SHAYAN JAFFER
October’s Very Own
CHICAGO,IL
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Special Orders Coordinator/Sample Room Coordinator
4 Months- Managing the Design Collective Resource Centre, sample library and inventory to support business activities such as preparation of proposals, presentations, tradeshows and photo shoots.
- Supporting Sales and Rental partners by providing samples and sample insights from various catalogs including Ready-to-Wear, Exclusive, Modified, Custom and Apparel +
- Entering and organizing vendor POs in a timely, accurate and efficient manner to ensure seamless tracking and billing across cross-functional partners.
- Maintenance and auditing procedures of Sample Room inventory to ensure up-to-date information and accuracy.
- Creating, analyzing and presenting internal and external reports to drive continuous process improvements.
- Collaborating with in-house and third party decorators to execute custom samples requests for partners and cross-functional teams to meet design and timeline requirements.
- Collaborating with Merchandising to onboard new styles into Uniform Program for availability in sample room.
- Support of cross-functional partners by partnering with vendors to ensure timely delivery of samples.
- Tracking sample status and updating records to maintain clear visibility.
Product Development Coordinator
3 Years 3 Months- Partnered with development, merchandising and design teams to determine product lines, refine specifications/materials, set product development schedules and ensure alignment with brand goals, customer needs/feedback—championing brand growth and awareness throughout product development process.
- Managed the end to end product development process for accessories and collaboration collections, ensuring seamless coordination between cross-functional teams.
- Conduct market research, consumer trend reports to determine product assortment, collaborations to target
- Negotiate with vendors to capture costing and production timelines to align with business needs,
- Collaborating with licensing representatives from major sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL to determine and execute collaborations items that meet business goals.
- Working with suppliers and vendors to secure materials that align with production timelines as well as quality standards, presenting creative solutions to merchandising and design teams.
- Utilization of NetSuite, Tableau, WFX, Excel and PowerPoint tools to track, manage, analyze and present data.
- Conducted regular quality checks including wear tests, wash tests to ensure product integrity and adherence to construction and durability standards.
- Supported sample requests, approvals, material submissions, and follow-up communication with vendors.
E- Commerce/Production Manager
7 Years 2 Months- Management of brand marketing through digital, social media platforms as well as management of online store on the Shopify platform.
- Identifying and executing design strategy and product life cycle from ideation to production to post-delivery stage.
- Managed sourcing, production, and quality control of luxury apparel and footwear.
- Worked with overseas manufacturing to negotiate costing and ensure timely production to align with release calendar.
- Conducted sourcing trips in Asia to identify and procure materials to effectively capture brand identity.
- Directed creative content, editorial and product photoshoots to effectively capture and communicate brand story.
- Managed website performance analytics using Shopify tools.
- Implemented of Shopify and third-party apps to improve e-commerce and checkout experience for customers.
- Recorded and analyzed data on Shopify platform and third-party applications to continue to improve business KPIs.
- Revamped email marketing strategy to drive website traffic by 20%.
Quality Assurance Supervisor
1 Year- Managed and supervised a team of QA associates to inspect and process sneakers, streetwear, collectibles and electronic products to ensure all items adhere to strict standards of condition and authenticity
- Identified and evaluated KPIs for the team
- Consistently shared findings and new learnings with cross-functional partners to refine internal processesand improve customer experience
- Assisted with building product authenticity guide
- Built best practices and standards across authentication process
- Aided in creation of internal authentication and quality standard resources
- Conducted operations in identifying root cause and corrective action to prevent further productsion of undesirable product
- Performed material and product evaluations, and recorded organized, and analyzed results.
- Reviewed quality issues with products and reviewed level of severity
- Supported and helped in developing Marketing and Operations materials
Product Specialist
1 Year 4 Months- Provided exceptional service to an upscale international clientele Offered assistance and solutions that reflect a high level of customer satisfaction. Utilized understanding of SSENSE product, designer trends, fabrics and styling to provide an informed, tailored and genuine customer service experience to clients.
