Jennifer Haller
Wadsworth,OH
Summary
Dynamic Product Development, Sourcing & Merchandising Director with a proven track record, driving innovation and strategic planning. Expert in global supplier management and cost engineering, achieving significant gross margin improvements. Adept at cross-functional leadership, fostering collaboration to elevate product quality and align assortments with market trends.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Product Development & Merchandising Director
Americanflat
Wadsworth, USA
04.2025 - 01.2026
- Led product ideation to execution, including opportunity research, concept development and presentation, and translating approved ideas into brand-aligned assortments for Amazon, Marketplace and DTC
- Develop and present product concept decks demonstrating product viability to internal stakeholders and CEO for review and approval
- Present new product concepts to sales team to gather feedback and secure cross-functional buy-in before presentations to Amazon a Marketplace
- Collaborate directly with vendors to refine product design, specifications, and execution
- Partner with Sourcing to support factory communication and maintain strong vendor relationships
- Review and negotiate vendor quotes, samples, and pricing to ensure optimal quality, cost, and margin targets
- Managed and maintained Open-to-Buy documents, ensuring accurate data for strategic assortment planning and purchasing decisions
- Lead and mentor the Product Development and Merchandising teams through market analysis, concept refinement, and business decision-making
- Guide the merchandising team on building line plans and design briefs aligned with brand and market needs
- Coach team members on data analysis, providing insights and requesting additional data to support leadership meetings
- Create and manage end-to-end product development timelines from concept through shipment
- Establish and refine cross-functional processes to ensure key milestones and deadlines are met
- Create and update SOPs to improve efficiency and scalability among the team
Global Sourcing & Product Development Director
Jo-Ann Stores
Hudson, USA
01.2022 - 04.2025
- Direct sewing division’s sourcing and product development team to build fabric assortments for $435M business
- Serve as primary advocate for direct sourcing/private brand and drive execution in adherence with the product development + sourcing timelines for $435M business
- Lead team of 22 designers and sourcing associates in product lifecycle, development and negotiations for basic and seasonal businesses ensuring balance in assortments
- Drive development of product to meet and exceed the defined target margin requirements, achieve design intent and maintain or improve quality standards
- Lead all cost negotiations to achieve defined savings plans and import targets
- Negotiate import terms in accordance with banking and logistics guidelines
- Coach and direct overseas office and agents to develop vendor sourcing strategies and ensure vendor performance for core suppliers in China, Korea, Taiwan, India, Turkey, Pakistan, Columbia, and Italy
- Supports trend analyst and provides guidance based on awareness of current/future direct and non-direct market. Translate macro trends to current and relevant product ideas by attending trade shows, factory visits, trend data and vendor presentations
- Develop category level product sourcing strategy by utilizing trends and knowledge of competitive landscape to identify gaps in the current sourcing strategy
- Collaborates with key stakeholders to define product strategies for categories within fabric divisions. Closely monitors all analytics and perform quantitative analysis that will help guide product suggestions, country diversification & factory matrix that supports company ESG and logistics strategies
- Drive design team to communicate ideas visually, develop artwork, and elevate products for existing and new assortments. Identify new materials and processes that can transform into new product concepts or improvements to existing product
- Vet and integrate new tools for the design team to maximize efficiency and department growth and positive impact
- Leader of Brand Initiative projects across all company divisions and serves as ambassador to licensor creating process touch points
Product Development Manager, Seasonal Craft Divisions
Jo-Ann Stores
Hudson, USA
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Lead all trend and product development in seasonal division to drive new assortments for $335M business
- Drive innovation and elevate product qualities to promote brand awareness
- Create, implement and drive timelines and process to ensure deliverables are met
- Process development and implementation to maximize efficiencies in seasonal division specific per shop needs in floral, seasonal décor, and home décor
- Created never done before product selection for product sourcing and development during Covid; pivoted to ensure success since travel was prohibited
- Cross functional leader and business driver within CMT to achieve key milestones
- Manage team of 4 designers and 3 product managers from ideation to curation
- Coach and develop agents and vendors in China and India to support shop strategies and margin goals
Senior Sourcing Specialist
Jo-Ann Stores
Hudson, USA
01.2010 - 01.2019
- Manage multi-million dollar bids to drive margin through sourcing with both import and domestic suppliers for $367M business
- Vendor matrix evaluation of performance, factory production capacity, quality, cost, shipping and partnership
- Generate strategic YOY reporting based on receipt and sales per vendor
- Establish future targets and growth plans per vendor to leverage margin
- Global sourcing to identify best resources meeting merchant strategic directives and new product development with suppliers in China, Korea, Taiwan and India
- Seasonal international travel to develop/maintain vendor relationships, implement new sourcing strategies and negotiate raw materials
- Collaboration with internal QA compliance, merchant, planning, replenishment and logistics teams managing product life cycle and timelines
- Leader to identify and resolve supplier performance or product issues
Senior Assistant Buyer
Tween Brands
New Albany, USA
01.2006 - 01.2010
- Managed product life cycle though weekly sales reporting and line presentation.
