• Responsible for procurement across all channels. • Responsible for the full life cycle of the inventory including forecasting needs, ordering stock, and tracking inbound.• Assist with vendor partnerships, assortment planning, financial analysis, allocation and replenishment functions.• Researches, compiles and analyzes sales results, product/supplier performance, pricing analysis, competitive and trend information; make recommendations based on analysis. • Ensures inventory optimization strategies are developed in accordance with sales trends, inventory position, and financial goals.• Maximizing inventory turns and inventory efficiency.• Manage pricing of all inventory including markdowns, purge, etc.• Maintaining high fill rates and in-stock positions.• Analyzing and anticipating trends and forecasting seasonal demands.• Analyze inventory levels to minimize obsolete inventory by developing exit strategies. • Create dashboards to illustrate stock positions on key categories. • Build a constructive and collaborative relationship with colleagues and vendors.• Works closely with supporting teams on pricing activity, item/vendor set-up and inventory analysis.• On-time planning, set up, purchasing, distribution and replenishment of respective titles. • Monitor sales and selloff, continually making adjustments in buys to reach optimum results.• In collaboration with Sales, Marketing, and Operations develop inventory, procurement, and customer service strategies to support the commercial needs of the organization.• Maximize sales opportunities across all channels.• Perform additional duties as needed as the department evolves.

May 2005 – January 2016Indigo Books & Music Inc.: Toronto ONCategory Manager • Manage and direct the assortment/selection, allocation and replenishment for each category group• Manage and negotiate terms, markdown and co-op support from vendors• Drive sales and net margin contribution through promotional activities• Execute purchases to meet category financial targets, specifically margin, inventory and turns• Responsible for OTB (open to buy) on all categories• Involved in high level contract negations with vendors • Created new sales and marketing strategies to drive growth• Monitored weekly, monthly and quarterly achievement goals

• Manage portfolio of magazine publishers and distributors• Procure and develop new product• Solicit and retain authorizations to supply national and regional chains• Optimize sales for all publishers through comparative and category analysis, effective distributions and planning, booking and execution of promotions• Provide clients with concise/detailed reporting and recommendations for further growth opportunities• UPC management

• Solicit new and current titles to retailers and wholesalers• Review distributions and input new distributions• Schedule on sale dates• Solicit promotional opportunities to wholesalers and retailers• Set allotments at wholesale level• Weekly checkups at retail level including spot checking retailers on promotions to gauge compliance and report findings• Compile and order class of trade reports and comparative data for publishers

• Set and review new allotments with national distributors• UPC management• Distribution maintenance• Invoice scheduling • Assist wholesalers with any problems regarding data transmission, and UPC management• Assist in troubleshooting computer or data problems