Olaf Sequeira
Canning Vale,WA
Summary
Strategic and dynamic professional with a high focus and proven experience around relationship building, leading, developing and empowering teams, adapting to change and conflict resolution. Highly motivated and results driven with the ability to work both autonomously and within a team in order to enhance service delivery, deliver strong profitable sales, ensure safe working conditions, promote professionalism and preserve the integrity of the organisation within the community. Exceptional commercial acumen and extensive experience in customer service through a strong work ethic and also possessing the capability to identify new opportunities to significantly increase sales and profit, learn quickly and take on board feedback.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
Work History
Learning and Development Manager
Tucker Fresh Supermarkets (IGA)
10.2023 - Current
- Developed training programs aligned with organizational goals to enhance employee skills and performance.
- Led cross-functional teams to identify learning needs and implement effective development strategies.
- Streamlined onboarding processes, improving new employee integration and reducing time to productivity.
- Conducted assessments to evaluate training effectiveness, ensuring continuous improvement in learning outcomes.
Store Manager
Kmart - division of Wesfarmers Retail Group
01.2022 - Current
- Focus on recruiting, training, developing and empowering store team members, including team member check-ins to focus on their well-being and career.
- Driving profitable sales through visual merchandising, good in-stock position, and exceptional customer service.
- Constantly reviewing return on space to optimise sales and profit.
- Strong focus on processes and compliance e.g. operational compliance, safety and loss prevention (shrink).
- Engaging with relevant Head Office personnel to optimise stock position, stock turns, sales and profit.
- Timely and relevant communication to engage and drive the team.
- Ongoing feedback to benchmark and improve performance.
- Running a cost-effective store with a focus on remuneration, optional stock holding and reducing operational costs (as a percentage to sales).
- Senior strategic business executive with over 29 of transferrable skill set and experience, leading large teams of up to 400 people.
Planning Manager
Catch.com.au - division of Wesfarmers Retail Group
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Creating optimal ranges with the Business Managers, Category Managers and Buyers in line with the brand proposition, financial targets, customer expectations and market trends.
- Monthly trade reviews, bi-annual pre and post seasonal analysis reviews and assortment planning to stay relevant and profitable.
- Engaging the team to provide accurate forecasting and reporting to suppliers to ensure a strong in-stock position.
- Building on YoY performance by being accountable, finding new/incremental opportunities and assisting in negotiating mutually beneficial trading terms with suppliers.
- Working closely with the Marketing and Supply Chain teams to ensure we have the strongest (sometimes exclusive) offers and timely stock flow to drive profitable sales.
- Providing a high level of support to the Merchandise team, including a collaborative approach (getting their buy-in), speed to market, sharing market insights, and organising specialised product training.
- Over achieving of key KPIs such as GMROI and stock turns.
- Analysing competitive activity and tailoring offers to combat, and create point of difference.
- As a senior member of the team, assisting management in mentoring, training and development.
- Representing the team on various business projects (including setting the broader Merchandise strategy)
- Working remotely from Perth
Merchandise Planning
David Jones Ltd
01.2017 - 01.2020
- Creating optimal ranges with the Buyer in line with the brand proposition, financial targets, customer expectations and market trends.
- Monthly trade reviews, bi-annual pre and post seasonal analysis reviews and assortment planning to stay relevant and profitable.
- Engaging suppliers through accurate forecasting and reporting to ensure a strong in-stock position.
- Building on YoY performance by being accountable, finding new/incremental opportunities and assisting in negotiating mutually beneficial trading terms with suppliers.
- Working closely with the Marketing and Supply Chain teams to ensure we have the strongest (sometimes exclusive) offers and timely stock flow to drive profitable sales.
- Providing a high level of support to store teams, including a collaborative approach (getting their buy-in), speed to market, sharing market insights, and organising specialised product training.
- Over achieving of key KPIs such as GMROI and stock turns.
- Analysing competitive activity and tailoring offers to combat, and create point of difference.
- As a senior member of the team, assisting management in mentoring of new staff, training and development.
- Representing the team on various business projects (including setting the broader Merchandise strategy)
Merchandise Planning
Target Australia Ltd
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Sound analysis to optimise the range (including identifying private label opportunities) in line with the brand proposition, financial targets, customer expectations and market trends.
- Monthly commercial reviews, bi-annual pre and post seasonal analysis reviews and assortment planning to stay relevant and profitable.
- Engaged suppliers through accurate forecasting and reporting to ensure a strong in-stock position (including overseas suppliers).
- Built on YoY performance by being accountable, finding new/incremental opportunities and assisting in negotiating mutually beneficial trading terms with suppliers.
- Worked closely with the Marketing and Supply Chain teams to ensure we have the strongest (sometimes exclusive) offers and timely stock flow to drive profitable sales.
- Provided a high level of support to store teams, including a collaborative approach (getting their buy-in), speed to market, sharing market insights, and specialised product training.
- Over achieving of key KPIs such as GMROI and stock turns.
- Analysed competitive activity and tailoring offers to combat, and create point of difference.
- As a senior member of the team, assisted management in mentoring of new staff, training and development.
