Product Development Business Growth
Resume:
SUMMARY
I am looking for a challenging role in sales,
merchandising, product line development,
or marketing where I can leverage my
expertise to drive business growth and
foster innovation. I seek an opportunity
that allows me to lead high-performing
teams, implement effective processes, and
capitalize on new business opportunities.
Ideally, I want to contribute to an
organization that values a results-driven
approach and encourages collaboration to
deliver exceptional customer experiences
and achieve outstanding results.
EXPERIENCE
SR DIRECTOR SALES & MERCHANDISING/PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MVP GROUP INTERNATIONAL, ELKIN, NC
Led collaboration with a sister team in Mumbai, India, to align on merchandising strategies and product development, including creating and managing merchandising calendars and overseeing product development from trend analysis to fragrance/color selection. Managed sourcing strategies, vendor relationships, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to optimize product quality, maintain margin goals, and drive business growth.
Supervised over 7 wholesale representatives and handled a nationwide business volume of $20 million across 7,000 off-price, big box, and retail locations, while coordinating with internal and external teams to support three seasonal product offerings and market research. 2021 – 2024
DEBRA MEDLEY
Dallas, TX
*****.******@*******.***
https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-medley/
OVERVIEW
20+ years experience
merchandising program
development and methodologies
20+ years experience in product
development
15+ years sales experience for
brand / retailers
15 + years experience in vendor
management both national and
international
15+ years experience in director
personnel management
EDUCATION
B.S., Business Administration
Pennsylvania State University
SENIOR DIRECTOR PRIVATE LABEL DIVISION
BIOWORLD MERCHANDISING GROUP, IRVING, TX 2019 – 2020 Managed sales and merchandising for the Private Label Division, leading a team of 10 direct reports and overseeing an annual budget of $19 million. Achieved $3 million in business growth during the COVID-19 pandemic by capturing 20% of the emerging mask market.
Directed the merchandising calendar for five product lines, coordinating spring and fall releases, and collaborated with senior leadership on KPI and margin targets.
Maintained up-to-date awareness of competition, trends, consumer insights, and industry events to effectively leverage tactics and strategies. Commuted weekly to MSP; based in DFW.
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
ACCESSORIES DIRECT INTERNATIONAL, NEW YORK, NY 2018 - 2019 Led national business development efforts, successfully expanding the account base through LinkedIn, Salesforce, and strategic networking opportunities.
Authored a $1 million Amazon storefront, including comprehensive SKU reviews, keyword optimization, product attribute details, and oversight of photoshoots and creative direction.
Established and maintained mutually beneficial stakeholder relationships, created product differentiation strategies, and developed a nationwide business strategy.
Collaborated with the merchandising team to ensure timely execution of products and strategies, resulting in increased sales and improved gross margin.
VICE PRESIDENT MERCHANDISING & SALES
ECKO UNLIMITED, NEW YORK, NY 1998 – 2003
VICE PRESIDENT MERCHANDISING & SALES
CONCEPT ONE ACCESSORIES, NEW YORK, NY 2003 – 2018
Promoted from VP of Merchandising for private label brands to oversee sales and merchandising for mid-tier accounts
(Target, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Off-Price channels), and later advanced to establish and lead new company KPIs. Achieved over 25% growth in one of the company’s top five accounts over eight years by analyzing assortments, testing new ideas, and identifying new growth areas.
Successfully implemented a PLM software system, collaborating through the entire project lifecycle to reduce sample turnaround times, enhance communication between departments, and improve production management accuracy. Focused on product strategies to unlock both short-term and long-term growth, driving innovation and capturing new business opportunities. Managed global product merchandising to leverage growth in a mature market, partnering with design teams to develop market-leading, multi-category product lines. Developed and executed a consumer-centric product development strategy that delivered significant growth and increased customer loyalty. Served as a key member of the Executive Management Team. Directed and managed a team of 12 designers and support staff, identified seasonal trends, and facilitated cross- functional collaboration with design, production, sales, licensing, and external partners. Cultivated strong client relationships and ensured timely, cost-effective execution of products from concept through bulk production while maintaining distinct brand identities.
SKILLS
SALES: PRIVATE LABEL, WHOLESALE, ECOMMERCE:
Oversaw merchandising liaison and collaboration, category management, and white space reviews. Managed price points, SKU counts, and brand guide partnerships, while conducting trend and margin/price point analysis. Defined key product trend specifications and handled line presentations. Gained factory direct experience with wholesale, private label, franchise, and licensing relationships. MARKETING:
Thorough understanding of all categories of marketing, retail brand marketing, channel marketing, grass roots marketing, omni channel, social media marketing, email marketing, and how all marketing affects the merchandising/sales calendar and end consumer.
MERCHANDISING/ PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT:
Managing end-to-end product development and process planning, designing calendars, and establishing effective processes. Expertise in creating product briefs, developing design strategies, and ensuring design effectiveness and speed to market. Proven ability to curate ideas, validate strategic decisions, and serve as a liaison between design and sales. Experienced in reviewing past seasons, balancing new constructions with carryover styles, and tracking KPIs. Skilled in collaborating with designers and sourcing on product lines, spec sheets, and factory capabilities. Proficient in sample reviews, creating sales tools, executing go-to-market strategies, and partnering with Retail Visual Merchandising to coordinate sales cadence.
Drove company growth from $10 million to $150 million in apparel and licensing within four years. Directed sales and merchandising operations, including establishing key Licensor relationships through collaboration with external partners. Managed seasonal releases with major licensees such as Marvel Comics and Disney, and led the creation of celebrity capsule collections with Spike Lee and Talib Kweli. Oversaw all internal business activities and managed a team of 10 sales representatives, both internal and external, across various categories.
Managed top three Specialty Store accounts, which collectively represented 50% of total business. 8-6-2024
To: Hiring Manager / To Whom it May Concern
Subject: Debra Medley - Recommendation for Consideration Dear Sir / Ma’am –
I would like to take this opportunity to recommend Debra to your organization for consideration in a sales or product development role.
To give you some background on her experience and level of responsibility, it is best to share some of the well- known names of the customers she has directly supported: Kroger, HEB, TJX / HomeGoods, Big Lots, owned brands in Premium Independents, to identify a few. With tight timelines, high quality demands and required win-win cost structures, Debra demonstrated the ability to deliver top and bottom-line results for MVP and the customers. The product portfolio included over 1,000 finished good items with 2,000+ raw material components supporting over $10MM in annualized revenue.
Debra’s integrity has been without challenge or question, and she is someone who truly can be counted on for connecting with customers and wholesale brokers alike. She also has consistently demonstrated a desire to succeed and help those around her. If it were not for the significant downturn in the business from macro- economic pressures on brick-and-mortar sales, there would be no need to for this letter. Please accept my recommendation to consider Debra for a key role in your organization. Sincerely,
Sean Peters
Chief Executive Officer
**********@***********.***
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