ERICA KNIGHT

Atlanta, GA 404-***-****

ad3xzi@r.postjobfree.com linkedin.com/in/ericapknight coroflot.com/ericaknight GLOBAL MARKET INSIGHTS MANAGER

Drive Collaborative Innovations to Deliver Effective Solutions Highly collaborative leader with 17 years of Innovation experience and a strong background in strategy, customer experience, and design. Leverage research, communication, and creative skills to create impactful, data-based solutions.

− Product Development, Consumer Goods

− Consumer-Based Innovation

− Market Research (Primary and Secondary)

− Strategy and Analysis

− Packaging Development

− Cross-Functional Collaboration

− Sales Collateral and Storytelling Presentations

− Microsoft Office, Smartsheets, ChatGPT

− Adobe Creative Suite, Canva

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

THE HOME DEPOT, Atlanta, GA

Senior Manager, Visual Merchandising (Seasonal, Plumbing) 2018 - 2023

● Directed 23 large-scale nationwide resets, steering graphics and fixture teams to create experiences based on customer insights, sales, and Home Depot brand standards, supporting billions of dollars in sales.

● Expanded 15 concepts to 150-900 stores through cross-functional collaboration, improving experience and increasing sales by millions of dollars; one experiment will produce $2M of incremental sales in its first year.

● Conducted in-store interviews and collaborated with insights and finance teams, generating and analyzing 20+ reports to boost correct design decisions and measure each project’s unique success metrics.

● Led Execution and Design Direction for 15 Proof of Concept Builds. Guided execution team and learning contractors through creation and edits of Install Guides

● Developed strategies and reports and presented to Merchandising, Field, and In-Store Environment executive-level clients to establish business alignment. Collaborated with Operations, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Fixture Engineering, Private Brands, and Safety to create the strongest in-store solutions

● Supervised 2 agency associates who directed 30+ creative and print production associates, and managed projects through smartsheets, supplying hundreds of in-store experiences on time and within budget.

● Managed relationships with 40+ product vendors, integrating brand stories with design guides and experience standards, directing a strong brand presence, and a simple customer experience.

● Achieved significant cost reductions in store displays, propelling efficiency within the business, with specific reductions of 55%, 80%, and 91%.

● Set 50+ concept prototypes, administered stakeholder meetings, and led tours at the Innovation Center, fostering collaboration, managing client and customer feedback, and designing the strongest customer solutions.

● Drove department-wide design and execution for 4 Product Walk tradeshows, supporting The Home Depot Store Managers Meeting, collaborating with 20+ product vendors and hosting 6K attendees each year.

● Oversaw inventory levels and replenishment needs for 3K+ signs and fixtures at distribution center, driving business efficiency within a limited storage space, and store support with easily-orderable replacement parts. THE HOME DEPOT, Atlanta, GA

Industrial Designer 2013 - 2017

● Led strategy and design execution for 22 Product Development Merchants, steering private brand product development from brainstorming to launch. Product management and cost savings of up to $1.5M per project with 300+ SKUs affected.

● Developed online surveys, interviews, and focus groups, gaining and applying customer insights to product designs. Piloted 2 surveys, aiding the Merchant in the product selection process. The first survey resulted in a sales growth of 10%+ and the second survey provided immediate customer feedback to the team in Asia for the first time.

● Generated thousands of concept sketches, renderings, 3D models, 3D prints, graphic designs, and attained 19 patents, implementing fresh innovation and building intellectual property portfolio for the company.

● Fostered 20+ supplier partnerships, confirming the right design specifications were met to validate that the correct look and measurements were achieved.

● Organized Brand Color Standards program and established 60 new standards, creating baseline and certifying suppliers matched standards. Managed external partnership for standard chip sales and distribution.

● Introduced a searchable PLM database for a 1000-design library and created graphical analysis, providing faster, improved Merchandising selection process.

● Created Anvil Brand collateral, built and applied Visual Brand Language/Design Guide documents for Husky, HDX, Glacier Bay and Hampton Bay, ensuring hundreds of suppliers could apply brand standards. DEFINITION 6 Digital Marketing Agency, Atlanta, GA Project Manager 2012 - 2013

● Directed Development, Design, and QA teams, developing 4 sites through an agile hybrid process to drive Customer Engagement with ticketing, booking, and video streaming engines on large-scale Content Management Systems.

● Conducted interviews and surveys and used data to drive customer-based Strategy and Planning cycles.

● Steered design project team, exploring user interface options, tackling issues, and delivering new design solutions, certifying strong interfaces and error-less websites.

● Managed detailed project schedules and budgets in Microsoft Project, ensuring delivery on time and within budget.

● Communicated priorities, tasks, and questions to internal team and clients, keeping all informed and on schedule. SLINGSHOT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GROUP, Lawrenceville, GA Project Manager, Industrial Design 2007 - 2012

● Guided 40+ clients and internal teams through product development process, partnering with Electrical and Mechanical engineering teams, providing problem-solving products to consumers.

● Steered 50+ design research and brainstorm sessions, and executed customer on-site interviews. Generated sketches, layouts, CAD, prototypes, and renderings, facilitating problem-solving and innovation processes for clients.

● Managed manufacturing, shipping, distribution, and Amazon store programs, supporting entrepreneur clients’ sales, including one sales program where all units sold out.

● Guided design interns in design research, sketch generation, and design management, achieving quality designs

● Implemented marketing strategies on Google, Facebook, and MySpace assisting entrepreneur clients in reaching customers and collecting sales.

● Designed and executed corporate print campaigns, documenting 70+ successes with storytelling, copywriting, and design to help drive Slingshot branding and sales.

● Organized Co-op / Intern recruitment with 50 students hired; pioneered a new hire training program and led 14 times, building a strong new hire team, student associate team, and a pipeline of future full-time associates. EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science (BS), Industrial Design, Certificate in Marketing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA PATENTS

US Patents, 26 patents (design +utility) in consumer products including tools, devices, furniture, garden products

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