Katie Maxwell

Management responsibility for the homewares department.

I have recently been promoted to Buyer for Ultimate Product's Homewares department; supplying to a large customer base, globally. My responsibilities include, but not limited to, regular Far East visits, price negotiation, client meetings, factory visits, and mentoring and leading Assistant Buyers and other trainees.

I am currently Assistant Buyer for Ultimate Product's Homewares department; supplying to a large customer base, globally. My responsibilities extend from my previous roles as Trainee Buying Assistant and Buying Assistant, to include price negotiation, client meetings, mentoring trainees and regular Far East trips and Factory meets. Following success as an Assistant Buyer on the Ceramics Department I shortly after moved to the Homewares Department. Far East Trips Include: June 2016 April 2016 - Canton Fair March 2016 April 2015 - Hong Kong Housewares Fair & Canton Fair March 2015 - Factory Visits November 2014 - Factory Visits/Client Meetings October 2014 - Canton Fair/Client Meetings European Trips: February 2016 - Ambiente February 2015 - Ambiente USA Trips Chicago - February 2016

I am currently Buying Assistant of UPGS's Ceramics department, supplying to a large customer base, globally. I have been fortunate enough to be trusted with this department, and run this solely, with support from my Buying Director. I have Far East experience following my first Buying trip to China in March 2014 where I met with factory owners and workers, examinied working practices and gained great insight into how products were taken from concept to the finished product. I am also 'Training Champion', a role I do parallel to my buying role, one where I liaise closely with Buyers & IT, re-engineering processes & systems, ensuring that training is delivered, and new ways of working are adhered to. Duties: • Create customer quotes & ensure all information meets client expectations, is inputted accurately & meets KPI’s. • Obtain product samples aligned with UPGS's existing & future product lines. • Assess & scrutinise new sample functionality to meet company & customer demands, & legislative compliance. • Liaise with overseas factories & customers maintaining strong working relationships. • Complete full & accurate product set-up on internal stock management software. • Conduct appropriate market research, enhancing knowledge & understanding of new & existing markets/product trends. • Analyse the critical path to organise & prioritise workload. • Attend & complete full visual merchandising of Trade Shows to showcase products. Most recently this was the Birmingham NEC Trade Show (August 2013 & January 2014).

UPGS is one of the world's leading international product sourcing & design businesses, with a sound supply partner base across 12 different consumer product categories, bringing exclusive products to market. Additionally, our in-house Design, QA & Supply Chain teams provide added value to our service, ensuring high quality foot fall driving products are delivered on time, every time. I work closely with my Buying Director to maintain growth & increase profitability. For the first 6 months of my employment I worked in the Placemats & Coasters department and upon successful completion of my probation period I was transferred to the Ceramics department. Ceramics is one of UPGS’s largest and busiest departments, supplying to a large customer base, globally. I have been fortunate enough to be trusted with this department, and run this solely, with support from my Buying Director. Duties: • Create customer quotes & ensure all information meets client expectations, is inputted accurately & meets KPI’s. • Obtain product samples aligned with UPGS's existing & future product lines. • Assess & scrutinise new sample functionality to meet company & customer demands, & legislative compliance. • Liaise with overseas factories & customers maintaining strong working relationships. • Complete full & accurate product set-up on internal stock management software. • Conduct appropriate market research, enhancing knowledge & understanding of new & existing markets/product trends. • Analyse the critical path to organise & prioritise workload. • Attend & complete full visual merchandising of Trade Shows to showcase products. Most recently this was the Birmingham NEC Trade Show (August 2013 & January 2014). • Buying Trip/Factory visit to China (March 2014).

Kurt Geiger is the UK’s leading multi-channel retailer of luxury, designer footwear. Course Profile: This course has been two years in the making; out of over one hundred applicants I was one of the successful twelve who managed to secure a place on the course. This six month programme has covered all key aspects of a retail manager’s job role. These include key areas within the business, introduction visual and front of house, people, service and sales, operations and back of house, sales and operations in practice and, trading and contribution. Duties: • I work closely with management to analyse sales figures, and use such data to anticipate future sales and determine order numbers. • I liaise heavily with merchandisers to ensure stock is maintained and has no negative impact on sales. This includes monitoring reoccurring stock faults so these can be reported to suppliers. • Liaison with merchandisers in regards to upcoming stock and new lines, creating strong bonds with head office, and in turn with customers. • I work closely with brand ambassadors to establish new lines for the upcoming season as well as inform them on past best sellers and their client demographic. • Responsible for the preparation and presentation, to both Kurt Geiger and Selfridges Management, of key stock and store layout, and remerchandising the shop floor weekly to positively impact sales figures. • Analysis of the contribution report in order to maximise profit or minimise loss, and to monitor performance on an on-going basis.

As a sales assistant for Kurt Geiger I have obtained extensive experience within the retailing of luxury, high end footwear. Working to targets and commission, I am required to be up to date with the latest trends and developments within the fashion industry, and require the ability to use such knowledge to increase sales and achieve a competitive advantage for the KG branch in which I work. In order to service the luxury market, customer service and product knowledge are key aspects of my position. Further responsibilities also include visual merchandising and the participation in training events for luxury brands such as D&G and Prada. I interact extensively with customers, aiding them in finding the shoes they desire. Through excellent customer service, I build strong relationships, ensuring customers return, and a loyalty to the brand is developed. Along with replenishing stock, I also analyse sales, and look at past and present figures in order to make the appropriate floor moves to drive sales and raise brand awareness. I am responsible for driving sales through the training and development of each employee, and assist in the creation of training material. Achievements: One of twelve, out of one hundred applicants to secure a place on the ‘Step into Management’ scheme. Top sales Assistant in 2009 and 2010. Consistently exceed weekly targets.