Gulustan Giulia Naghiyeva
Ridgefield,NJ
Summary
Dynamic retail and brand manager with a robust background in online and offline retail management, category development, and brand strategy. Proven success in driving sales growth, optimizing retail operations, and leading multi-channel projects that integrate stores and e-commerce platforms. Expertise in merchandising, marketing, and marketplace management, complemented by strong skills in retail analytics, supplier coordination, and team leadership. Passionate about applying effective retail and marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement, boost profitability, and strengthen brand value.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Brand Manager
ITALDIZAIN LLC
07.2024 - 09.2025
- Develop and implement the brand growth strategy (media, digital, VM, CRM, events, trade marketing, etc.).
- Plan and manage the brand budget for purchasing, sales, and inventory.
- Conduct market and competitor analysis to identify new opportunities.
- Oversee retail store openings, category analysis, and brand placement.
- Optimize pricing strategy and profitability.
- Develop an assortment matrix and plan orders for novelties and core products.
- Monitor stock levels and manage slow-moving inventory with the Supply Chain team.
- Handle consignment and buy-back agreements.
- Maintain regular communication with brand headquarters.
- Align marketing, media, and commercial strategies with brand partners.
- Oversee contract negotiations, payments, and supplier relationships.
- Organize brand representative visits and attend industry exhibitions.
- Develop and execute the brand marketing plan (media, digital, social media, events, PR).
- Maintain a marketing and media calendar.
- Organize trade marketing activities and in-store merchandising.
- Conduct brand and product training for the retail team.
- Prepare monthly sales and marketing reports.
- Generate event, project, and trade marketing reports.
- Develop business reviews and plans for new retail brands.
Project Manager
Sophie Couture
01.2024 - 06.2024
- Built and nurtured professional relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Delivered on projects' key objectives with agreed budgets, timelines, and standards.
- Used project management tools and techniques for positive, successful outcomes.
- Identified and managed budget, timescale, and scope changes, recommending actions and improvements to meet project goals.
- Notified the finance and billing teams of milestone completions to support accurate and timely client invoices.
- Led technical delivery teams to deliver high-quality solutions within agreed timescales.
- Evaluated client requirements, built a strategy to manage and achieve milestones, and quality KPIs.
- Led cross-functional teams in project completion, offering continuous guidance to proactively mitigate delays.
- Led meetings with both the client and internal teams to facilitate and drive project completion and provide status updates.
- Implemented and maintained systems for successful planning and project management.
- Monitored progress of each project to ensure timely delivery of deliverables in accordance with established quality standards.
- Led cross-functional teams to execute project plans, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality outcomes.
Senior Category Manager
Competo LLC
03.2021 - 12.2023
- Setting monthly Trade marketing plan.
- Working with stocks and conducting sales.
- Analyzing sales, receipts, product availability, brand liquidity.
- Managing Catalog, Inventory & order processing.
- Identification of ABC categories.
- Preparation of monthly sales forecast, considering seasonal factor.
- Determination of flow model for categories.
- Regular control of stock for timely calculation of additional order for missing items (out of stock) or to change sales forecast (over stock).
- Organization of goods movements to maintain stock balance.
- Formation of orders in accordance with schedule.
- Identification of products with weak selling speed. Definition of dead categories.
- Communication with other departments of the Supply Chain to assist in arisen difficulties in processes or to communicate information about changes in previous orders.
- Creation of necessary reports for Inventory Manager for effective stock management.
- Used company insight platform to provide category updates and identify new product listing opportunities.
Operations Project Manager
Competo LLC
07.2020 - 03.2021
- Planned revenue generation strategies designed for growth.
- Handled negotiations with outside vendors and service agencies to meet group needs.
- Established clear budgets and cost controls strategies to meet objectives.
- Track and control vacation dates of international team.
- Collecting daily data and analytics of declined orders by merchants in marketplace project and reporting to project lead.
- Coordinate with HR to ensure that recruitment plans are tailored to the needs of the project.
- Collecting and documenting requested information and reporting to management.
- Providing operational support to team members.
- Assist in development or updating of command files for operational activities.
- Monitoring effectiveness of use of resources aimed at project implementation.
Assistant Finance Manager
Competo LLC
10.2019 - 06.2021
- Assist in the preparation of monthly financial statements.
- Obtain financial information on monthly expenses for budgeting.
- Monitor financial transactions within the company to ensure that there are no discrepancies in reports.
- Control expenditures to implement agreed budget controls.
- Conduct daily calculations to prepare analyses and reports at the request of the financial manager.
- Contract verification.
- Collect and enter information for various financial schedules.
- Cost accounting.
- Verification of financial documents included in payment.
- Follow the company’s financial policies and regulations.
Executive Support Assistant
Competo LLC
08.2018 - 10.2019
- Met deadlines by managing workload independently.
- Reconciled all company accounts, including credit cards and expenses.
- Supported preparation for annual audit process.
- Prepared Excel spreadsheets to track banking transactions and financial performance.
- Verified items billed against items received, following up with vendors to reconcile variances.
