Ashley Evans

Responsibilities

• ACT & NSW State Business Manager; overseeing state business operations, such as the design and execution of state-wide marketing & promotional campaigns and strategic sales plans. Care taker to company owned stores and Account Manager to ‘National’ and ‘Independent’ distribution channels.
• Design, implement and execute state-wide marketing & promotional campaigns to drive incremental sales. Ensuring that state allocated marketing funds are appropriately allotted to provide the greatest return on investment within budgetary constraints.
• Liaise with marketing/promotional/media suppliers to investigate feasibility and expected return on investment for marketing expenditure, with adherence to above the line campaigns.
• Measure the success and viability of promotional campaigns in real time and adjust where appropriate.
• Effectively communicate marketing and business strategies to all distribution channels and their stakeholders through dedicated in-house training and seasonal assessments. Monitoring performance data periodically to evaluate the success of local business strategies and effectiveness of training in the given area.
• ‘Care Taker’ overseeing two company owned stores, monitoring adherence to pre-set ‘Store & Individual Key Performance Indicators’ (KPI’s). Coaching, mentoring and leading the teams to ensure that the highest levels of best practice are observed.
• Formulate, execute, monitor, and adjust yearly business plans for independent distribution channels. Assess the viability of each account to determine if the existing distribution option is the most suitable within a given region. Communicate business plans to ongoing accounts, collaborating with business owners to solicit input, both strategic and financial.
• Liaise with technical and service managers to coordinate timely consumer resolutions.

Achievements

• A participant of six, across a 2-year period, ideating, investigating, planning and designing a business-related project with the intent that the outcome would better enhance business operations, increase revenue streams and pioneer competitive service differentiation. The results of testing various hypothesis’s, which included financial viability and projected consumer demand were presented to the executive team to seek financial commitment from the business.
• Collaborated with the National Key Account Manager to create a business plan for a national partner, using data analysis, competitor comparison and product portfolio plan to capitalise on unrealised revenue. This plan was presented to relevant stakeholders, both internal and external, with various components implemented within a joint business plan.
• Care taking for the largest individual retail outlet across the wider business. This included managing the daily operations of the store, striving towards achieving revenue targets while evolving the store position inline with modern retail trends.
• Successfully grown and developed a multi-site NSW based key account, Flower Power, establishing unique trading terms in relation to product mix. Engaged the buying team to create a training program utilising a Weber platform and implemented a process to ensure minimum inventory and displays are well represented, coupled with a well-informed sales team Weber has become a valued brand/revenue stream within their business.

Responsibilities

• National Key Account Manager, advocating brand success, meeting all predetermined, account specific, seasonal revenue and market share targets. Collaborating with key influencers within Appliances Online (AOL), Bing Lee & Seconds World.
• Business Development Manager, servicing 90+ retail accounts within NSW (New England, North Coast, Hunter Region & Sydney Metro), inclusive of Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, Betta Electrical, Bing Lee, Leading Appliances & Bunnings. Executing national strategies at store level, in conjunction with franchisees, store managers, business owners and sales staff.
• Establish new business ventures, in line with the organisations’ regional distribution/promotional strategies.
• Periodically liaise with key account stakeholders to review and update sales performance targets in accordance with negotiated seasonal plans. Develop region/account specific marketing & promotional activities, such as category sale periods, print, radio and television advertisements, ensuring account return on investment was maximised and brand representation met organisational criteria.
• Communicate, execute and implement state-wide seasonal strategies with state & national distribution channels and internal staff. Frequently monitoring performance against predetermined targets, mentoring and coaching, when sales performance is below set standard.
• Develop seasonal, region specific, product training plans, ensuring that all staff were knowledgeable, experienced and confident to represent the brand at key selling periods.

Achievements

• Received individual performance accolades, two successive years, for over indexing in key company metrics, such as regional market share, yearly revenue growth, profit contribution and brand ambassador (internal & external).
• Achieved unprecedented national account market share over two successive years, in turn, realising the highest regional incremental revenue growth in company history.
• Developed and implemented company CRM platform.

Responsibilities Account Manager 2008- 2010

• Brand representation within existing accounts (Central West, Riverina & Sydney Metro). Develop relationships with key account personnel such as store managers, franchisees and relevant sales staff.
• Collaborate with account stakeholders to develop marketing/promotional activities and seasonal sales strategies in local regions, maximising company return on investment.
• Ensuring product representation maximised product awareness and consumer brand exposure.

Senior Account Manager 2010-2014

• Senior Account Manager, servicing 60 accounts within NSW (Central West, Riverina & Sydney Metro).
• Plan, develop and present monthly product training/information sessions to ‘Key Account’ employees; exceeding 100 participants per session.
• Establish seasonal pricing and rebate structures for existing and new accounts, liaising with internal legal and finance departments when necessary.
• Coach, mentor and guide account managers, in areas such as, consumer & account service resolutions, strategic sales advice and internal/external procedural guidance.

Relief State Sales Manager 2010- 2014

• Relief State Sales Manager, overseeing state-wide sales operations and 70+ accounts within NSW. Directly reporting to the National Sales Manager & General Manager.
• Communicate seasonal account strategies with state-wide channel distributors, periodically ensuring that negotiated targets are adhered to, whilst maintaining positive ongoing business relationships.
• Liaise with senior international delegates to plan and arrange international trade visits/market surveys within Australia.

Achievements

• Developed an underperforming territory into the leading territory within the state (sales revenue).
• Develop a minor (less than $10,000 p.a.) distribution channel into the leading individual account within the state (currently exceeds $1mil p.a.).
• Substantially increased territory market share and turnover, despite industry downturn.
• Over achieved forecasted market share within a new product launch category.
• Successfully organised distribution / consumer product launch / exhibition events.

Responsibilities Account Manager 2005-2007

• Manage key distribution accounts such as Coles, Woolworths, Big W, Target and Kmart, negotiate and prepare for upcoming promotions and ensure agreed activities were adhered to at store level.
• Identify unique growth opportunities within distribution channels, such as, capitalising on unused instore space with profit story testimonials.
• Execute promotional and marketing activities in accordance with company direction, using such activities as leverage to achieve business growth. Communicating / demonstrating preferred and successful methods throughout the team.

Team Relief 2007-2008

• Coach/lead/train and mentor a team of 10 account managers. Providing direction, guidance and coaching to team members in relation to company strategies, account activation/execution and promotional/marketing activities.
• Prepare and organise region specific international delegate market field visits.

Achievements

• Awarded top sales award for market penetration in the new product line category, outperforming every other region in the sales team.
• Consistently achieved 10%+ year on year growth within category KPI’s; inclusive of case weight in store (representation and turnover), market share, promotional activation adherence and team KPI achievement.
• Selected to manage the highest profile area in the state. Regularly used for international market visits.