Raz James Knight
Sydney,Australia
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
SENIOR MERCHANDISE PLANNER
WOOLWORTHS GROUP - BIG W
04.2015 - Current
- As a Senior Merchandise Planner, we develop plans, forecasts, and parameters that ensure our range has the right mix, quantity, and price to drive sales, profit, and optimize inventory.
- Formulate financial plans for merchandise based on comprehensive data analysis.
- Established criteria to guide Planners/Buyers in preparing ranges.
- Coordinated range buying within planned expenditure and open-to-buy limits.
- Develop models and forecasts to support accurate Financial Planning and to optimise stock and sales
- Optimized reporting processes to enhance efficiency.
- Provide insights and recommendations & swift accurate actions
- Enhance inventory control through effective planogram strategies.
- Maintained continuous communication with stakeholders for successful trading outcomes.
SENIOR BUYER/PLANNER
MASSMART GROUP (A DIVISION OF WALMART)
09.2010 - 03.2015
- Ensuring my Division strategy is in line with Company’s strategy
- Driving ALL KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators), ensuring we derive a well-balanced assortment, concise range plan, inventory management
- Proper planning, analyzing & interpreting of data is done to ensure a correct execution is implemented
- Monitoring performance daily and taking the necessary corrective actions to ensure we exceed targets ie: Sales , Gross Margin/Profit & Stock Management
- Actively pursuing merchandise opportunities, which is in line with my strategy
- Conduct regular International sourcing trips to ensure we are in line or ahead with the trend
- Successfully building our own private label/brand : LIVING OUT , which creates market awareness and ultimately gain market share
- Continuous interactions with ALL key stakeholders ie: Supply Chain , IT, Marketing , Operations and most importantly the CUSTOMER
- Proudly living the Companies DNA
DIVISIONAL MERCHANDISE MGR
AL HOKAIR FASHION RETAIL
11.2008 - 08.2010
- Company Overview: SAUDI ARABIA
- Influencing and driving the merchandise strategy of brands, to be in line with company strategy
- Actively guiding, managing and developing buyers and planners
- Ensure each brand/team has a well-balanced assortment in line with brand strategy/ image
- Management of the range builds/assortment plan, intake management ,sales and stock levels ,replenishment set-ups correct, markdown management ,gross profit management
- Continuously pursuing merchandise opportunities, ensuring that merchandise is bought correctly, properly planned, controlled, evaluated and executed
- Manage the merchandise pipeline for the Division, in order to affect optimum levels by store and thus optimizing sales
- Developing good relationships with International Brand Partners (ie: NineWest, Aldo, Monsoon Acc, GAP, Lasenza), marketing, suppliers, logistics, stores, customers and other stakeholders
- International travels to complete a buying trips in-line with trends
- Thorough awareness of the competition, analyze and strategize decisions
- Taking ownership and accountability for all respective Brands/Dept and ensuring an overall growth to the business
- SAUDI ARABIA
SENIOR MERCHANDISE PLANNER
EDCON DISCOUNT DIVISION
07.2006 - 09.2008
- Company Overview: SOUTH AFRICA JOHANNESBURG
- Budgeting to goals negotiated with management
- Provide and interpret essential data in order for the planning process to be effective, continually planning and analyzing sales/merchandise performance through value and unit control by the use of available reports, systems and manual presentation
- Manage and control distribution in order to effect optimum levels by store and thus optimizing sales
- Ensuring that the model stock(s) is always maintained depending on sales
- Actively pursuing merchandise opportunities which arise and ensuring that merchandise is properly planned, controlled and evaluated
