Ruby Clements-Hill

Key responsibilities include ;

• Lead NPD on special projects & new categories- accessories & clothing generating additional + £700k
• Devised detailed project plans and strategy with clear milestones , ensuring team and business alignment on goals
• Initiated cost-saving measures by evaluating and improving operational processes with a margin gain of + 7%
• Prepared proposals with revised methods, new strategies and redefined functions.
• Assisted teams with implementing new recommendations and revising instructions for staff, upskilling and mentoring junior team members

Accountable/have been accountable for below categories ; reporting into head of buying and managing team of 6 reports from buyer to admin level

• Accessories, Jewellery & Beauty/Home
• Non Clothing-Swimwear & Lounge/Underwear
• Clothing-all categories

Key responsibilities include ;

• Formulating and agreeing buying strategy and plan; budgets, options & categories with senior management, leading range meetings at director level and taking full accountability in delivering this alongside merchandising team
• Working with key departments to deliver department and business KPI’s, building strong cross functional relationships across departments- design, merchandising,technical, styling, marketing/press, retail/vm, web and wholesale
• Working closely with merchandising, design and technical teams to deliver commercial and balanced ranges through price point, quality and ranging for all channels
• Plan and create clear sourcing strategies that reduce costs and grow margin to meet department targets taking into consideration all key external factors
• Strategically managing all areas of critical path from design concept to delivery working closely and managing supplier base alongside adapting to change when required across market challenges/changes and identifying any gain or risk to department planning
• Taking action on any opportunities for margin growth through sourcing methods, supplier base & technical knowledge of product and processes
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships with suppliers with ability to recognise strengths and weaknesses of supplier base alongside constant review of supplier base to recognise any new opportunities
• Meeting company product compliance standards, brand quality & customer expectations including approving/rejecting samples and ensuring team members are aligned with execution and delivery of product
• Researching, presenting and taking action on market and customer trends, recognising and driving new product/category opportunities with brand & customer at forefront of this
• Conducting annual buying trips, visiting trade shows, show rooms and product design events
• Reviewing & presenting weekly/monthly sales in trade meetings, reacting with pace to ensure successful trading of departments to meet OTB requirements alongside recognising gaps and profitable opportunities in ranges as well as identifying and taking action on any risk
• Coaching , leading and mentoring high performing team
• Delivering efficient way of working across team, ensuring team are working to best of their ability meeting deadlines & goals and consistently challenge ways of working where required

Additional Highlights/achievements;

• Co-ordinating company occasion launch across clothing and accessories , landing new product categories & generating £750k additional profit
• Managing AW24 total company gifting strategy & launch including delivery of new product categories , onboarding new supplier base & achieving +150% growth sales on the year
• AW24 nightwear +35% on the year profit, turning on 6.5 weeks cover vs 23 weeks cover AW23
• SS24 Swim/Sunshop , delivered best season on record banking additional £650k, with total markdown at 15% vs 29% AW23
• Leading AW24 total company fabric consolidation booking on knit and cold weather, achieving +5% total division margin gain & improving style lead time by 3 weeks
• Implementing and leading Assistant Buyer monthly trade meetings as part of learning and developing strategy

• Accountable for below categories, reporting into buying director and managing team of 8 from buyer to admin level
• Jewellery & Fashion accessories
• Eventing/Gifting/Home

Additional Highlights ;

• Delivering total company yearly event strategy & calendar , banking additional profit of £450k with full price sell through +20% vs the year
• Directing company consolidated lines project with head of sourcing , gaining +7% total margin growth through consolidation of sku's, materials and streamlining supplier base with focus on company top 10 volume lines
• Launching first recycled materials jewellery /accessories range for largest company accounts
• Successfully growing supermarket division by onboarding brand new partners to business ; Sainsburys Occasion generated £350k additional profit
• Sourcing, delivering and launching new accessory categories for partners, increasing total matt footfall and transactions by +35%

• Experience across below categories , reporting into head of buying and managing a team of 5 across junior buyer and admin level
• All accessories & jewellery categories
• Home/Lifestyle & Beauty
• Nightwear & Swimwear

Additional Highlights ;

• Successfully delivering new premium jewellery ranges ; generating additional £3m sales & increasing department total margin by +5%
• Directing company eventing strategy and delivering new categories including halloween and christmas novelty banking an additional £1m sales
• Launching NL Home and Lifestyle ; que barriers generated an additional £8m sales
• Achieving best ever season sales and lowest markdown on record for hair accessories 2019 ; delivering additional £500k full price profit with 2% markdown spend
• Delivering first ever recycled/sustainable materials accessories range on the high street
• Leading launch of 915 teen nightwear & accessories, achieving highest ecom category ROS in 1st week of launch
• Collaboration champion ; working with key collaboration personal and delivering exclusive ranges including Anne Marie, Emily Attack and Kelly Brook
• Selected across company as key player in new systems rollout, leading training workshops , coaching individuals & teams

Additional Highlights

• Key assist in Z range jewellery launch

Additional Highlights;

• Launching company first ever accessories/jewellery range generating additional £500k sales
• Worked on the Jane Seymour exclusive colloboration of limited knitwear, growing total knitwear sales to +125% on the year