Sales Manager

Eric J. Olson

***** ******* *****, ***********, ******** 80031

Phone: 720-***-**** Mobile: 208-***-**** Email:

**********@*********.***[pic]

Product and Merchandise Management Executive

Results-oriented retail-category merchandise and product manager with a

broad range of experience. Diverse background in e-commerce, catalog

merchandising, consumer packaged goods and software product management, B2B

sales and customer relationships. Skilled in contract negotiations and

strategic vendor management. Experienced with new product development,

international sourcing, budgeting and financial management and analysis.

Reputation for strong work ethic, financial acumen, leadership, excellent

communication skills, deep product and business knowledge, and consistently

meeting goals and objectives.

Key Accomplishments

Merchandise Category Management - Managed multiple consumer product-lines

across catalog, e-commerce and direct sales channels. Refined product

assortment and aligned sales efforts to simplify the customer shopping

experience and increase sales and operating margins. Developed and tracked

sales projections, budgets and performance. Improved catalog visual

merchandising and e-commerce product presentation to drive sales of higher

margin products. Refined e-commerce sort order and "also-consider"

strategies to drive higher margin product sales.

Product Management - Managed the development, marketing, sales and

implementation of a comprehensive web-based risk management software

solution. Developed private label product specifications, promotional

strategy, product positioning, pricing and packaging. Created and

communicated strategic and tactical marketing plans. Aligned messaging and

collateral to create consistent marketing tactics across direct and

indirect sales channels. Improved product road maps and refined product

requirements to guide future product development.

Strategic Vendor Management - Forged and maintained multiple strategic

vendor relationships. Negotiated multi-year strategic supplier sourcing

agreements for branded and private label product lines across multiple

global vendors to ensure products were available and low-cost.

Consistently improved vendor cost and rebate programs to increase

profitability.

Sales and Customer Relations - Worked with sales professionals and

customers during business development and account management to grow sales

and profits. Communicated periodic updates on competitive information,

sales and marketing support plans to executive management and the field

sales force. Developed product-centric sales and marketing collateral for

use by the sales team.

Cross-functional Leadership - Managed and participated in cross-functional

teams to successfully direct and implement tactical business plans and

improve supply chain performance. Managed direct and indirect reporting

relationships. Skilled communicator; comfortable presenting to C-level

executives.

Professional Experience

Corporate Express, A Staples Company - Broomfield, Colorado. August 2003

to March 2009

Merchandise Category Manager -

. Managed $750+ million of total category sales.

. Grew sales an average of 10.8% each year over 5 years.

. Increased sales of higher margin products by 19.7%.

. Developed and managed multiple $100 million per year vendors.

. Negotiated over $1 billion of direct and wholesale vendor agreements.

. Refined the efficient category assortment to improve product mix,

increase sales and improve profitability.

. Developed $15M of specific custom made product programs.

Arthur Anderson - Chicago, Illinois. November 2000 to April 2002

Software Product Manager -

. Evaluated and benchmarked competitive solutions to identify key

differentiation points to leverage during the sales process and

identify future development opportunities.

. Conducted sales demonstrations to highlight solution functionality.

. Secured over $10 million of new business.

. Managed third party software developer to ensure all development

targets were met on time.

. Conducted on-going product acceptance testing.

. Identified and documented "Voice of the Customer," input to drive

functionality improvements.

. Managed solution marketing and development budgets.

. Created training materials and curriculum to train Andersen

consultants in the product.

Boise Cascade Corporation - Bensenville, Illinois. July 1996 to August

2000

Finance Manager - Business Paper Group. Provided financial leadership,

analysis and project management expertise to the sales and marketing

function for a $650 million per year business group.

. Directed the annual strategic planning process for the business unit.

Presented overall strategic plan to senior leadership.

. Worked cross-functionally to ensure strategic plans, manufacturing

capabilities and support services were aligned with the overall sales

efforts.

. Developed and maintained the business unit's balanced scorecard.

. Performed monthly key performance indicator reporting and variance

analysis.

. Calculated and maintained manufacturing cost curve information to

ensure production costs were balanced against sales forecasts,

production schedules and product prices.

Project Manager - Internal Audit. Managed financial and operational audit

projects to provide high quality analytical and consulting services to

internal customers.

. Supported the redesign of Boise Cascade Trucking operational

processes.

. Evaluated transportation processes and financial information to

recommend process improvements.

. Developed competitive benchmarking study evaluating key performance

indicators for use by executive leadership and the board of directors.

. Supported the installation of integrated sales, purchasing and

warehouse management system within the Building Products Distribution

Division.

United States Marine Corps. December 1988 to October 1994

Commissioned Officer

Education

Master of Business Administration - Kelley School of Business, Indiana

University. Bloomington, Indiana. Graduated May, 1996.

Bachelor of Business Administration - Iowa State University. Ames, Iowa.

Graduated December, 1988.

Contact this candidate