Currently employed as a Buyer for James Free Jewelers, Responsible for merchandise in the categories of Bridal, Diamond Fashion, Color Fashion, Pearls, and various Designer lines. Also, buy and manage lines that are exclusive to our website. Analyze business and strive to maintain gross margins, inventory levels, and profitability based on the organization's parameters. Strong negotiating skills and have secured exclusive lines for our market. Good understanding of our competition and trends and how to differentiate and position us.• Analyze business and strive to maintain gross margins, inventory levels and profitability based on the organization's parameters.• Developed unique programs and systems to increase accountability and efficiency in all departments by working with IT developers.• Collaborate extensively with vendors and office contacts to coordinate increased cost-effective and timely expedition of orders as well as cost negotiations.• Increase consistency in the replenishment of fast sellers as well as a reduction in unnecessary purchases.• Calculate profit margins, negotiate pricing and payment terms prior to approving a purchase order; following up with credits, consignment billing, and invoice discrepancies.

Merchandise Manager for the CD Peacock Jewelry stores. This is a privately owned company that has four Retail Jewelry stores in suburbs surrounding the Chicago area. CD Peacock also holds the title of being the oldest Jeweler in Chicago!• Set sales quotas, established performance expectations and visited retailers to optimize sales and customer service.• Developed and executed strategies for assortment, vendor management, pricing and marketing for finished jewelry and loose diamonds to maximize sales and profitability; responsible for all visual merchandising.• Maintained and executed departmental OTB by category and vendor.• Developed promotional pricing and coding; tracked best and worst sellers, aged inventory, turn, and ROI.• Negotiated vendor co-op advertising, oversaw design and development of ads and in-store signage, analyzed advertising related sales performance.

Buyer at Columbian Emeralds. A large chain of Retail Jewelry stores in the Caribbean Islands and stores on NCL cruise ships. Responsibilities included but not limited to Product Development and Procurement, Vendor relations and Negotiations, Open to Buy, Advertising, Distribution, and Inventory control. • Coordinated with clients, suppliers, and manufacturers to create custom, quality works of jewelry.• Measured and graded diamonds on basis of clarity, symmetry, color, and polish.• Analyzed inventory usage and assessed trends to provide maximum coverage for each time period.• Oversaw and streamlined daily operations of the purchasing department to maximize productivity and revenue.• Maintained key item stock levels and wrote or expedited purchase orders.

Oversaw products, processes, projects and campaigns. Grew revenue and overall profitability for the assigned product category. Monitored product, promotion, price, competitive positioning and sales awareness. Maintained expert knowledge in a product portfolio as the subject matter expert.• Developed marketing plans for their product portfolio.• Maximized sales revenue, profit and vendor co-op for product categories through strategic planning.• Recommended pricing strategies, monitored competitive activity, identified both supplier and customer needs Interfacing with vendors to develop or enhance the marketing of product(s) or product line(s),