Category/Sourcing Manager

Ashleigh Bizzell

Indianapolis, IN • 812-***-**** • ***************@*****.*** • www.linkedin.com/in/ashleighbizzell

Strategic Procurement and Marketing Professional

Exceptionally knowledgeable and goal-focused professional with experience in Procurement and Marketing. Highly motivated with top organizational and problem-solving abilities. Superiorly skilled in negotiations and building strategic partnerships and alliances. Successful in strategic sourcing initiatives and product management. Skilled in developing and implementing unique concepts and ideas for marketing and networking.

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Spanish Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

EXPERIENCE

CENTRAL RESTAURANT PRODUCTS, Indianapolis, IN, 07/2018 to 01/2020

Category Manager

Category manager for Refrigeration, a $50M annual category at retail and the company’s largest category and the Shelving and Transport category, $20M annually. Developed and implemented category plans to achieve revenue and profitability goals. Analyzed and anticipated competitor marketing, selection, and pricing strategy to ensure market competitiveness. Built strategic vendor partnerships and successfully negotiated win-win programs to achieve sales growth and improve profit margins. Brand manager for proprietary brands Kratos Refrigeration and Central Exclusive Refrigeration. Developed pricing strategies for web and catalog to increase sales and improve profit margins.

Key Accomplishments:

•Category Sales Growth in First Year (2019): 10%

•Successfully partnered with $1M+ vendor on a two month promotion, resulting in 60% sales growth during the promotion period

•Re-negotiated 13 contracts ranging from 2-15% better pricing within the first year of assigned categories to grow profit margins while ensuring market competitiveness

•Created new promotion program to provide our vendor partners additional web based marketing opportunities, generating $80K within the first 4 months

NAPA BALKAMP, Indianapolis, IN, 06/2017 to 07/2018

Associate Category Manager - Retail 12/2017 to 07/2018

Category manager for Agricultural, Industrial, and Municipal markets (AIM), a $60M annual category at retail. Successfully managed complex categories while ensuring strategic selection of products for retail stores. Advanced catalog expansion, including the identification of selection gaps, the prioritization of new item production, and the development of relationships with new suppliers. Identified sales, merchandising, and operational opportunities for the category and collaborated with internal teams to drive change.

Key Accomplishments:

•Successfully launched private label work lights assortment to compete with national brands and offer the customer an entry price point option at NAPA stores

•Effectively created a plan to repackage obsolete inventory items to be sold at full cost saving the company $200K

Associate Category Manager - Tools & Equipment 6/2017 to 12/2017

Category manager for Knives & Cutting, Lighting & Electrical, and Technician Work Glove categories, $7M annual at retail. Successfully managed promotions for all of the Tools & Equipment department, including product selection and pricing to generate an increase in promotional sales growth. Developed strategic partnerships with new vendors in the Knives & Cutting category to improve and expand product offering. Negotiated pricing to ensure competitive market pricing while improving margins.

Key Accomplishments:

•Executed in-depth category review of the Knives & Cutting category, resulting in the introduction of the category into the Canadian NAPA stores

•Negotiated a price decrease on technician flashlights by 17% and 30% promotional discount on technician work gloves

•Promoted to a larger category after 6 months of successfully managing the assigned categories and improving the department promotions

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, Columbia, MO, 8/2015 to 5/2017

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Successfully assisted two Professors for the courses of Personal and Professional Development and Principles of Management Honors. Led classes with class sizes of 30+ students. Designed and implemented coursework to accommodate the differentiated learning styles and needs of all students in the classroom. Mentored students through individual meetings and personalized conferences. Provided constructive feedback through grading and one-on-one meetings.

Key Accomplishments:

•Conducted constructive mock interviews with students in order to promote higher internship acceptance rates

•Facilitated global mindset workshops to increase students’ global awareness and cross cultural communication skills

ESCUELAS CATOLICAS MADRID Madrid, Spain, 9/2014 to 6/2015

Language Assistant

Effectively instructed children of ages from young toddlers through adolescents in varying subjects. Designed age-appropriate curriculum for both the English and Science departments. Observed and assessed student’s individual growth and success. Adjusted lesson plans based on personal needs of students.

Key Accomplishments:

•Successfully increased the amount of teaching time per day in the classroom by implementing unique discipline strategies such as behavioral charts and consequence scales

•Established a reading program for 3rd grade students to improve their language and literacy development and English reading skills

INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

PAYLESS SHOE SOURCE Topeka, KS, 6/2016 to 8/2016

CRM & Loyalty Program Intern

Analyzed loyalty customer data to create Loyalty Customer Profile in order to increase the company’s understanding of Payless loyalty customers. Researched and analyzed competitor loyalty programs in conjunction with Loyalty Customer Profile to provide recommendations for Payless Rewards 2.0 with the goal of increasing loyalty program enrollment.

PURDUE EXTENSION HARRISON COUNTY Corydon, IN 5/2014 to 8/2014

Intern

Successfully planned and marketed the inaugural Harrison County Health Fair. Recruited over 25 businesses and organizations to participate in the health fair. Created flyers, Facebook event, and local newspaper advertisement to raise awareness of the event, resulting in approximately 400 attendees.

MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION Louisville, KY 5/2013 to 8/2013

Wish Program Intern

Planned and organized wishes for children based on each child’s interests and desires. Created budgets for wishes based on analysis of similar prior wishes. Designed and translated itineraries (English/Spanish) based on each child’s individual interests, favorite colors, and favorite Disney characters. Recruited families to participate in Make A Wish fundraising walk and gala.

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