Supply Chain Senior Buyer

LILLIANA CANDIDO

Kearny, NJ 201-***-**** ***************@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/lilliana-candido-a1a18084 SENIOR BUYER CATEGORY & MERCHANDISING LEADER

15+ years driving revenue growth and profit through expert buying, vendor management and negotiation, merchandising, and promotional leadership in retail and wholesale environments. Proven ability to develop winning product assortments, negotiate favorable contracts, and lead cross-functional teams to execute merchandising strategies that boost sales and margin. Skilled in planogram development, vendor relations, and promotional planning with a track record of opening new stores and transforming retail brands. SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS

Senior Buyer — Applegreen US, Glen Rock, NJ 2021 – Present

• Lead a team managing an $80M budget, overseeing vendor management, negotiations, product assortments, merchandising, floor planogram development, promotions, and rebate programs for 87 retail locations across 7 states.

• Analyze sales, inventory, and category performance data to inform assortment decisions and promotional strategies, driving a 44% sales increase by expanding general merchandise to offset category declines.

• Successfully opened 24 new locations, driving growth and brand expansion.

• Led transformation and rebranding of multiple retail sites, improving foot traffic and elevating product pricing, resulting in 7% EBITA growth.

• Developed and executed promotional strategies and in-store merchandising plans that increased basket size and impulse sales. Category Manager — C&S Wholesale Grocers, Edison, NJ 2018 – 2021

• Managed vendor relationships and general merchandise categories for chain grocery retailers across 8,000+ stores nationwide, negotiating contracts and leveraging sales and inventory data analysis to optimize assortments, promotions, and pricing strategies.

• Designed and implemented promotional merchandising programs (ads, block buys, food shows) informed by market and category trend analysis, significantly boosting sales.

• Collaborated with vendors to reconcile incentives and improve inventory turnover, reducing dead stock through data-driven decisions. Category Merchandiser (Various Roles) — Toys "R" Us, Wayne, NJ 2011 – 2018

• Progressed through multiple roles culminating in leadership of the Core Girls category merchandising, managing vendor partnerships and utilizing sales and inventory analytics to guide product selection, promotional planning, and merchandising strategies.

• Directed assortment development and floor planogram execution, optimizing inventory levels and maximizing profitability through data-informed decisions.

• Managed large-scale promotional campaigns and advertising initiatives, consistently exceeding sales targets while aligning category goals with corporate strategies.

Inventory Planner & Associate Buyer — Syms Corporation, Secaucus, NJ 2007 – 2011

• Led inventory planning and replenishment for Coats and Men’s Suits departments, optimizing product availability and driving sales performance.

• Developed financial and inventory plans, evaluated vendor proposals, and implemented buying strategies that increased profitability by 18%.

• Collaborated with vendors and senior buyers to create effective assortments and seasonal plans, managing deliveries, sales, and re-orders to minimize excess inventory and carrying costs.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Applied Science, Fashion Merchandising Management Communications Minor

Berkley College

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Vendor Management & Negotiations

• Assortment & Inventory Planning

• Merchandising & Promotional Strategy

• Team Leadership & Cross-functional Collaboration

• Planogram Development & Execution

• Retail Store Openings & Rebranding

• Category Profit & Margin Optimization

• Fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish

TECHNICAL SKILLS

MS Office, Oracle, SAP, PowerBI, AS400, PDI, MDM, TD LNX, Circana, Nielsen

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