Phil Ganbarg
St Petersburg,FL
Summary
Accomplished merchandising and operations professional exceling in identifying and managing suppliers, products, negotiating contracts, establishing pricing and terms, and creating strategies to meet changing business requirements. Proven track record of collaboration with cross-functional departments to streamline operations and achieve business success by building and mentoring teams into a high-caliber workforce through clear communication in fast-paced entrepreneurial environments.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President of Corporate Sales & Operations
Strax
09.2023 - 03.2024
- Led a team creating a B2B sales strategy for a consumer goods organization, developed innovative pricing model to standardize and improve profit margin, and drove to forecast of $5M prior to the company being acquired and eliminating my position
- Designed new forecast tracking and sales tools for improved item level visibility and performance metric tracking
- Worked closely with executive leadership team to provide analysis of customer data to support sales and fulfillment strategies
- Coordinated with overseas supply chain and manufacturing to optimize delivery of products to align with customer forecasts and orders
- Incorporated continuous process improvement policies to streamline operations
- Create sales strategy and alignment for B2B focus within a consumer goods sales organization driving to $5M budget in fiscal year
- Led cross-departmental collaboration with field, finance, and operations teams to align strategy to support sales and profit targets
- Work collaboratively with effective communication skills throughout the organization to align on vision and ensure compliance with appropriate corporate policies
- Integrate change management practices into sourcing policy creation to adjust with changing business needs.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Assisted with day-to-day operations, working efficiently and productively with all team members.
- Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
- Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions.
Vice President of Merchandising
Victra
01.2020 - 06.2023
- Led a team executing product portfolio selection, developing strategic sourcing plans, managing P&L, vendor management and negotiating purchase prices with manufacturers
- This included sourcing $3B+ annually in goods and services
- Spearheaded formulation and execution of comprehensive and optimized merchandising and sales strategy for 1500+ retail outlets and ecommerce site
- Collaborated with procurement team to ensure products were forecasted and purchased to align with business strategies, sales targets, and program commitments
- Implemented an expedited RFP and product validation and award timeframe, accelerating savings realization by 6%
- Actively stayed on top of market trend analysis to ensure best products at best prices were being purchased while enhancing product roadmap in store and thru ecommerce
- Managed P&L collaboratively with finance team to ensure profit was forecasted properly and targets were achieved
- Key contributor to product Go-To-Market planning, collaborating cross-functionally with stakeholders to build activities to support new products in stores
- Managed procurement spend effectively to optimize the organization's free cash flow, facilitating strategic acquisitions of competitors and enabling Private Equity debt buyback
- Leveraged data analytics, innovation, and communication skills to problem solve and implement best practices strategies and product recommendations
- Cross-functional collaboration with leaders throughout the organization to optimize their impact on the business, identify gaps and drive analytical support for efficiency
- Developed promotional strategies that increased sales of excess and obsolete inventory by 27%; resulting in incremental positive sales of just over $3.2M annually
- Facilitated end to end lifecycle management gaining financial support for up to 35% of costs for mitigation of excess and obsolescence inventory
- Strategic planning collaboration and relationship management to execute on sales initiatives
- Leverage strong financial, quantitative, and analytical skills to identify opportunities to meet targets
- Built strategic partnerships with key brands to support alignment of goals while driving profit increases of 8%
- Developed and implemented vendor funded programs that generated more than 6% annual increase in funding, contributing an incremental $84M annually to the bottom line
- Drive profitability and sales thru pricing, promotions, merchandising and product portfolio strategies which resulted in YoY sales increase of 14%
- Championed the recruitment and development of a proficient team to fulfill departmental requirements, augmenting leadership headcount by 50%
- Facilitated the promotion of 25% of direct reports into leadership roles within the team or elsewhere in the organization
- Continually advanced team member development thru 1-on-1's to deliver superior customer service to internal clients.
- Streamlined inventory management processes for improved efficiency and reduced waste.
- Spearheaded successful product launches, resulting in increased revenue and market share expansion.
- Oversaw category management efforts, optimizing assortments based on consumer demand patterns and regional preferences.
- Championed customer-centric approach, aligning merchandising strategies with shopper insights for maximum impact.
