials for new and existing products and programs• Partnering with sales management to fill product gaps increase customer engagement• Representing company interests at international trade shows• Designing and implementation of streamlined policies, procedures, and processes• Planning and process modification pre-and-post merger, acquisition, joint venture, and divestiture• Partnering with fulfillment to verify product quality, correctness, and documentation• Event planning during product launches, vendor visits, and informational seminars• Proactively forecasting and monitoring inventory levels• Building and maintenance of vendor relationships• Assisting concept development for planning programs• Coordinating category assortment planning and strategic development to drive sales across all media• Ensuring correct product pricing to reflect fluctuating costs of materials• Establishing suppliers for existing product through proficient use of proven procurement skills• Researching and recommending new products and vendors• Collaborating with director to administer retail pricing target planning

Eagan, Minnesota, Us

• Proactively forecasting and monitoring inventory levels• Building and maintenance of vendor relationships• Assisting concept development for planning programs• Coordinating category assortment planning and strategic development to drive sales across all media• Ensuring correct product pricing to reflect fluctuating costs of materials• Establishing suppliers for existing product through proficient use of proven procurement skills• Researching and recommending new products and vendors• Collaborating with director to administer retail pricing target planning