- Represented the team on various business projects (including system and process enhancements).
Merchandise Administration Manager
OfficeMax Ltd
01.2010 - 01.2015
- Led the National Retail team, the Purchasing/Inventory team, the Data Integrity team, and the Reporting/Analysis team.
- Responsible for achieving sales, profit and safety targets whilst also identifying new opportunities for growth across all product categories offered (grew profit by 38% in the first year through effective supplier terms negotiations).
- Assisted in acquiring 98% of the Education Industry contracts.
- Reduced inventory by 30% and also found efficiencies within the Purchasing team, reducing team numbers from twelve to seven (remaining five employees were deployed within the business).
- Over achieving of key KPIs such as GMROI and stock turns.
- Grew the retail business by 77% by consolidating two regional roles into one, hired people and results focused store managers, coached and developed existing store managers, changed store layouts to improve range synergy in store and introduced various services such as photocopying, printing binding, etc.
- Took responsibility for bringing the Australian and New Zealand buying teams together to work collaboratively by purchasing more efficiently (rather than working in silos in the past), especially with the high-volume local brands and imports.
- Engaged with key decision makers at all levels to maintain strong relationships and aid the constant flow of communication.
- Assisted with accurate preparation of proposals, sustainable quotes, and prompt responses to tenders (to combat competitor tenders).
- Organised staff and customer training/demonstrations of product and services by coordinating with suppliers and the sales team.
- Worked with customers through integration and procurement, saving on overheads and time for both client and organisation.
- Assisted the sales team with acquiring the Auckland Transport and Ports of Auckland contracts.
- Through my networks, influenced Ports of Auckland to allow OfficeMax to participate in personal protective equipment tender, and then winning the contract for three years.
- Worked closely with the human resources team to re-write and update all the job descriptions within my team, making it easier to manage, appraise and benchmark performance.
- Successful in mending and building relationships with various key accounts and winning back lost business.
Regional Manager, Victoria
Harris Scarfe
01.2009 - 01.2010
Business Manager Private Label development
Coles Liquor Ltd
01.2005 - 01.2007
various roles i.e. Buying, Planning and Regional Management (VIC & TAS), and Supply Chain
Officeworks Pty Ltd
01.1994 - 01.2005
Store and Area Management
Woolworths Ltd
01.1990 - 01.1994
Education
Certificate of Management -
Monash University
01.1995
Bachelor of Commerce Degree - undefined
Bombay University
01.1989
Skills
- Proven ability to build rapport quickly and subsequently solid relationships with suppliers, customers and internal stakeholders in all levels of business, including at executive level
- Dedicated team player with a high level of integrity and accountability
- Team engagement, development and empowerment, including challenging at all levels
- Excellent communication, influencing and collaborating skills
- Innovative and thrives on finding new ways to create point of difference
- Results focused with an ability to understand requirements and tailor solutions to meet those needs
- Delivery of outstanding customer service for both internal and external customers
- Lead cross functional projects to deliver timely and desired outcomes
- Adaptable to change and resolve conflict
- Quick learner of new systems, processes (competent user of MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint)
Accomplishments
- Grew sales and profit by over 137% in a tough market in my first year (2020) at Catch.com.au.
- Grew sales and profit by over 12% in a tough market in my first year (2018) in the Audio-Visual department at David Jones.
- Grew sales and profit by over 17% in my first year in the Seasonal (2016) department at Target with a 98% sell-through rate.
- Grew profit by 63% over the five years at OfficeMax through effective supplier terms negotiations, fostering strong partnerships, and optimisation of the private label program (2010 to 2015).
- Winner of the National award for best Region (Victoria) and best store of the year (Eastland store) at Harris Scarfe in 2009.
- Winner of the Best Store of the year nationally (Launceston store) at Officeworks in 2007 (out of 126 stores at the time).
- Winner of the Coles Myer award as part of the Coles Liquor Private Label team in 2006 (grew sales by 115%).
- Runner-up of the Coles Myer award as part of the Officeworks Technology team in 2005 (grew sales by 58%).
- Developed over 70 people in my career to take on the next step in their careers.
Timeline
Learning and Development Manager
Tucker Fresh Supermarkets (IGA)
10.2023 - Current
Store Manager
Kmart - division of Wesfarmers Retail Group
01.2022 - Current
Planning Manager
Catch.com.au - division of Wesfarmers Retail Group
01.2020 - 01.2022
Merchandise Planning
David Jones Ltd
01.2017 - 01.2020
Merchandise Planning
Target Australia Ltd
01.2015 - 01.2017
Merchandise Administration Manager
OfficeMax Ltd
01.2010 - 01.2015
Regional Manager, Victoria
Harris Scarfe
01.2009 - 01.2010
Business Manager Private Label development
Coles Liquor Ltd
01.2005 - 01.2007
various roles i.e. Buying, Planning and Regional Management (VIC & TAS), and Supply Chain
Officeworks Pty Ltd
01.1994 - 01.2005
Store and Area Management
Woolworths Ltd
01.1990 - 01.1994
Bachelor of Commerce Degree - undefined
Bombay University
Certificate of Management -
Monash University