Jack Novak

Combining 20 years of experience in the residential property sector along with 18 years working for Australia's leading and largest FMCG retailer, JN Consulting provides specialist advice and services across a broad spectrum of fields and channels.

I have worked with businesses that position themselves across the Finance, Property and Retail sectors assisting them with the opportunities and projects below;

• Strategy - Planning, Building and Execution
• Developing Customer Relationships, Partnerships and Networking
• Product Development and Innovation
• New Product Launches and Merchandising
• Commercial Growth and Succession Planning

I also have personal experience in Residential and Commercial property development, project-managing multiple duplex developments and a commercial childcare centre.

• Total financial and operational accountability for Buying and Margin functions across the WHSmith retail brands - with a primary focus on Supplier Income and rebates
• Responsible for leading the Buying Team and ensuring its optimal performance in achieving margin, sales, and rebates/supplier income targets
• Developed strategic initiatives based upon company objectives aimed at accelerating growth
• Developed pricing strategies that balanced profit margins with competitive positioning, driving sustainable growth
• Mentored team members by sharing insights on best practices, fostering professional growth within the organisation

• Management of a top 5 focus portfolio in Woolworths, leading Localisation & Sustainability
• P&L responsibility for the most profitable department in total Woolworths business
• Record high market-share delivered over last 18 months
• Regular engagement with Delivery Office to develop ‘store of the future'
• Most diverse area within business for competition and market-share requiring bespoke strategies
• First to secure multiple Pharmacy and Salon brands exclusively in Supermarket Retail
• Monitored industry trends to identify new business opportunities and emerging product categories for expansion
• Sourced International Specialist brands exclusively for Woolworths
• Developed sophisticated parallel-import strategy
• Training area for Buying Graduates
• Transitioned and supported 3x maternity covers/roles

• Management of the largest portfolio in Woolworths - $4B
• P&L responsibility for almost 10% of the total Woolworths business
• Routine reporting through to Executive and CEO
• Largest ever pre-excise investment buy negotiated and executed
• Multiple trading-terms negotiations delivering significantly favourable outcomes for the business
• Regular government interaction to improve and evolve legislation and governance
• Cross divisional stakeholder engagement to deliver KPI's for total business (Inventory, Working Capital, Finance).

• Transitioned a $710M portfolio declining at -2% FY16 into $780M growing at +5% FY18
• Delivered by building and executing a category plan that ensured Woolworths were competitive by collaborating internally with FoodCo to lead on price with ALWAYS and complemented by our supply partners with the hero brands on the PRICES DROPPED platform
• Accelerated customer loyalty to WW resulting in a sustainable baseline business growing at +40%, whilst reducing promotional reliance from 25% share of category to 13%
• Similar strategy executed across Dips and Vegetarian with results far exceeding rest of market - Vegetarian a worthy mention with sales growing from $500k/week to $1.1M/week
• People and team development a priority resulting in my ACM, CA and BA all being promoted to higher roles
• Launched NEW categories - authentic Chilled Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian and Kosher ranges in stores, driving excellent customer engagement in these communities.

• Responsible for the commercial management of all major retail customers
• Effectively built strong professional business relationships with all accounts to develop joint business plans and execute in line with category strategies
• Developed strong commercial and strategic business plans in order to over-achieve against FY15 & 16 budget (Sales +16% and Profit +18%)
• Regularly engaged board of directors for support and worked closely with other internal stakeholders to build and implement strategies for continual growth & penetration in the Australian retail market
• Developed and nurtured a high performing sales team with strengths in analytics, demand planning, forecasting and effective negotiation skills.

• Responsible for the commercial management of all major retail customers
• Effectively built strong professional business relationships with all accounts to develop joint business plans and execute in line with category strategies
• Developed strong commercial and strategic business plans in order to over-achieve against FY15 & 16 budget (Sales +16% and Profit +18%)
• Regularly engaged board of directors for support and worked closely with other internal stakeholders to build and implement strategies for continual growth & penetration in the Australian retail market
• Developed and nurtured a high performing sales team with strengths in analytics, demand planning, forecasting and effective negotiation skills.

• Responsible for delivering a strategy and product range for Health Foods that was better for the customer, simpler to shop and navigate whilst enhancing the customer's perceptions of value, quality and range
• Being one of five FOCUS categories in the Woolworths business, there were high expectations for delivering stretch targets on sales growth, profitability and market share
• Achieved highest sales and profit growth for FY13 and achieved COGS targets through to FY15.

• Responsible for planning and executing effective promotional programs across the entire network of Woolworths Supermarkets
• Constantly measured by the achievement of agreed objectives with suppliers, specifically within growing budgeted trade spend
• Performance also judged on the growth of customers across the Premium, Mainstream and Budget segments by working closely with the Customer Insights and Everyday Rewards team
• Achieved highest increase in supplier trade spend, whilst also reducing overall number of promotions but increasing customer promotional participation for FY12.

• Responsible for all aspects of the merchandising function including inventory management, financial planning, location planning, merchandise planning, developing strategy and working towards continuous improvement
• Achieved highest reduction in ‘Case + MPL' and days of supply across my categories whilst maintaining in-stock position for FY10.

• Responsible for the daily operation and end-to-end management of a Woolworths Supermarket with 26,000 customers each week and over 200 staff members
• Mentor and develop my management team in all aspects of store culture, customer service, merchandising, stock control, leadership, sales planning and OH&S
• Store of the Year winner in 2008.