Sr. Director of Merchandising
Victra
04.2018 - 01.2020
- Led team that sourced $1B+ annually in goods and services, oversaw product portfolio that was sold in stores, and negotiated with manufacturers and distributors for pricing and financial incentives
- Collaborated with procurement to ensure information was communicated on product ranging and sales forecasts to ensure product would be in stores to support demand
- Oversaw visual merchandising store, fixture placement and design, store layout, and execution of visual representation in store
- Managed product launches, planogram, product portfolio, accessory and device decisions, product cost negotiations, and setting sales prices for products in stores
- Collaborated with external distributors and vendors to ensure they had appropriate inventory levels to support demand
- Developed a merchant function and strategy that developed key product growth and a YoY sales increase of 14%
- Built strategic partnerships with key brands to support alignment of goals while driving profit increases of 8%
- Developed and implemented vendor funded programs that generated more than 6% annual increase in funding, contributing an incremental $75M annually to the bottom line.
- Optimized project timelines by effectively delegating tasks and prioritizing workload among team members.
- Cultivated a culture of innovation by promoting creative thinking and encouraging employees to take calculated risks in pursuit of solutions.
- Developed strong relationships with key industry partners, fostering collaboration and mutual growth opportunities.
- Directed design and execution of business transformation initiatives to drive performance, profit optimization and growth opportunities.
- Fostered work culture of collaboration and inclusion to increase morale and reduce turnover.
Director of Procurement
Victra
02.2017 - 04.2018
- Led team that sourced $1B+ annually in goods and services, oversaw product portfolio that was sold in stores, and negotiated with manufacturers and distributors for pricing and financial incentives
- Designed and implemented streamlined purchasing protocols, slashing procurement timelines by 40% on a weekly basis; not only creating efficiencies, but also resulted in a 20% reduction in headcount
- Utilize data analytics to manage to 95% instock rate across 450+ sku’s in 1500+ locations
- Developed and implemented vendor funded programs that generated more than 6% annual increase in funding, contributing an incremental $55M annually to the bottom line.
- Managed competitive bidding processes for high-value contracts using a structured approach to ensure transparency, fairness, and compliance with procurement policies.
- Managed cross-functional teams to ensure timely delivery of products and services in line with project timelines.
- Optimized inventory levels by analyzing demand patterns, reducing stockouts, and minimizing carrying costs.
- Developed annual budgets for the procurement department based on historical spend data, forecasting future needs, and aligning resources accordingly.
Managing Director
360 Group
09.2014 - 02.2017
- Built and executed programs and group purchasing activities for 4 of Verizon’s largest indirect agents before being recruited to work directly for Victra in procurement and merchandising
- Worked with handset OEMs, handset and accessory distributors on product availability, quarterly programs and improving KPIs
- Built reporting tools for tracking programs, sales, profitability, and deal modelling
- Performed market analysis to identify new product offerings and sales forecasts
- Developed and implemented vendor funded programs that generated more than 6% annual increase in funding, contributing an incremental $100M+ annually to the bottom line.
- Oversaw operations and provided corrective feedback to achieve daily and long-term goals.
- Strengthened client relationships with regular communication, timely project delivery, and high-quality services.
- Increased overall company performance by implementing strategic management initiatives and streamlining operations.
- Developed comprehensive business plans, outlining long-term goals and actionable steps toward success.
- Oversaw complex negotiations with suppliers/vendors for favorable contract terms that led to cost savings.
- Delivered consistent revenue growth by identifying new business opportunities and expanding service offerings.
Education
BS - Sociology
Illinois State University
Normal, ILSkills
- Merchandising
- Operations
- Analytics
- Sourcing
- Retail Franchise
- Data Analytics
- Inventory Management
- Procurement
- Sales Operations
- Collaborative
- Supply Chain
- Vendor Management
- Continuous Improvement
Team Leadership
Relationship Building
Decision-Making
Critical Thinking
Coaching and Mentoring
Complex Problem-Solving
Strategic Planning
Operations Management
Process Improvement
Contract Negotiation
Industry Best Practices
Program Management
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Timeline
Vice President of Corporate Sales & Operations
Strax
09.2023 - 03.2024
Vice President of Merchandising
Victra
01.2020 - 06.2023
Sr. Director of Merchandising
Victra
04.2018 - 01.2020
Director of Procurement
Victra
02.2017 - 04.2018
Managing Director
360 Group
09.2014 - 02.2017
BS - Sociology
Illinois State University