- Reviewed and addressed product darecrepancies, damages, wear & tear etc. to provide solutions for SSENSE clientele that is effective and invite customers to continue shopping with the company.
- Created brand material and info containing product knowledge, designer history, brand characteristics, etc. for CX agents to review and be informed
Customer Experience Associate
1 Year 3 Months- Ensured clients' financial needs were serviced in an efficient and timely manner by offering and advising on financial products and services offered
- Provided exceptional service and financial solutions to clients
- Built strong relationships with clients to invite them to continue banking with TD Bank
- Executed a broad range of financial transactions
Buying/Merchandising and Retail Operations Coordinator
1 Year 3 Months- Conducted and managed seasonal buys with trend forecasting budget management, quantity/price negotiation, ensured timely delivery of product from suppliers.
- Conducted administrative duties, PO creation, generating and analyzing sales reports
- Conceptualized and executed marketing strategies, product visual campaigns to push seasonal collections from various designers
- Managed online store, prepared outgoing orders as well as received and managed incoming shipments
- Managed Social Media Accounts and e-commerce platform
Buying/Procurement Intern
3 Months- Prepared and assisted in displaying collections for sales
- Conducted inventory of samples
- Liaisoned with buyers to provide in depth information on collections from brands
- Assisted sales team during appointments
Education
Bachelor of Commerce - Ted Rogers School of Retail Business Management
- Member of the Ryerson Sports and Business Association (2017-2018)
- Member of the Ryerson Fashion Retail Association (2017-2018)
- Member of the Retail Management Students Association
- Social Media Marketing Competition Award at Ryerson University (March 2019)
- Study Skills mentor (2018-2019)
- Relevant Coursework: Buying & Procurement, Merchandising, Product Development, Supply Chain Strategy, Business IT Systems, Business Law/Risk & Legal, Strategic Business Management
Skills
Textile
garment and construction expertiseincluding finishing/dyeing techniques
natural/synthetic fibre performance
characteristics and manufacturing
Understanding of Product Development Lifecycle- Leading and executing PD projects from ideation to commercialization stage
Cost and Project Management - Expertise in working with vendors
suppliers and manufacturers to secure costing and production timelines to meet business needs
Brand Development - Championing brand narratives and driving brand awareness through multiple channels including product
design
social media marketing and e-commerce
Positioning & Messaging - Developing differentiated product positioning and messaging for various stages of the buyer's journey.
Cross-Functional Collaboration - Working with Product
Sales
Merchant Success
Partnerships
and Customer Support teams to bring products to market.
Project Management - Managing multiple projects simultaneously with strong prioritization and attention to detail.
E-commerce Expertise - Extensive experience with Shopify platforms and tools
driving growth for high growth brands.
Data Analysis - Gathering
organizing
analyzing
and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions.
SAP S/4 HANA Expert Certification
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
Adobe Creative Suite
HTML
ERP
and PLM software (WFX
NetSuite)
Strong understanding of the fashion
tech and marketing industries
and the relationship between suppliers
retailers and consumers found in each
Flexible and creative problem solving in a tech
marketing and fashion apparel landscapes
Expertise in product and service marketing
Creative campaign ideation and execution
Timeline
Special Orders Coordinator/Sample Room Coordinator
Design Collective by Cintas
07.2026 - CurrentRead More
Product Development Coordinator
October’s Very Own
08.2023 - CurrentRead More
Quality Assurance Supervisor
StockX
03.2021 - 03.2022Read More
Product Specialist
SSENSE
10.2019 - 02.2021Read More
Customer Experience Associate
TD Bank
05.2018 - 08.2019Read More
Buying/Merchandising and Retail Operations Coordinator
Working Title Shop
05.2017 - 08.2018Read More
Buying/Procurement Intern
M5 Showroom
01.2017 - 04.2017Read More
E- Commerce/Production Manager
Darzé Studios
09.2015 - 11.2022Read More
Ryerson University
Bachelor of Commerce from Ted Rogers School of Retail Business Management
Read More