CRISTINA AINSLIE ZINGALE
Summary
Enthusiastic Design Director known for managing project workflows, building relationships and developing actionable suggestions to improve departmental processes. Highly energetic professional with over 35 years of experience in assessing projects to align with corporate objectives.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Design Director, US
STAPLES CONTRACT FURNITURE
11.2019 - 11.2021
- Passionate Design Leader with laser focus on providing best in class design to corporate clients
- Managed team of 4 Regional Design Directors and 75 Designers across the US focusing on over 5,462 new projects for a total of over $256M revenue in 2021
- Responsible for Design P/L with sharp focus on revenue growth of 250%, contribution margin of 13% and error reduction of <.05%
- Continuous YOY growth in new design requests up 175%
- Continuous YOY growth in average order size for Standard $19,500 and Advanced projects $176,000
- Supported the rollout of CET for all designers, including contractors and 3rd party
- Instituted a "Design Council" for designer and sellers to come together to create new design and sales tools
- Instituted a "Design Advocacy" team to hear and learn what's most relevant to Staples design team, created actionable steps per team meetings
- Continuous teaming with sales, marketing and design leaders to ensure proper project scopes are created and executed
- Ensure cross functional teams - order management specialist, project managers and operations are communicating and solving issues as required.
- Increased design team efficiency by implementing streamlined workflows and enhanced cross-functional collaboration.
- Delivered high-quality designs for major clients, leading to increased brand recognition and repeat business.
- Improved company's overall design aesthetic by conducting regular trainings on latest design trends and techniques.
- Mentored junior designers, fostering growth in technical skills and creative problem-solving abilities.
- Collaborated with marketing teams to create visually impactful campaigns that drove customer engagement and sales growth.
- Developed comprehensive brand guidelines, resulting in a consistent visual identity across all platforms.
- Established effective communication channels between design team members, streamlining project updates and progress tracking.
- Introduced new software tools to the design team, increasing productivity and enhancing final deliverables'' quality.
- Evaluated vendor relationships for cost-effectiveness, negotiating contracts that saved company resources while maintaining high-quality output.
- Implemented user feedback into product designs, creating more intuitive interfaces that led to higher user satisfaction rates.
- Conducted thorough competitor analysis to ensure company's designs remained innovative and ahead of industry trends.
- Optimized internal processes by identifying inefficiencies in current workflows, leading to improved project timelines and resource allocation.
- Leveraged data-driven insights when crafting designs for targeted audience segments, resulting in increased conversion rates.
- Championed sustainable design practices throughout the organization, reducing environmental impact without compromising on aesthetic appeal.
- Oversaw successful rebranding campaign that revitalized company image, attracting new clientele while retaining existing customers.
- Instituted regular performance evaluations for design staff members ensuring continuous improvement in skillsets.
- Spearheaded collaboration between departments for cohesive product launches, ensuring seamless integration of design elements across all touchpoints.
- Cultivated a culture of innovation within the design team by encouraging experimentation and embracing new approaches to problem solving.
- Juggled multiple projects simultaneously, never losing strategic vision and always maintaining focus.
- Trained team, delegating tasks and offering insight to help meet tight deadlines.
- Implemented process improvements to increase team effectiveness and reduce repetitive tasks.
- Participated in construction planning and management phases, incorporating interior design requirements into floor plans and blueprints.
- Met with clients to walk through ideas and determine factors affecting planning interior design needs.
- Drafted capital and expense planning reports for design projects, incorporating prescribed budgetary limitations and timeframes.
- Created "Design as a Service" and rolled it out successfully and generated YOY revenue growth of over 190%
Engaged with design leaders to understand their teams and capabilities and identified cross training opportunities for all sales channels
Engaged design leaders to understand unique customer needs, not already addressed with current design model
Did top to bottom review of Top 10 customers design output, reviewed design criteria and output, provided feedback for growth and customer "first" experience
Track all new and revision design requests via SFDC dashboards, sent weekly metrics to all teams.
Regional Sales Director, North East
STAPLES
07.2012 - 11.2019
- Key performance indicators include: Responsible for team YOY growth in both project and transactional sales
- Development of fiscal business plans and budgets for furniture team resources
- Achievement of sales through margin and gross profit goals and exceeding annual goals YOY
- Work cross functionally with other lines of business to integrate whole space solutions – Technology, Facilities and Print
- Design implementation leader on large scale projects
- LEED Consulting for key clients
- Resource allocation and modification depending on scope of project and services needed – design, project management, operations
- Strong relationships with preferred vendor partners
- Responsible for recruiting, training and developing sales team to become highly competent and productive sales leaders
- Analysis of projects to determine best practices, project success and sales attainment, thru strict vetting protocols
- Key partner in Staples Sustainability Team
- Liaison for Staples Brand Group, assistance in developing market tools for sales teams.
- Boosted regional sales by implementing targeted marketing strategies and fostering strong client relationships.
- Developed and executed sales plans for consistent growth in revenue and profitability.