- Managed payroll by tracking employee hours and entitlements.
- Kept and updated digital and physical financial records.
- Managed office expenditure within expenditure budgetary limits.
- Recorded and filed cash transactions for financial statement development.
- Assisted in preparation of annual accounts and annual budgets.
- Processed expense requests for accountant to approve.
- Helped with preparation of management accounts and end-month duties.
- Handled incoming calls for staff, answering questions, directing calls and documenting messages.
- Produced clean, error-free professional business correspondence for office team.
- Supported staff with administrative needs for photocopying, faxing and filing.
- Kept adequate office supplies on hand to support staff and business requirements.
- Manage communication with employees by liaising with internal and external executives on various projects and tasks.
- Plan and orchestrate work to ensure that senior executives’ priorities are met, organizational goals are achieved, and best practices are upheld.
PR & External Affairs Manager
Baku Nobel Heritage Fund (BNHF)
09.2016 - 06.2017
- Own delivery of External Communications Strategy
- Lead day-to-day media management.
- Promote memberships output through multi-channel plans.
- Support delivery of memberships publications
- Liaise with other departments in membership on matters relevant to the media.
- Keep up to date with latest trends and developments of Communications channels.
- Leverage existing media relationships and cultivate new contacts within media industry.
- Manage media inquiries and interview requests.
- Create content for press releases, byline articles and keynote presentations.
- Monitor, analyze and communicate PR results on quarterly basis.
- Evaluate opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships, and advertising on-going basis.
- Coordinate all public relations activities etc.
Leading Specialist of Accounting Department
OJSC Bank VTB
11.2013 - 08.2016
- Reflect all costs of banking program.
- Maintaining Cash Records.
- Preparation of business trip certificate and considering costs involved in banking program.
- Preparation of internal financial reporting.
- Experienced in keeping records of daily financial transactions and analyzing financial aspects of organization.
- Innovator with creative skills and experiences to improve overall business processes using automated accounting systems for data input and obtain reports.
- Responsible for maintaining accounting ledgers and performed account reconciliation.
- Maintaining status of funds.
- Performing account analysis and account research
- Processing accounting transactions.
Faculty Department Assist
Azerbaijan State Economic University
10.2010 - 02.2013
- Deputy Dean Assistant and Tutor of Special talents Group.
- Assist Associate Dean in department operations and in other operational tasks to oversee the academic program and ensure quality faculty and student support services.
- Supervises and coordinates various department activities.
- Assist students seeking various types of referral source for studying.
- Attend University councils, committees, work groups, and other bodies.
Editor Assistant and Accountant
Translation Center at the Azerbaijan State Economic University
02.2009 - 10.2010
- Part-time Job experience
- Translating and editing materials from required books
Education
Master of Science - International Economic Relations
Azerbaijan State University of Economics
Baku02.2013
Bachelor of Science - International Economic Relations
Azerbaijan State University of Economics
Baku, Azerbaijan06.2010
Skills
- Category Strategy Development
- Sales data analysis
- Growth-Oriented Business Development
- Retail Promotion Strategies
- Competitive and trend analysis
- Market and competitive analysis
- Effective Communication Skills
- Brand-building strategies
- Marketing campaign management
- Account management
- Sales goal attainment
- Merchandising understanding
- Marketing expertise
- Social media strategy
Certification
Retail
- Certificate of completion Category Management on Udemy, Management study guide (May 2022)
Finance
- Financial Accounting and 1C Accounting Software
- Finance and Banking Seminar, Charles University in Prague (February 2012)
Leadership skills
- Masterclass on Leadership in the 21st century, Dale Carnegie Training Center (December 2011)
- International Science Festival at Eastern Mediterranean University.
- North Cyprus (April 2012)
- Azerbaijan Counterpart Union Confederation Honor Decree, The Best Worker. (September 2011)
Language
- General English: Studio Cambridge school. Cambridge, England (August 2005)
- IELTS 7.0 (May 2012)
Languages
English
Full Professional
Russian
Native or Bilingual
Turkish
Full Professional
Azerbaijan
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Brand Manager
ITALDIZAIN LLC
07.2024 - 09.2025
Project Manager
Sophie Couture
01.2024 - 06.2024
Senior Category Manager
Competo LLC
03.2021 - 12.2023
Operations Project Manager
Competo LLC
07.2020 - 03.2021
Assistant Finance Manager
Competo LLC
10.2019 - 06.2021
Executive Support Assistant
Competo LLC
08.2018 - 10.2019
PR & External Affairs Manager
Baku Nobel Heritage Fund (BNHF)
09.2016 - 06.2017
Leading Specialist of Accounting Department
OJSC Bank VTB
11.2013 - 08.2016
Faculty Department Assist
Azerbaijan State Economic University
10.2010 - 02.2013
Editor Assistant and Accountant
Translation Center at the Azerbaijan State Economic University
02.2009 - 10.2010
Bachelor of Science - International Economic Relations
Azerbaijan State University of Economics
Master of Science - International Economic Relations
Azerbaijan State University of Economics