SeftonHead Of Retail and Buying
Dec. 2012 - May. 2019London, Greater London, United KingdomEstablished in 1999, Sefton is a highly regarded multi-branded bricks and mortar destination with a unique offering of premium brands presented in a dynamic, prestigious environment. Building on Sefton’s heritage and reputation I worked to evolve the brand to become a well-established e-commerce player. I had director level responsibility for all aspects of buying, alongside retail operations and all related marketing and brand development activities. I had sole responsibility for the direction of Sefton buying strategy to appeal to a fashion-informed audience and capitalise on first to market, trend-driven opportunities in an omni channel retail model, curating a family of brands to raise Sefton’s brand profile and to effectively realise the potential volume drivers. Product categories fell across casual, formal, accessories, footwear, beauty and homeware, offering a curated lifestyle selection to a loyal consumer. I had top level responsibility for precise budget planning, seasonal and continuous division splits and OTB management in response to set growth targets of +10% increase in year on year turnover, alongside continuous management of sell-through, response to trading factors and top-level KPI’s to deliver the stock requirements of the business whilst maximising margin and adhering to budget targets. An additional responsibility of this role was the development and management of a considered marketing strategy to effectively communicate the Sefton brand message to consumers utilising the power of creative output, social media marketing, product activation and eventing.