AMANDA C. SIMMS
Sales/Marketing/Creative Design
*********@*****.***
**** ***** **. ** *********, Oh 44632
Marketing, merchandising, and buying expert with more than 20 years experience in time-sensitive, fast paced environments. Highly developed skills in design specializing in branding, advertising, store layout, product line sales, and buying. Extensive product knowledge with a desire to conquer more and to increase sales and relationships with in an organization. Great communication skills and building relationships.
Product Sales
Buyer
Store Layout Design
Merchandising Expert
Branding, Logos, Business Cards
Magazine and Brochure Layouts
Newspaper/Direct Mailers, Posters, Billboards, & Banners Invitations
Interior Decor
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Space Planning
Auto-Cad
Microsoft Office
Google Docs/Sheets
Kent Stark University
Merchandising 1995-1999
JDA Space Planning Courses
Adobe Design Courses
Sales/Buyer/Marketing
Hartville Hardware 2012 to present
Senior Store Planner
Senior Merchandise Space Product Planner
Jo-Ann Inc. 2004 to 2012
- Analyze consumer buying patterns and predict future trends
- Featured in The Hardware Connection Magazine November 2021 “How America’s Biggest & Best Hardware Store Got Better!”
- Initialized new Out-of-Line Program. Measures ROI to maximize sales and space to produce, buy, and design innovative, customized branding for an aggressive endcap/stackout program resulting in double digit profit increases.
- Creative director responsible for creating original design solutions for all marketing components using color, illustration, fonts, and layout that have a high visual impact to communicate and present a product and or brand. Think creatively to produce new ideas for all in-store marketing initiatives (ie. graphics, ads, direct mailers, billboards, brand concepts, and interior layout.
- Manage the floor planning process through proficiency in the Auto CAD program to correspond with assortment analysis to create adjacencies and floor plans that meet or exceed stores financial plan
- Evaluate and manage the master data assortment matrix, square and linear footage for all new and project stores
- Accurate and timely communication relating to cross functional teams and store level implementation
- Development of precise, accurate and actionable resolutions pertaining to global merchandising challenges
- Set up and design all fashion and basic merchandising communications for an 800+ store crafting retailer.
- Manage the creation, coordination and implementation of all fashion visual media in merchandise presentation through the use of creative display, signing methods, and materials to establish unique brand identity
- Supervise and develop job responsibilities for new fashion Merchandise Space Planners
- Create communications, processes and time lines for fashion and basic communications
- Partner with Logistics, Merchandise Planning and Replenishment to drive flow of merchandise and plan set date
- Analyze category square footage and Plano gram linear footage within each category to maximize GMROI
- Manage each facet of the visual planning project by working with merchandisers and associates specializing in fixturing, signage, and marketing
- Pro-actively drive multiple design projects and communicate vision to team from concept through production in a fast-paced environment.
- Coordinate with multiple departments throughout the project to ensure store visual design needs are met;
- Direct contact between owners & buyers to develop business strategies and plans to maximize sale profits areas in store including home decor, seasonal decor, home goods. Manages all new store layout and product placement projects.
- Identifies opportunities and new product ideas through market analysis, trade shows and competitive shopping to stay abreast current trends. Work directly with vendors to negotiate pricing, marketing funds, and placement of products in store and out. EXPERTISE SKILLS EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Kaufmann’s 1999 to 2004
- Established and managed the fashion trend presentation and procedures in northeast region
- Maximized sales through planning and execution of visual and marketing presentation programs
- Supervised and developed visual team, trained store management and employees on visual presentation standards
- Analyzed product sell through ratio based on high traffic areas within the stores
- Assisted in the creation of brand identity through marketing and visual communications for a 500 store, $400 Million retailer
- Created all merchandising, marketing and fixture communication to retail stores
- Worked with art director to develop customized signage and brand for retail stores and advertising
- Developed new fixtures and negotiated pricing and release of purchase orders for production
- Facilitated process for all in store marketing elements
- Acted as marketing liaison between Camelot and vendor partners
- Special project, developed test trend shop including purchase of goods & fixtures. Created design for marketing components and layout resulting in a 100-store shop roll-out.
- Certified Fitness Nutrition Health Coach
- Currently achieving certification for personal training
- Competed in fitness competition in 2020
- Coached many clients in weight loss and training goals
- Love learning and researching anything health related! District Visual Fashion Merchandise Manager
Camelot Music Inc. 1997 to 1999
Marketing Assistant
Branding I Interior Designs & Decor
- Developed new logo and overall concept including interior layout for Salon 119. Project included Business Cards, Gift Cards, Service Menus, Wall/Window Logo Graphics, Web and Social Media Platform concepts.
- Designed store layout and brand identity for Ms E’s Place specialty boutique, including development of all in-store intricacies (fixturing, marketing, displays and initial buy
- Designed multiple special event invitations
- Logo and store interior designer for Hartville Hardware second location
- Interior Decorator for Hartville Hardware’s unique full size Idea House located within the 305,000 sq. ft. store.
- Multiple in-house interior decorating projects and color consultations. EXPERIENCE
FREELANCE WORK
HOBBIES & INTEREST