Lauren B. Edwards
Summary
Strategic leader with proven track record in driving organizational success and fostering team collaboration. Adept at developing and implementing high-impact strategies, ensuring operational excellence, and adapting to dynamic business environments. Strong communicator with expertise in project management, financial oversight, and stakeholder engagement, consistently delivering measurable results.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
Work History
Category Merchant-Can Liners & Waste Containment & Hardlines
HD Supply/The Home Depot Pro (Formerly Interline Brands)
08.2016 - Current
- Manage product assortment planning, category sales, growth and profitability (delivered 31% sku reduction and 28% vendor rationalization)
- Responsible for communicating category strategy to cross functional partners (Sales, Marketing, IPR, CM & E-Commerce)
- Direct assortment planning activities, including supplier and product sourcing, product launches, product line reviews and product life cycle management
- Manage all aspects of the supplier relationship: negotiating costs, business terms and backend programs
- Grow category profitability through cost out, stabilized costing strategy, and improved supplier rebate programs (drove $45M in consolidated margin + $3.4M or +8.1% over plan and $1.2M in freight expense offset in 2019)
- Collaborate with strategic suppliers on promotional and sales driving activities
- Coordinate with E-Commerce and Marketing on digital and email campaigns
- Evaluate competitive environment to address assortment gaps, make pricing decisions, and determine risks and growth opportunities
Associate Category Merchant – Shipping, Moving & Storage
Interline Brands
11.2015 - 07.2016
- Conduct rapid business review resulting in sku rationalization and cost out
- Manage supplier relationships: negotiate improved costs and supplier rebate agreements
- Work collaboratively with cross functional teams to eliminate trapped/dead inventory
- Collaborate with E-Commerce team to resolve taxonomy discrepancies and improve customer web experience
Assistant Buyer – Boutique: Private Label Better Sportswear and Cashmere
Stein Mart
11.2011 - 11.2015
- Assist buyer in the selection of merchandise and product development of Stein Mart's Island Republic”, “Peck & Peck” and “Andre Oliver Cashmere” private label brands, and support overall business sales, margin, and turnover objectives
- Attend FIT appointments to ensure proper quality, fit and construction issues of garments
- Identify and report to buying team market trends from trade journals, magazines, and shopping competition
- Analyze sales performance and make recommendations to maximize sales
- Manage and project markdowns
- Generate, maintain, and follow through on all purchase orders
- Create recaps and reports as needed
- Monitor on–order and manage weekly receipt flow into the distribution center
- Build positive & sustainable relationships with the vendor community
- Resolve vendor shipping/delivery issues and negotiate with vendors for discounts regarding unmet delivery obligations
- Create advertising prep sheets, obtain samples, attend advertising turn–ins and proof ads
- Ensure timely delivery of advertised product and communicate issues to the merchant team to ensure “no lost sales”
- Request and manage samples for fittings, advertising, and meetings
- Present monthly deliveries of merchandise at monthly style-out meetings to top management
- Create boards revealing monthly color flow for key item categories for top management strategy meetings
- Prepare best and worst selling recap after each season end for management
- Train and mentor new Merchandising Assistants and Merchandising Coordinators to run reports, company programs, and communicate appropriately with vendors and internal employees
- Create detailed guidelines about buying team in order to make the transition easier for new associates
- Create monthly floor layouts of product for the stores to facilitate visual merchandising needs
- Visit stores regularly in order to ensure product is merchandised cohesively
- Anchor the office when the Buyer is traveling
Temporary Employment
Stein Mart
01.2011 - 11.2011
- Clerical Assistant for Petites, Women's, Intimate Apparel and Boutique departments
- Manage the order log by maintaining SKU's, SKU Groups, styles and purchase orders
- Prepare department schematics and floor plans for new stores
- Update receipts for posting book
- Organize sample closet
Executive Floor Assistant
Stein Mart
- Assist executives with power point presentations, excel spreadsheets, organized and filed documents, put together binders for new store visits for executives, order supplies for the company and put together a company wide “fab find” list
Showroom Internship
David Meister, Designer
06.2010 - 08.2010
- Assist sales team in the day-to-day sales functions
- Organize model casting calls including photographing and presenting models to sales team
- Update and maintain press book for showroom
- Produced look books to send to buyers
- Write purchase orders for Account Executives
- Manage sample out book
- Assemble show trunks for regional trade shows
- Maintain showroom and PR closets
- Work with stylists to pull samples for magazines and publications
- Research information on Richter (shipping updates, style availability, etc.)
- Stock sales floor for major retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's and make sure all sizes are on the floor in the proper location
Education
Bachelor of Science - Fashion Merchandising
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA05.2010
Skills
- Core Competencies: Supplier Management, Competitive Analysis, Inventory Control, Advanced Negotiation Skills, Pricing Strategies, Product Sourcing & Cross Functional Collaboration
- Computer Skills: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power Point, ORACLE Systems (purchase order creation)
Affiliations
- THD Pro VOA Committee, Member 2018-2019
- American Marketing Association, Member, Fall, 2009 - Present
- Georgia Southern University, Leadership Boot Camp, Fall 2009
Timeline
Category Merchant-Can Liners & Waste Containment & Hardlines
HD Supply/The Home Depot Pro (Formerly Interline Brands)
08.2016 - Current
Associate Category Merchant – Shipping, Moving & Storage
Interline Brands
11.2015 - 07.2016
Assistant Buyer – Boutique: Private Label Better Sportswear and Cashmere
Stein Mart
11.2011 - 11.2015
Temporary Employment
Stein Mart
01.2011 - 11.2011
Showroom Internship
David Meister, Designer
06.2010 - 08.2010
Executive Floor Assistant
Stein Mart
Bachelor of Science - Fashion Merchandising
Georgia Southern University
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