SHAHEEN SHEIKH

BRAND: GAP (GAP Inc.)- US Retailer

DENIM Kids & Babies- Toddler Girls/Newborn (Infant Girls & Infant Boys)/Boys/Toddler Boys

Revenue/Financial Volume

• KB Female- Handled a business of $48M over 3 quarters with a volume of 1.2M units
• KB Male- Handled a business of $15M over 2 quarters with a volume of 325K units

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILTIES:

• Delivered Service Level Expectations for achieving Productivity and Quality

a. Ensured that the production timelines were met, enabling on-time launches and reducing delays across the product development cycle, which directly contributed to maintaining retailer relationships and avoiding missed market opportunities.

b. By equipping myself with systems, I made the processes faster and more accurate. The data processing, better tracking of critical milestones, and smoother communication across teams was achieved enhancing overall productivity and reducing time spent on administrative tasks.

c. Vendor Allocation- for complex styles, made sure that cross functional teams like PQA/WP Team are aligned before allocating styles to vendors.

d. Conducted On time Risk Assessment of 100% styles within tight deadlines ensuring that all styles met compliance standards for PSR through risk mitigation.

e. Managed seamless on-time PD/VD Handovers, ensuring clear communication and alignment on quality standards, timelines, and technical details.

f. Successfully led Collabs/Fast-Chase TNA/Wear test/ Seasonless Developments, working with brand, vendors, RM team, and production teams to develop and deliver new garment collections on time.

g. Till SP25, successfully lowered sourcing costs, which contributed to meeting seasonal AUC (Average Unit Cost) targets for GS/GO, helping the brand stay competitive while enhancing profit margins. Maintained strict cost controls for 5PKT business aligning to rate card for the RFP vendors. This helped ensuring that the brand adhered to budget guidelines while also maintaining supplier relationships, avoiding cost overruns, and ensuring product quality.

h. Till SP25, ensured that all product lines were competitively priced, while maintaining the quality of the final product. This partnership helped achieve more favorable supplier terms and strengthened the overall cost management process.

i. From SU25 onwards, I was transferred to another (TG/NB) category allowing me to widen my horizon, not to be limited within one category & having broader knowledge & learning.

j. From SU25, introduction of PCT happened. Supporting PCT in all the ways possible for 100% Apparel & Elevated Fashion Bottoms.

• Supporting Responsive (RR/MB/VMI/Chase) on best possible triggers

a. By maintaining a strong focus on responsive operations, I ensured maintaining the 60% business on responsive due to which we were able to quickly react to market demands, which led to higher customer satisfaction and a more dynamic business model. My efforts in exploring new opportunities contributed to further business growth.

b. The consistent achievement of a ≥95% on-time delivery rate ensured that we could meet retail and market deadlines without compromising product quality, helping maintain strong relationships with retail partners and ensuring the brand’s credibility in the market.

c. Reduced lead times and accelerated product launches, improving time-to-market for key collections. This enhanced the company’s ability to respond to emerging trends quickly and gave us a competitive edge in a fast-moving market.

• Collaborated with Candor

a. Enrolled myself to be as one of the APAC Cultural Champions from KB Denim Team. Successfully executed Movie event & actively participated in the Plantation Drive.
And the rest of the events- Health day, Splash day, Diwali event, Holi event, Potluck event. This helped in increasing the engagement other colleagues, apart from work.

b. Conducted Walkthrough every season to review sample garments with LT, displaying that the garment execution/fabric/trims/styling elevations is aligned with the tech pack specifications and quality standards before production.

c. Presented Challenges, Key Learnings, Customer Feedback from the execution of HO24 Duffle Paddington Jacket in Toddler Boys Category before LT & other CFT in GAP Q4 Townhall.

BRAND: JAJU (Shinsegae International)- South Korea Retailer

Menswear/Ladieswear/Kidswear/Woven- Loungewear, Outerwear & Accessories

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILTIES:

• Liaising between buyer and production facilities for pricing, bringing in new styles & executing production of fixed styles. Developing and maintaining effective communication strategies to deliver necessary details to the buyer & educate the buyer. Answering customer questions regarding costings & production of their styles.
• Working closely with management in observing and actively monitoring processes. Collecting data, monitoring orders' status and finalizing reports before reporting to management. Planning and participating in conference calls and meetings with planning and management departments.
• Working on Costings- negotiating Fabric Prices with Fabric Team, Trims Prices with Trims Suppliers, Cut-Make Cost. Accomplishing Costings with multiple Vendors, Providing Cost Break Down to buyer, meeting Buyer's Targets as close as possible.
• Closing Fabric & Garment TNAs with the Buyer, Fabric Team, Production Team & Factories, & adhere same during the entire Supply Chain.
• Monitoring Fabric Qualities for New Developments & Quality Closures for On-order Styles closely. Providing more insights/comments/solutions/alternatives in the Fabric working.
• Visiting Production Units to guide the Factory's Merchandising Team on buyer's SOPs, R&D on new Styling/Fabric/Trims, Inspecting merchandise on the production floor to assure quality.
• Co-operating with the QA Team & Production Team regarding any styles' any operations' production feasibility, & to provide alternatives to the buyer in case of less production friendly operation/styling/packaging. Cautiously practicing risk management regarding production planning.
• Exhibiting pro-active approach in areas which are entirely new & adapting every season as per buyer's requirements. Taking more initiatives at an early stage & get timely approvals from buyer by being solution-oriented.

BRANDS: BELK- US Retailer & THE WAREHOUSE LTD- New Zealand Retailer

Menswear/Woven: Shirts & Bottoms

Ladieswear/Woven: Blouses, Dresses, Bottoms, Denim (Bottoms), Sleepwear

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

Sampling related-

• Examining the Tech Packs, procuring Cut-Make Cost, Fabric Quality, Fabric Price, Trims' Prices & Fabric/Trim Consumption for making costing sheets
• Building TNA & Cost Breakdown to share with the buyer in terms of negotiating the Price & Delivery
• Closely following up with Sampling Department to make sure that samples requested by buyers are sent before deadline. Providing best quality to buyers keeping costing factor in mind
• Creating Mood-boards & setting up showroom for showcasing samples in innovative ways to catch buyer's attention during meetings

Production related-

• Communicating & following up directly with the buying sourcing teams, also through video calls on a regular intervals for a better understanding
• Ordering of Raw Material- Fabric & Trims. Monitoring the same is in-house on time without any out-of-tolerance shortages
• Proactively sharing of Input Plan, Production BOM, Production Files, Pre-production Call-outs, Level 1 & Level 2 of Costing to maintain the timeline
• Studying the Fabric Shipment Summaries, IMS Reports & Production Plans to analyze if there are any delays & if same can be resolved, & if can provide any pre-ponement requested by the buyer
• Scrutinizing Level 3 of Costing to compare each contributing cost- Budgeted vs. Actual

BRANDS: PRIMARK- UK Retailer & PEACOCKS- UK Retailer

Ladieswear/Woven: Blouses, Dresses, Bottoms, Beachwear

Kidswear/Woven: Girlswear, Baby Girlswear

• Managing communication with vendors in order to procure best possible item, Processing and monitoring invoices and shipments accurately
• Raising Purchase Order using ERP APPS 10i, which helps in ordering of raw materials/trims and keeping track of bulk production, Preparation of production files for execution of on-order styles for production, In-line inspection of samples on production floor for quality assurance