Results-focused, quality-driven professional with extensive experience in merchandise planning, and purchasing positions, demonstrating consistent achievement of objectives, strong forecasting and analysis skills, and dedication to organizational goals. Advanced presentation and relationship development abilities, with track record of success improving sales and inventory performance to ensure profit turnarounds.
Core Knowledge & Skill Areas
Purchasing and Inventory Analysis
Sales Forecast and trends
Bulk Costing and Financial Planning
Textile testing and Result Analysis
Product Quality Checking and Compliance
Vendor and Customer Management
Merchandising Strategies
Advance knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook etc.
Educational Qualifications
Bachelor of Business Administration (DD Major) Specializing in Marketing & Management (2009) Conducted by Australian College of Business and Technology (ACBT), Certified by: Edith Cowan University, Perth
Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing (Final Stage) at The Charted Institute of Marketing (CIM)
Professional Experience
Senior Merchandiser (October 2021 – To Present) DGN Marketing Services Limited.
Review tech packs, designs, artworks, and proceed the approvals to vendors
Involved in product development and sourcing with overseas countries
Discuss any questions/concerns with sales to understand their requirements/spec/grading/construction/decoration.
Review and submit any embellishments for strike off samples for client approval.
Review samples/embellishments, size specs and construction before submitting to client for approval.
Re-lay all information regarding production (including purchase orders and instructions) to all suppliers including cutting, sewing, printing and embroidery and ensure they are all coordinated.
Communicate with vendors on a daily basis and respond to all requests in a timely manner. Work to develop and execute corrective action plans for exception and/or late delivery.
Follow up on shipping status to ensure goods are delivered on time. Proactively anticipate problems and bring proposed solution to the Supervisor’s attention.
Maintain complete and accurate records of incoming and outgoing products.
Determine progress of work and provide information on changes in processing methods.
Enter purchase orders in the system and prepare breakdowns for vendors.
Review invoices and packing lists against purchase order for payment to vendors.
Receive final product into warehouse, maintain the quality control points and inspections with the suppliers, and involved in retaining standards within the company.
Open Dockets and arrange the purchasing to set-up inventory within the warehouse for specialized orders.
Senior Merchandiser (February 2012 – July 2020) Jo Lanka (Private) Limited
Jo Lanka is one of the largest companies which involves in exporting ladies wear for multinational conglomerates like Matalan Retails, Bonmarche, George, Woorlworth, Miss Etam, Missguided and Tesco.
Key Responsibilities
Responsible to handle 2-2.5 million pieces per season in Casual Wear trousers, Leggings & Shorts, Skirts, Formal Wear Trousers, Dresses, Blouses and Jackets.
Evaluated initial prototypes and items used in the design, identify the special sourcing materials and merchant partners, make recommendations on product requirements.
Act as an agent for the buyer by placing them at the forefront of all decision-making and design processes
Carried out pre-production fabric/ garment testing to evaluate the buyer requirements.
Responsible to follow the sample procedures from the initial stage to the shipment.
Allocated production slots in the factories and confirm the deliveries to buyer. Set trigger dates of the sampling and approvals to meet the delivery.
Managed fabric, Trims vendors and negotiate all the fabric and accessory selections, quality requirements, the design approval, and comments to suppliers.
Raised Fabrics and trims PO’s and purchased from China, India, Taiwan, South Korea or locally and in-housed on time for the production and cross check the purchase order accuracy.
Developed effective quality management plans and actions, communicated the standards and requirements to internal party and effectively communicate feedback to vendors.
Maintained records of the goods ordered, receivals and the allocations.
Prepared handover document sets to the factories to complete each order.
Review and approve all product items, package labels for compliance and production.
Monitor the production progress and review random production samples weekly to identifying issues and areas to improvement and work to resolve them. Meanwhile inspected production stages with appropriate follow up with internal and external stakeholders
Arrange the reconciliation report of Fabric and trims. Maintain relevant production invoices are forward to the accounting department.
When the production completed, review all the internal testing, pre-shipment inspection reports and prepare the final costing and shipping documents to export consignment.
Arrange final shipment booking documents to shipping agents and allocated time slots in the factories.
Responsible to build strong vendor relationships, monitor industry trends, evaluate competition, and assist with sales analysis to identify and react to trends in-season.
Marketing Coordinator (February 2011 - February 2012) Metropolitan Office (Private) Ltd
Gained experience in preparation of tenders, procurement approvals and all related documentation in office automation business
Marketing Executive (March 2010 - January 2011) Reed Lanka (Private) Ltd
Earned experience in PR relationships with clients to gain revenue and provide with excellent customer service in the tea trade to value addition.
KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
Good understanding customer buying behaviour
Multitasking ability
Experience with textiles and private brand products
Extensive experience in global sourcing
Excellent interpersonal skills