- Expanded market share by identifying new business opportunities and cultivating partnerships with key stakeholders.
- Led a high-performing sales team, providing coaching and mentoring to achieve ambitious targets.
- Managed a diverse portfolio of accounts, ensuring optimal allocation of resources for maximum return on investment.
- Exceeded quarterly and annual sales goals consistently by closely monitoring team performance and adjusting strategies accordingly.
- Implemented effective training programs for new hires as well as ongoing professional development initiatives for existing staff members.
- Managed [Number] sales specialists and generated over $[Amount] sales annually.
- Guided and promoted [Number] new managers from within.
Founding Principal
CRZ CONSULTING, LLC
01.2007 - 07.2012
- Demonstrated entrepreneurial capability through establishment of enterprise with focus on business development, marketing, and sales for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) consulting and project management services
- Strategically planned and executed U.S
- Green Building Council LEED projects, acting as Owner’s Representative for attainment of LEED certification
- Responsible for overseeing project teams that included Architects, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, and Consultants, as well as clients who include Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Delta Dental, and K&L Gates
- Additional services included providing space plan design and furniture consulting
- Achieved LEED certification for 5 projects through project lifecycle management
- Met challenge to attain LEED certification for project at 90% completion at start of tenure
- Awarded LEED Gold for 12,000 square foot Teknion showroom, LEED Silver for 135,000 square foot Delta Dental office building, LEED Silver for 45,000 square foot K&L Gates project, and LEED Certified for 140,000 square foot Pacific Gas & Electric Company project.
Regional Manager
TEKNION, LLC
01.2005 - 01.2007
- Realized breakthrough sales volume with optimization of marketing processes, sales, and distribution channel, as well as regional sales team and client relationships in Northern California and Northern Nevada
- Sourced new 12,000 square foot showroom space, oversaw logistics for move to showroom while maintaining seamless operations, and managed LEED Gold awarded space
- Closed product sales to companies including Yahoo, IBM, YouTube, Cisco, Google, and Netflix
- Achieved regional sales volume of $19M, $23M, and $28.5M in respective years of 2005, 2006, and 2007 with annual profitability average of 23%
- Attained status as first Regional Manager to attain quota in first year of tenure
- Earned top honors for drive of regional sales team to rank of No
- 1 in U.S.
- Developed and executed successful business plans that resulted in improved market share and profitability within the region.
- Expanded regional presence by researching potential markets, developing strategic partnerships, and opening new locations.
- Collaborated with executive leadership to establish long-term objectives, drive growth initiatives, and align regional efforts with corporate goals.
- Improved talent recruitment processes by enhancing job descriptions, streamlining interview procedures, and partnering with local educational institutions for pipeline development.
District Manager
TEKNION, LLC
01.2003 - 01.2005
- Presented winning product solutions and negotiated contracts with major companies, created customized business plans for individual dealers, maximized performance of major account teams, and ensured delivery of annual quota as high as $20M
- Outperformed quota by 125%
- Re-engineered product distribution model, resulting in awards for dealers as Top 2 in U.S
- Received Gold Sales Award for 2 consecutive years.
Product Specialist
TEKNION, LLC
01.2002 - 01.2003
- Forged individual sales and marketing plans for 13 Western states under management, resulting in significant sales expansion throughout the region
- Designed customized product solutions, and integrated ancillary products into major global accounts to include Netflix, Cisco, Yahoo, PeopleSoft, and IBM
- Introduced new and existing ancillary products to regional sales team, clients, and distribution channel through creation of comprehensive sales and marketing plan, resulting in first-year sales increase of more than 300%.
Education
AA - Interior Design
Fashion Institute of Design And Merchandising
San Francisco, California05.1985
Skills
- Presentation Skills
- Environmental Design
- Public Speaking
- Effective Communication
- Workflow Management
- Design Leadership
- Team Direction
- Color Theory
- Strategic Thinking
- Visual Storytelling
- Team Supervision and Oversight
- Product Design
Affiliations
- Chair NYC Chapter of Project Color Corps
- USGBC
- Urban Green Council
- CoreNet, Corporate Real Estate Network
Accomplishments
Kimball Sales Excellence Award - Jamaica
Kimball Sales Excellence Award - Budapest
Kimball Sales Excellence Award - Hawaii (2 times)
Kimball Sales Excellence Award - Porto Rico
Teknion Sales Excellence Award - $10M Sales Club
Staples Sales Excellence Award - Cabo San Lucas
Staples Sales excellence Award - Cancun
Timeline
Senior Design Director, US
STAPLES CONTRACT FURNITURE
11.2019 - 11.2021
Regional Sales Director, North East
STAPLES
07.2012 - 11.2019
Founding Principal
CRZ CONSULTING, LLC
01.2007 - 07.2012
Regional Manager
TEKNION, LLC
01.2005 - 01.2007
District Manager
TEKNION, LLC
01.2003 - 01.2005
Product Specialist
TEKNION, LLC
01.2002 - 01.2003
AA - Interior Design
Fashion Institute of Design And Merchandising
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