- Working closely in conjunction with buying fraternity, producing a detailed assortment merchandise plan and range which ensures the following: Volume keys items, fashion direct inputs, well balance assortment
- Appropriate input for store gridding and allocations, timeous placement of orders
- Always ensuring that we have sufficient stock, developing good supplier relation, on- going communication with Operations, Logistics , conducting regular store visits, revamps and or store openings
- SOUTH AFRICA JOHANNESBURG
MERCHADISE MANAGER
BMA INTERNATIONAL
01.2005 - 07.2006
- Company Overview: DUBAI
- Lead and manage a team of planners and buyers, taking full responsibility for the productive management of inventory, developing and implementing product strategy in line with chains strategy, ensuring that merchandise procured reflected the latest world trend
- Ensuring that set financials and other objective are achieved e.g
- Turnover, Return on Inventory (ROII), Gross Profit and Gross Margin Budgets
- DUBAI
SPECIALIST MERCHANDISE PLANNER
EDCON DISCOUNT DIVISION
03.1999 - 12.2004
- Company Overview: S/AFRICA JOHANNESBURG
- S/AFRICA JOHANNESBURG
- Reason for leaving: Opportunity to work internationally
Education
Diploma - Cost & Management Accounting
Peninsula Technicon
Cape Town, South AfricaHigh School Diploma -
Strand High
Cape Town, South AfricaTimeline
SENIOR MERCHANDISE PLANNER
WOOLWORTHS GROUP - BIG W
04.2015 - Current
SENIOR BUYER/PLANNER
MASSMART GROUP (A DIVISION OF WALMART)
09.2010 - 03.2015
DIVISIONAL MERCHANDISE MGR
AL HOKAIR FASHION RETAIL
11.2008 - 08.2010
SENIOR MERCHANDISE PLANNER
EDCON DISCOUNT DIVISION
07.2006 - 09.2008
MERCHADISE MANAGER
BMA INTERNATIONAL
01.2005 - 07.2006
SPECIALIST MERCHANDISE PLANNER
EDCON DISCOUNT DIVISION
03.1999 - 12.2004
Diploma - Cost & Management Accounting
Peninsula Technicon
High School Diploma -
Strand High
Summary
Self-motivated, dependable professional experienced in planning all retail, cost, unit, and margin components to maximize sales and profitability. Committed to delivering strong support to accommodate for rapid growth. Attentive to dynamics of different products and markets. Excellent communication and relationship building skills.
Skills
- Budget & Forecasting
- KPI management
- Merchandising strategies
- Sales analysis & reporting
- Demand forecasting
- Category management
- Stock replenishment
- Seasonal planning
- ERP systems
- Leadership
- Teamwork and collaboration
- People skills
- Community engagement
Languages
Afrikaans
Full Professional
Accomplishments
- Sport Fanatic - any sport
- South African in Indoor Cricket player
- South African Table Tennis Champion
Preferredname
Raz / Razzo
Residency
PROUDLY AUSTRALIANS
Educationqualifications
Diploma Cost & Management Accounting, Peninsula Technicon, Cape Town, South Africa, Strand High, Cape Town, South Africa
Personal Information
- Passport Number: XXXXXXXX
- Date of Birth: 02/02/73
- Nationality: Australian
- Driving License: Yes
- Marital Status: Happily married + 3 kids
Vendorreferences
- GLOBAL LEISURE GROUP, Andre De Beer, CEO, andre.debeer@globalleisuregroup.com
- ORANGE APPLE, Murray Everson, Managing Director, murray@oapple.co.za
- CADBURY/ MONDOLEZ, Bob Cukalack, Head Of National Acc Mgr’s, bcukalac@mdlz.com
References
- WOOLWORTHS GROUP, Grant Dillon, Head of Finance Planning, Finance/Planning, gdillon1@bigw.com
- WOOLWORTHS GROUP, Ben Cory, Planning Manager, Hardgoods Division, bcory@bigw.com
- MASSMART GROUP, Frank Urzi, Merchandise Manager, Retail Outdoor, frank.urzi@builders.co.za
- AL-HOKAIR FASHION RETAIL, Russell Gordon, Business Unit Mgr, russell.gordon@alhokair.com.sa
- EDCON / DISCOUNT DIVISION, Ronnie Mosiane, Executive Planning Manager, Rmosiane@edcon.co.za
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeWork Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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