DANA DEBONTA
Summary
Highly motivated and experienced project manager with a proven track record of successful project delivery. Accountable for managing large-scale projects, ensuring timely completion, and maintaining budget constraints. Demonstrated ability to lead and partner with diverse teams, effectively communicating with stakeholders at all levels. Committed to delivering high-quality results and consistently exceeding expectations.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
Work History
SR. MANAGER – MARKETING / CREATIVE OPERATIONS
IDEAL IMAGE
03.2023 - Current
- Support Marketing 360 campaigns and special projects across brands and offered services
- Serve as day-to-day contact for cross-functional teams to support and execute process and projects
- Liaise with Marketing, Creative, Finance, Field and Senior Management
- Own and support marketing initiatives from inception to completion, such as strategizing promotion scope, integrated marketing campaigns, and special projects
- Develop Marketing and Creative Brief content per project
- Manage and oversee multiple projects simultaneously across various requestors, timelines and stages of project lifecycle
- Develop comprehensive project and creative timelines to ensure accuracy of deliverables and fulfill scope of work
- Assign creative resources tasks and projects based on skills and availability
- Track project touchpoints to ensure all reviews, feedback and approvals are on schedule
- Ensure that all assets comply with brand guidelines, legal requirements and industry standards
- Work with legal and compliance teams to develop disclaimers, terms and conditions
- Support internal and agency teams with understanding and alignment of objectives and strategy, budget and agreed-upon scope
- Manage external print production, delivery and instructions
DIRECTOR – STORE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, VISUAL MERCHANDISING
THE VITAMIN SHOPPE
07.2018 - 02.2023
- Responsible to lead and execute the brand vision through Store Design, Construction Execution and Visual Merchandising
- Design/Build corporate/franchise stores, manage corporate remodels, and implement monthly Marketing brand collateral and promotional signage for 700+ locations
- Work with internal cross-functional peers and external vendors to ensure a superior brand-right customer experience through design and graphics
- Create and manage project-based budgets of $3m +/-
- Report to the EVP of Retail Sales, Operations & Services and manage/mentor 5 direct reports to help them identify and meet professional goals
- Guide delivery of best-in-class designs of store prototypes, fixture décor and fleet store layouts for company owned and domestic/international franchise retail locations
- Oversee the management of new retail store and special project construction and the demising of closing stores inclusive of budgets, timelines, GC contact, permits and compliance
- Provide strategic brand direction from concept to completion of in-store graphics for company and partners alike
- Ensure graphic standards are upheld and proper usage of brand guidelines are executed
- Worked with internal marketing leads to ensure creative development is consistent across all channels
DIRECTOR – VISUAL MERCHANDISING, DESIGN & PRODUCTION
TOYS “R” US
11.2006 - 09.2018
- Charged with the strategic brand vision, planning, and implementation from concept to completion for in-store visual graphics and displays (company and vendor-branded) for all chain, new and remodeled locations
- Worked cross-functionally with internal and external partners to ensure an exceptional in-store customer experience through feature shops, seasonal graphics, brand, marketing and product signage, and displays
- Created and managed $25M annual visual and vendor funded budget to support company initiatives
- Reported to the Global Vice President of Store Planning & Design; managed and mentored 18 direct reports across two teams: 11-person graphic design team and 7-person production and distribution team
- Developed brand-right graphics from concept to completion for in-store marketing programs for new business launches, brand strategies, and creative aesthetic of the environment
- Set and maintained graphic standards to create brand-right, consumer-focused presentations to support company initiatives in the US and distribute globally to ensure consistent execution in retail locations worldwide
- Fostered and operated relationships with internal category managers, marketing channels, external product manufacturers, external creative agencies and production/fabrication vendors to develop, produce, and roll out print, dimensional, and hardware including fixtures, displays, and branding elements
- Met project timelines by managing the workload of the team to maximize productivity, quality of work and finding efficiencies
- Met budgets using dependable vendors, quote processes, and shipping assessment
- Verified that project timelines were realistic and able to secure deliverable dates
Manager, Strategic Initiatives—Marketing Channel Services Department
SONY ELECTRONICS
02.1989 - 10.2006
- Promoted into this role with responsibility for both national accounts marketing and events
- Served as key liaison for retail specialists between national account teams (Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, and CompUSA) and consumer marketing departments (television, home audio and video, personal audio, and mobile electronics)
- Identified customer needs and monitored on-going effectiveness related to in-store merchandising, sales associate training, promotional activity, and assisted selling
- Directed 45+ person service team through clear communication, monthly action plans, account performance updates, marketing initiatives, and programs
- Compiled monthly activity reports for senior management, account teams, and marketing departments
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Business Administration
Berkeley College
WaldwickSkills
- Strategic planning
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Operations management
- Cross-functional team coordination
Technologies
Collaboration Tools: Teams, Zoom, Skype, Webex, Remote Communication
Software & Document Sharing: Wrike Project Management System, Monday.com Project Management System, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), OneDrive, WeTransfer, Dropbox, Smartsheet, FranConnect, Workfront.
Design: Adobe: Acrobat, Photoshop
Timeline
SR. MANAGER – MARKETING / CREATIVE OPERATIONS
IDEAL IMAGE
03.2023 - Current
DIRECTOR – STORE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, VISUAL MERCHANDISING
THE VITAMIN SHOPPE
07.2018 - 02.2023
DIRECTOR – VISUAL MERCHANDISING, DESIGN & PRODUCTION
TOYS “R” US
11.2006 - 09.2018
Manager, Strategic Initiatives—Marketing Channel Services Department
SONY ELECTRONICS
02.1989 - 10.2006
Associate of Applied Science - Business Administration
Berkeley College
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