Planning and Allocation Management, Vice President of Operations

STEVEN R. JACOBS

● **** GENOA PLACE. PALMDALE, CA 93551 ● 661-***-**** ● ukcxbj@r.postjobfree.com

ABLE TO RELOCATE

DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & ALLOCATION

Senior level planning executive with proven ability to increase turnover and drive sales

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Hands on management style, understands and knows how to increase sales through timely and accurate allocation of product. Through in-depth analysis and forecasting expertise, will manage, develop and implement Merchandise Planning, Allocation, Replenishment , OTB plans, and strategies to meet financial objectives and to ensure that accurate inventory levels are maintained in order to meet management sales, inventory and margins objectives. Have demonstrated broad strength in:

Strategic Planning & Vision Financial Management Inventory Management

Accomplished Negotiation Project Planning Communication

Strong Leadership Budgeting Staff Development

Operational benchmarks & Competencies include:

• Comprehensive background. In retail and wholesale operations for Specialty Store and Department store. Managed up to 71 stores, and a budget in excess of $100 million in merchandise purchases.

• Company Growth. Consistently increased revenue by 15% per year for 3 years by reacting to Sales, analyzing trends and adding new product.

• Inventory Management. Proven ability to integrate merchandise plans with financial initiatives, resulting in a major reduction in inventory, 65% improvement in merchandise turnover.

• Attention to cost control. 4% increase in gross margin and $5 million reduction in overall

Markdown’s driving profitability.

• Systems enhancement. Built from the ground up Planning and Allocation (open- to- buy), inventory management system in collaboration with the IT department.

• Staff development. Creating a training program for the planning and allocation team, train, support and mentor resulting in improved productivity and superior performance, and establishing both a career path and succession planning.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

EISENBERG INTERNATIONAL CORP., San Fernando, CA (1998 – 2011)

A Multimillion Dollar Wholesaler of Men’s Tailored Clothing.

Selected by the CEO to oversee the Corporate Office and Warehouse Operations and develop Staff.

Streamlined operations with strategic measures improving production flow, shipping, cost efficiency, enhanced customer service, Plan and manage a $24 million annual operating and production Budget.

Vice President of Operations - Direct Report to CEO

• Managed a production budget and controlled all phases of production planning and flow, finishing, logistics and shipping to customers across the U.S. resulting in a 99% on time delivery record a 40% improvement, an industry best, elevating the company reputation .

Page 2 of 3:

• Communicate with the overseas factories to manage the supply chain of raw material and trim purchases. Negotiate and organize logistics for the shipment of containers to California from different part of the world resulting in $100k savings annually.

• Direct staff with administrative functions, production planning and control, buying, vendor negotiations, invoicing, customer credits, customer service, and coordination with national sales office.

• Consolidated Staffing and improved productivity and efficiency resulting in a $90k reduction in costs annually.

• Created a reporting system for the accounts receivable resulting in a 2% decrease in bad debt write off resulting in increased revenue of $480k annually.

• Manage EDI and Allocations for Federated, Saks, Nordstrom, The Men’s Wearhouse, Casual

Male, Syms, and Burlington Coat Factory.

VALUED PRICE CLOTHING, Culver City, CA. (1997 – 1998)

Division of the Men’s Warehouse (Formerly C & R Clothiers)

Served as corporate buyer, planner and allocator of suits and sport coats for 29 stores, with a volume of $80 million, for one of America’s largest specialty, off price warehouse men’s retailer chains.

Merchandise Manager - Direct Report to GMM

• Responsible for Planning, Allocation, and Replenishment, directed production flow and distribution to stores.

• Managed assortment planning and allocation, set up EDI programs, forecast and analyzed sales, controlled inventory and turnover.

• Traveled extensively to New York to shop the market. Visited vendors to negotiate close-outs and strategic buys of nationally branded clothing.

C & R CLOTHIERS, Culver City, CA (1989 – 1997)

One of Southern California’s largest specialty men’s retail chains.

Recruited for specialized knowledge in planning and allocation, with the assignment of applying that expertise to develop build and implement a retail merchandising system for one of Southern California’s largest specialty men’s retail chains. Build and develop a team to support the new planning and allocation infrastructure through training and mentoring . Managed up to 71 stores, and a budget in excess of $100 million in merchandise purchases.

Director of Merchandise - Direct Report to Vice President of Merchandise

• Planned and administered merchandise assortment for one of Southern California’s

largest specialty men’s retail chains.

• Successfully merged merchandise plans with the company’s aggressive financial plans, yielding a $60 million inventory reduction and 65% improvement in merchandise turn.

• Developed and integrated merchandise and financial reporting systems to facilitate budgeting, forecasting, sales analysis, inventory control, production planning and control and merchandise planning and allocation.

Page 3 of 3:

• Worked closely with CFO to coordinate production flow with cash flow

• Negotiated with vendors and manufacturers, achieving a 4% improvement in gross margin and $5 million reduction in markdowns.

• Coordinated with manufacturers, vendors, and IT departments to implement an Automated Quick Response System that accelerated merchandise replenishment turnaround to the stores by 14 days.

• Negotiated and secured credit and terms for $65 million of merchandise purchases from

vendors and manufactures during company acquisition

Strong leader and accomplished negotiator demonstrating excellent interpersonal communications on all levels of business interaction.

WOOLTRU, Cape Town, South Africa

General Merchandise Manager

Continuously advanced from Management trainee position to Department Manager , to Department Store Assistant Store Manager direct report to the Store General manager, to Corporate buyer planner and allocator and ultimately to GMM, responsible for driving increase in sales volume by 107% over 4 years.

General Merchandise Manager – Direct report to Executive Vice President of Merchandise

• As General Merchandise Manager, controlled all men’s wear and boy’s wear and reported directly to a group Executive Vice President.

• As a corporate buyer, oversaw production, merchandising and buying for Shoe, Intimate Apparel, Girls, Ladies, and Babywear.

• As Assistant Store Manager of one of the largest, flagship stores in a chain of 90 department stores, oversaw men’s, ladies and children’s wear. Directed a staff of 105 employees and 3 department managers.

EDUCATION

Cape College for advanced Technical Education; Cape Town, South Africa.

B.S. degree in Business

• Diplomat of the Institution of Administration and Commerce (IAC).

• Distinction in Accounting and Budgeting.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional courses completed through Marks and Spencer’s;

• Performances and Development Systems.

• Management Skills.

• Retail Negotiating Skills.

• Inventory Controls.

• Management and distribution skills, Allocation and Planning.

COMPUTER SKILLS

• MS. Word and Excel Proficient, AS400

Contact this candidate