Gemma Mowser

As the 2IC for the GM of Planning and Logistics I will represent their team in Executive meetings, and report weekly to the Executive Team on the performance and trading actions taken across APG & Co’s 3 Brands, Sportscraft, SABA and JAG. I lead the Planning Team to ensure company deadlines and strategies are met, as well as guide and develop the senior planning team. Key responsibilities: * Prepare and set the Sales/GP targets for each Brand with the GM’s sign off * Forecasting Sales $/Unit Sales at a seasonal level, as well as MD clearance rates for Good/Bad markdown for all Brands * Developing further efficiencies in the planning team through changing process and systems * Work closely with the BI team to develop Power BI reporting tools for the business, as well us upgrades to our POS AP21 system to improve stock management.

Heading the Women’s planning team across 2 Brands, my key focus was on developing an inexperienced team into high performing planners, giving them a solid base in merchandising principles. Key responsibilities: * Set FP/MD Budget Sales/GP and stock targets by Brand at category level. * Managed Range Building, planning and review process to maximize profit and minimize risk. * Ensure core lines maintained a 95% size availability * Effective management of stock levels in line with budget * Drive the Brands promotional strategy to deliver budget in reaction to current trade * Store optimization through seasonal grading, maintaining stock between min/max capacities.

Within this role I analyzed the store profile to develop a grading matrix based on sales and space to be applied across all Brands. Designed to optimize stores performance by ensuring the right amount of options/units were allocated to stores to achieve the budgets I set by department, along with Retail Operations and Finance. To enable a successful launch of this project I worked closely with Buying and Planning to help manage the change of processes to ranging and allocations, as well as working with our external software provider to integrate the new attributing into our DWH for reporting.

Planned seasonal strategies, as well as in-season trading activities to meet budgets. Working with the Buyer to develop the building blocks for next season, identifying the growth opportunities from current trade and seasonal reviews. Maintain core lines stock availability, and ensure replenishment parameters are set to meet store demand. Forecasting of inbound and outbound unit to feed into the Logistics Teams so they can manage labour hours with the 3PL provider. Working with Retail to set ideal store sqm Building a new store grading and ratio pack model to meet the growing focus on Branch Merchandising. Review store performance and set stores financial budgets. Feed into property meetings, influencing space increases/reductions in current portfolio, managing opening stock packages for new/relocating stores.

Reporting directly into the Brand Director, I supported the management of the Topshop/Topman franchise in the Middle East across 6 countries. The role required working closely with UK Team, Operations, Logistics, VM & marketing to ensure the trade plan was met, as well as with our internal Compliance and Legal Team to ensure the planned launch of cosmetics met each countries government regulations. I worked closely with the Host to develop best practice, for new stores and communication on current trade. I also created a customer profile presentation by market/store to enable the UK team to gain a better understanding of each market.

The brand was launched in the MENA in 2010, and experienced huge sales growth from new and comparative stores. I was brought in to rework current process to focus on key merchandising principles such as WSSI management, and planning departmental/category mixes tailored by market, as well as managing a significant overstock problem. I introduced buying and allocating specific size ratios by Market, and product selected ranges to suit the customer demand by market. I also assisted the Brand Director in managing the Russian & Polish business whilst new country teams were recruited and trained. I continued as a support once the teams were in place, especially on the four buying trips a year to the host brands design studios in New York.

Merchandise Planning – Tesco Children’s Essentials February 2010 – September 2011 (1yr 7mths) Key Tasks - Trade Plan for 2010 – Risk & Opportunity Management - Managing the Open To Cancel requirement & Departmental WSSI’s - Planning & Strategy for 2011 – Supplier Management, Range Builds, Product Sign offs, Pricing - Working with Branch Merchandising to meet stock targets - New Starter Trainer

Key Tasks - Planning & Strategy Autumn Winter 2010 - Trading Risk & Opportunities - Pricing, Markdown Activity, Intake & Allocation Management - Trainer for New Starter & Graduate from Shanghai Office

Key Tasks - Support on Denim, Pants, Shirts. - Planning & Strategy for Swim Spring/Summer 2009 & Outerwear Autumn/Winter 2009 - Trading Risk & Opportunities - Pricing, Markdown Activity, Intake & Allocation Management - Prepare & Present Trading Performance - Maintain Line flows and Subgroup WSSI’s - Training New Trainee Merchandiser and managing their workload

Key Tasks - Critical Path Management – identify & resolve potential delivery issues - Created and Maintained spread sheets to efficiently track deliveries/cancellations - Competitive shopping - Super User for a New Delivery Management System - Trainer of New Starters - Supplier Contract Management - Analysis for Strategy & Product Sign offs