Dear Sir/Madam
I am seeking employment as a Visual Merchandising Manager in Dubai.
I have been in the Retail Industry now for 15 years and 8 of those years in Visual Merchandising.
In my last 3 roles I have been leading large teams as the Visual Merchandising Manager where my sole responsibility is to maximise gross profit through strategic and creative merchandising.
I have vast training experience in store development and up skilling my team of Visual Merchandisers.
In Australia I was fortunate enough to be under the National Sales Manager for The Just Group in where I over saw 204 stores Nationwide and a team of 13 VM. Here is where I learnt the merchant side of VM not just creative. Experience comes from pre-empting fashion forecasts, knowing your product and demographic. I implore my knowledge by analysis of category reports, demographic awareness and strong communication skills.
I have travelled all over NZ and Australia up skilling store teams and state VM’s to enhance profitability. In today’s economy it’s not just about a store looking pretty but having the skillset to display product to your advantage and most importantly to know your customer base.
I have devised numerous VM documents to help aide stores in achieving store KPI’s and feeling confident in floor moves to best fit the store demographic.
I have sound knowledge in store refits, and working alongside store development in who most are still my friends today.
Daily communication with Head of departments is key and a daily ritual.
My work mantra is Communication. We are a team and all teams succeed by this notion.
Dubai has been a lifelong dream of mine and now with the skills I have acquired through my past years in Retail, I feel confident moving forward into Dubai as a Visual Merchandising Manager.
I am available any time to speak as New Zealand is 8 hours ahead of Dubai.
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Yours sincerely
Sarah Rossiter
SARAH ROSSITER
SARAHROSSITERNZ@GMAIL.COM
29 Puketawai Rd, RD6, Otorohanga
+64 211018127
OBJECTIVE
Maximising sale opportunities and gross profit and ensuring brand consistency by creating effective and inspiring Visual Merchandising.
EXPERIENCE
AUGUST 2014 – PRESENT T@T CHILDRENSWEAR HEAD OFFICE AUCKLAND - 38 STORES
VISUAL MERCHANDISING MANAGER
• Responsible for all VM directives set up across NZ
• Maximising sale opportunities throughout the country in accordance to demographic/climatic changes and also reactive sale trends
• Traveling throughout NZ up skilling team members on VM techniques and product placement ideas
• Reporting to the Managing Director , regular meetings on sales performance and upcoming promotions
• Weekly catch ups with the National Sales Manager to ensure alignment and no hidden missed opportunities.
• Photos and VM techniques sent out to all stores on a regular basis.
AUGUST 2011 – FEBRUARY 2014 JUST JEANS (THE JUST GROUP MELBOURNE HEAD OFFICE) 204 STORES (13 VM TEAM MEMBERS)
RETAIL VISUAL MERCHANDISING MANAGER
• Responsible for all VM directives set up across Australia every fortnight.
• Maximising sale opportunities throughout the country in accordance to demographic/climatic changes and also reactive sale trends
• Traveling throughout Australia up skilling my 12 VM team members and 1 regional VM. This includes weekly conference calls and critiquing photos on a weekly basis.
• Liaising with buying department heads on upcoming deliveries, seasonal forecasts and changes made in the brief to increase profitability.
• Weekly catch ups with the National Sales Manager and Regional Sales team. This included conference calls with all VM/Regionals weekly for alignment.
• Analysis on sales figures and product categories on a weekly basis to ensure no missed opportunities are present and to play on core strengths
MAY 2010 – JUNE 2011 GLASSONS HEAD OFFICE 35 STORES
NATIONAL VISUAL MERCHANDISER
• Responsible for assisting the VM manager in all visual merchandising direction for the company. This includes a complete remix every 5 weeks, include all creative elements and concept ideas. Mannequin styling for windows and in store models and VM updates and communications.
• Travelling throughout New Zealand coaching and training Managers and in store VM’s on merchandising presentation standards and ensuring all VM directives are actioned in store. Coaching and critiquing is also done via email from store photos.
• Working alongside Nation/Regional managers to ensure brand consistency.
• APRIL 2009 – MAY 2010 COTTON ON – AUCKLAND/HAMILTON REGION
• ROVING VISUAL MERCHANDISER
• Responsible for assisting the National VM implementing remix documents throughout the Auckland and Hamilton region. This included travelling to Melbourne assisting with the remix and then bringing the document and ideas home to train and implemnent in store.
• Sourcing and implementing all visual elements. Mannequin and hair styling on in store mannequins and implementing directives from Australia H/O for windows.
??Working alongside the National/Regional managers to ensure brand consistency throughout our region.
JUNE 2008 – APRIL 2009 JK KIDS – HEAD OFFICE, NZ AND AUS – 39 STORES
NATIONAL RETAIL AND VISUAL MERCHANDISING CO ORDINATOR
• Responsible for assisting the VM manager in all visual merchandising direction for the company; this includes 3 VM manuals per season, mannequin styling for windows and VM updates and communications. VM updates and communications are put together using Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint) and CS1 indesign and photoshop (basic knowledge)
• Travelling throughout New Zealand and Australia (39 stores) coaching and training all team members on merchandising presentation standards and ensuring all VM directives are actioned in store. Coaching and critiquing is also done via email from store photos.
• Working alongside National/Regional managers to ensure brand consistency throughout the stores.
• JUNE 2007 – JUNE 2008 DECJUBA, STORE MANAGER
• DECEMBER 2004 – JUNE 2007 WILD PAIR & LIPPY, STORE MANAGER
• EDUCATION
• 1992 – 1996 St Peters School, Cambridge Higher School Certificate
• HOBBIES
• Horse Riding, Gym, Tennis, Reading , Snowboarding, Wakeboarding, Fashion
• Referees and Portfolio available on request.