Odette Caldwell Email & Phone Number

Durban, Kzn, Za

Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

South Africa

Responsible for Business Development & Projects for the Coastal region (KZN & Cape), encompassing both retailers & manufacturers in the FMCG industry.• Focused on all aspects of Category Management, including process, software, training, project management, implementation and post-implementation support• Proficient in the JDA Category Management Suite of software, specialising in Assortment Optimization• Tasked with expanding the Coastal region within our business unit by building strong relationships with both manufacturers & retailers• managed 2 large Retail Integration Projects in collaboration with our development team, aligning client business objectives with internal processes and ensuring these were translated into effective, tailored solutions that met client expectations

Kzn, Cape & Rest Of Coastal Region, South Africa

Responsible for Business Development & Projects for the Coastal region (KZN & Cape), encompassing both retailers & manufacturers in the FMCG industry(The business unit underwent a name & structure change in alignment with Smollan's Corporate Strategy)

Durban Area, South Africa

I embarked on a sabbatical from corporate to dabble in other industries, working on projects with SME's & independent individuals, in a number of different roles. I took the end-to-end solutions experience I had gained in corporate & applied the skills to each of these projects, with the same enthusiasm & passion I had developed during my corporate career. This afforded me the opportunity to expand my knowledge & experience, outside of the traditional FMCG industry.Knowledge gained in the following industries: - Pool, Entertainment (venue & artists), Hairdressing & Beauty, Equestrian, Retail Centre Management, KFC FranchiseExamples of projects & roles I managed, performed & delivered: -POS implementation (including back of house); Artist Management & Event Management; Social Media Management; Business Management; Training & Teaching; Mentorship & Marketing elements around promotions.

South Africa

Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) involves collaboration between manufacturers and retailers on non-competitive projects, identified using the IBM Global Scorecard, across the ECR footprint, which includes Demand, Supply, Enablers and Integrators.• This role required a comprehensive understanding of the entire supply chain without needing to be an expert in any specific area. Consistently acquiring knowledge of global standards and international industry blue books and white papers was a key part of my responsibilities, along with disseminating this information internally through the appropriate channels and departments.• Responsible for implementing ECR principles within the business and in collaborative forums, leveraging the ECR framework across Demand, Supply, Enablers, and Integrators. Utilized the Global Scorecard to identify gaps and opportunities. Established a board-level Steering Committee to secure buy-in, endorsement, and funding for director-nominated cross-functional working groups, aimed at delivering efficiencies across the organization.• Externally, I represented Rainbow in all relevant CGCSA Councils, forums, and Regional Chapters, identifying relevant industry collaboration projects for the business to strategically tackle. Embedded these projects within the relevant department or business unit and transferred ownership back to the Steering Committee.• We also embarked on collaborative projects with trading partners such as PnP, ICC, Makro, Shoprite, Axicon, Everest, and Ferroprint, achieving varying degrees of success on initiatives like ‘Reverse Logistics’, ‘On-Shelf Availability’, ‘Barcode Quality’, ‘Alliance Partner Program’, ‘RFID’, ‘Internal Data Alignment’, ‘Thermal Abuse’, ‘Product Data Catalogue’, and ‘Category Demand Management’, among others.

Durban Area, South Africa

• Acted as a vital link between Marketing and Sales management teams, ensuring alignment of brand objectives, channel objectives, and customer needs with the corporate strategic plan, while innovating the delivery approach to the trade.• Developed comprehensive Trade Marketing and Sales Support reports and insights.• Enhanced the understanding and application of Category Management within Sales and Marketing teams, integrating Category insights into strategic business plans.• Oversaw all CGCSA/ECR industry and internal initiatives.

South Africa

• Responsible for the development of category definitions, role & segmentation in collaboration with market research, ACNielsens, Glendinning Management Consultants & the Marketing team. Served as the custodian of ACNielsens & CGCSA initiatives, managing both internal & external projects• Performed an in-depth market analysis to identify trends, opportunities & competitive positioning within the chicken categories. Aligned these insights with strategic plans to enhance category performance & drive growth. Additionally, carried out a comprehensive ACNielsens database interrogation for Fresh Chicken, Frozen Chicken, and Further Processed Chicken categories, correcting numerous misallocated tags• Worked closely with cross-functional teams, including Sales & Marketing, to ensure cohesive category strategies• Monitored category performance metrics & KPIs, providing regular reports and insights to broader business to boost category sales & market share• Gathered & analyzed shopper insights to inform category strategies & improve shopper satisfaction• Involved in initiatives to introduce new products & innovations within the chicken categories, based on market research & consumer trends• Provided training & support to team members on category management best practices