- Identified opportunities to increase sales, improve margin, hold effective inventory levels, and decrease markdowns
- Cross functional and merchandising lead for design, technical design, planning and allocation, visual merchandising and marketing departments
- Prepared SWOT analysis and monthly recap to identify opportunities for in season business and future season line planning
- Created and implemented sell off sheets that were rolled out to all merchant departments to streamline process
- Translate trends for our girl from Fashion Concept Overview at the beginning of the season from European and domestic trends
- Collaborate with Design on vendor resource, calendar and costing strategies to facilitate production planning: communicate daily with all business partners internally and externally
- Negotiated with domestic and international resources
- Prepared department’s Hindsight, Touch Base, and MPC
Senior Assistant Buyer
Jo-Ann Stores
Hudson, USA
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Development and implementation of business plan and initiatives with cross functional teams to promote sales growth of home decor business.
- Management of assortment by executing timely decisions based on past and current sales performance, shipping, and inventory issues
- Serve as primary contact for both our import and domestic vendor base as well as facilitate pricing negotiations and product development
- Facilitate Marketing efforts from event sales forecasting to providing samples and inspiration for ad layout design
Assortment Planner
Jo-Ann Stores
Hudson, USA
01.2002 - 01.2004
- Performed assortment evaluation and recommendations to the business based on sku level, vendor, and price point assignments.
- Utilized ladder plan reporting to track sales and made assortment revision recommendations to the team based on predetermined metrics
- Creation of buy plans weekly while dually providing summaries to project upcoming sales and gross margin goals in constant coordination with the merchant team
- Developed ladder plan reports used by merchant teams to track weekly progress of fashion and basic collections
Education
Bachelor of Science - Fashion Merchandising, Marketing
Kent State University
Kent, OHSkills
- Global supplier management
- Timeline management
- Financial acumen
- Innovation strategies
- Strategic planning
- Cross-functional leadership
- Financial accountability
- Sourcing and supplier optimization
- Negotiation expertise
- Productivity enhancement strategies
- Communication skills
- Problem solving
Honors And Affiliations
- Emerging Leaders Board, Akron Children’s Hospital, 2017 - 2020
- Women in Leadership, Jo-Ann Stores
Timeline
Product Development & Merchandising Director
Americanflat
04.2025 - 01.2026
Global Sourcing & Product Development Director
Jo-Ann Stores
01.2022 - 04.2025
Product Development Manager, Seasonal Craft Divisions
Jo-Ann Stores
01.2019 - 01.2022
Senior Sourcing Specialist
Jo-Ann Stores
01.2010 - 01.2019
Senior Assistant Buyer
Tween Brands
01.2006 - 01.2010
Senior Assistant Buyer
Jo-Ann Stores
01.2004 - 01.2006
Assortment Planner
Jo-Ann Stores
01.2002 - 01.2004
Bachelor of Science - Fashion Merchandising, Marketing
Kent State University