Durban Area, South Africa

As an Independent Contractor, I was responsible for:• Managing the Product Data Catalogue (PDC), with a specific focus on Master Data and mapping SAP master data fields to PDCza, governed by GS1za industry requirements under the auspices of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA).• Serving as the Project Champion, which involved liaising with decision-makers and overseeing the smooth execution of the project

South Africa

- Responsible for the management of ALL the Robertsons Homecare Category initiatives, until the sale of the Homecare business to Adcock Ingram was finalised.- I managed the ‘Tea Based Beverages’ (TBB) & ‘Spreads & Cooking Category’ (SCC), where I was responsible for leading, recommending, co-ordinating & implementing initiatives within the ECR Demand Management framework in order to deliver competitive advantage, focusing on customer-specific opportunities / projects, as well as promotional effectiveness, shopper research & ECR Demand initiatives. Included in this, my team & I were responsible for the production of planograms incorporating consumer/shopper category understanding, brand strategies & retailer policies, right through to in-store implementation, and training of sales force & customer store management.- Included in my portfolio, was the role of Internal Category Management for the Grocery Spreads Category o Managed a portfolio of 3 brands, (Melrose, Bovril & Marmite) within a defined category strategy, delivering short & long term category objectives, including NPS & volume objectives. o Responsible for developing the category plans & rolling activity plans, as well as the implementation of brand pricing strategies & TPR spend vs budget, including strong trade propositions & the evaluation thereof

South Africa

- Responsible for the strategy, implementation & monitoring of all 7 Homecare categories in which Robertsons’ operated in, as well as the Soup Category, on the Foods side of the business; to form strategic partnerships with all relevant retail, wholesale & VBG customers and participate in retail driven Category Programs.- Supplying insight into Marketing promotional & new product projects, Sales Strategies & Trade Marketing trade agreements, with the bigger Category / Channel strategies in mind.

Durban Area, South Africa

• Conducted an extensive database reconstruction to create an accurate, comprehensive space planning product library. Created, maintained & managed a best-in-class product & image library• Achieved high proficiency in the Intactix suite of Category Management tools, enhancing the company’s category participation with retail partners• Generated planograms for Food Flavouring, Soups, Sauces, Insecticides, Air Fresheners, and Toilet Cleaners for all retail partners, including resets & reviews• Analysed & reported on category performance for all categories in which the company participated, including those where competitors were Category Captains• Liaised with the Implementation Team to insure compliance with approved laypouts across our Retail partner programs

Durban Area, South Africa

• Responsible for National & Key Account Quarterly Business Reviews, promotional tracking against rebates & new product launches to trade• Represented the National Accounts/Key Accounts Department on the Y2K project, assessing & analyzing ERP systems to replace the old JBA system, ensuring alignment with customer needs & demands• Designed the ‘Customer’s Own Hierarchy’ for executive reporting, enabling reporting from both the customer’s perspective & the geographical view of the business• Post-SAP implementation, served as a Super User for the EIS (Executive Information System) & SIS (Sales Information System), training peers• Managed Head Office’s Cricket Suite at Kingsmead, organizing functions, & liaising with & hosting National Buyers & key customers during the cricket season• Member of the Head Office Staff Committee, National Benefits Committee, & represented employees on the Remgro Retirement Benefits Board

Durban Area, South Africa

• Based at the Natal Distribution Centre, reporting to the Coastal Distribution Manager. Responsibilities included: - Compiling weekly & monthly Warehouse, Transport & Coastal Distribution reports for departmental management teams - Capturing & analysing data, reports & tracking statistics - Processing invoices for the Creditors Department, utilising Purchase Requisition Orders and standing orders for suppliers such as 3rd Party Logistics Providers & Security Services - Managing & ordering operational supplies & staff neccessities, including furniture, stationery & consumables• Served as Team Leader for the Admin Department during ‘Team Implementation Workshops’, marking my first involvement in a Change Management Initiative• Organised social functions, including team-building events, annual Christmas parties & various other social events