Alissa Traughber

Experience

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  Mervyns

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2004

  Business Analyst

  • Managed three tabletop programs, with a combined volume of over $50 million dollars.• Managed and presented monthly and seasonal financial forecasts. • Proofed, analyzed, and forecasted weekly advertising tabs.• Collaborated regularly with vendors to coordinate product introductions and deliveries to drive sales and in-stocks.• Achieved buyer/analyst ‘Silver SAC’ award for meeting sales, turn and gross margin goals for spring 2004. • Member of the “green team” for ad in-stocks spring season; In-stocks were the highest in the company. • Increased the Kitchen-Aid business 26% over the previous year due to improved in-stocks and allocation. Show less

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  Lands'​ End

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2003

  Merchandising Intern

  • Analysis of catalog spread financials to provide catalog layout suggestions for the creative team.• Presented Lands’ End Children’s Store business plan to executive management team.

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  Eddie Bauer

  Jan 2004 - Jan 2007

  • Worked with merchants to finalize women’s apparel and accessories line for overseas joint venture group.• Gave overseas merchant teams direction on product to carry based on sales, margin and market analysis.• Created catalog layouts and copy points. • Managed inventory in men’s and women’s accessories and footwear.• Was promoted twice within a period of 1 year.• Led “Big Canada 6” project efforts for the company.• Strategic allocations contributed to men’s accessories exceeding 1st half sales by 22% and markdowns were 18% below plan. Footwear exceeded sales plan by 7%.

  • Assistant Business Merchandise Manager, International

    Jan 2006 - Jan 2007

  • Planning Analyst

    Jan 2004 - Jan 2006
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  Kohl's

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2010

  • Managed advertising, ad rotation, pricing, signing, in store graphics, PR and home mailer turn-ins.• Annual volume of $300 million and responsible for advertising and buying efforts for over 1,100 stores.• Responsible for managing direct ship business for ecommerce, including setting up new vendors, maintaining current skus and inventory and adding new skus, as well as negotiate costs and terms.• Managed table and tower as well as admax for my office (planograms).• Finished 2009 as the #9 buying office in the company, meeting our sales, margin and turn goals.• Won the star at merchant quarterly for top buying office in 4th QTR of 2008 and also for total year. Show less • Met with buying offices to report sales and inventory opportunities and liabilities.• Annual volume of $30 million for ecommerce categories.• Met with brick and mortar analysts to review inventory allocations and provide strategic direction.• Led weekly open to buy meetings; Developed and presented seasonal forecasts. • Worked with and led production team to ensure flawless execution of product presentation on the website.• Captain of successful Vera and Elle launches for ecommerce. Managed inventory for online look-books.• Managed incoming and outgoing transfers for the Ecommerce Fulfillment Center and built ad hoc constraints in ADAM to transfer product appropriately. Created best practice documentation for transfers. Show less

  • Assistant Buyer

    Jan 2009 - Jan 2010

  • Assistant Business Manager, E-Commerce

    Jan 2007 - Jan 2009
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  Uline

  Jan 2010 - Jan 2014

  Associate Product Manager

  • Lead new product development, sourcing products domestically and overseas.• Annual volume of $40 million for all product categories.• Qualify vendors by visiting manufacturing facilities (domestic and overseas) and through PIERS research.• Attend trade shows to stay abreast of industry trends and seek out potential suppliers.• Create catalog and website layout, as well as copy points for merchandise.• Generate mailers and brochures for new product presentations. Train sales staff on products.• Field product questions from customers and customer service, and answer within one hour of receipt.• Create detailed specifications on each sku for internal reference for sales and customer service.• Perform competitive analysis and create pricing spreadsheets to ensure relevant market pricing.• Develop packaging and private label cartons to create a consistent brand message.• Dictate initial buy quantities to purchasing department and help with inventory, stock outs and forecasting.• Tripled the sales volume of my categories in two years, through both organic and inorganic growth.• Found and qualified overseas vendor for PVC gift box category, giving Uline 48% or $200K/year in cost savings, while improving product consistency, shortening lead times and improving the grade of PVC.• Bid out cash register paper program and improved the consistency of the product, added private label name to each sku and achieved almost $100K/year in cost savings.• Added Store Fixtures as a new product category in 2012 under my management. Program launched with a volume of $4M in the first year with exponential growth thereafter. Show less

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  IRIS USA, Inc.

  Jan 2014 - Jan 2015

  Senior Category Manager

  • Drive the new product and brand development process.• Create product packaging, instruction manuals and recipe cards, hang tags, master carton artwork and labels.• Oversee and edit “The Everyday Epicurist” blog and input product specifications and copy for makerhomeware.com.• Attend and exhibit at Industry Tradeshows: Ambiente (Germany), IHA (Chicago), Canton Fair (China).• Create print advertising for HOMEWORLD Trade Magazine.• Responsible for writing and delivery of press releases and press kits.• Frequent monthly visits to Asian suppliers to inspect quality and manage production process, as well as potential factories to perform factory inspections and provide sourcing recommendations.• Create vendor survey and factory inspection questionnaires, and serve as primary contact with factories.• Develop packaging and product specification spreadsheets for factory referral and guidance.• Present weekly division updates at company meetings, as well as quarterly management meetings and yearly summit meetings in Japan to Owners and Chairman of IRIS USA, Inc.• Provide customer service and company-wide training on new products and warranty.• Work with legal counsel on Trademarks, Patent and Product Liability research and claims, developed Warranty Terms and Product Registration verbiage for website. Show less

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  PPI Beauty

  Jan 2015 - Jan 2016

  Senior Product Development Manager

  • Manage product development for all cosmetic accessory brands, totaling $150 million in annual sales.• Manage four direct reports.• Responsible for the product lifecycle process, managing all products from cradle-to-grave, internal and retailer account margins and sales goals.• Create product roadmaps and NPD overviews for executive committee.• Lead special projects, such as the creation of brand, category and account margin expectations to expedite development.• Scheduled and led internal cross-functional team meetings including the weekly creative review meeting to propel projects forward and establish accountability amongst the department directors, as well as PD team meetings. • Daily communication and coordination of product development and management efforts with overseas suppliers, negotiate costs with vendors to achieve internal margin goals.• Worked with current suppliers on mending broken relationships that occurred prior to my arrival at PPI. Relationships are significantly improved and currently maintain supplier communication, relationships and trust along with the support of my sourcing counterparts.• Created product development forms and implemented cross-functionally, including but not limited to: costing sheet, technical drawings and specification forms, PD checklist, project management work tracker and high level work week tool to execute best-in-class development processes.• Took charge on creating a new Stagegate template for Gates 1 through 4, for consistency and efficiency.• Create internal development timelines, in addition to Stagegate executive review meeting dates. • Led project management, trainings and internal meetings with outside consultant, and responsible for follow up and coordination of 35 participant’s schedules.• Led the remodeling efforts of the product development creative workroom, which included the budget, technology upgrades and training, sample organization and implementation of best practices Show less

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  CoreSource, now Trustmark Health Benefits

  Jan 2016 - Feb 2021

  Director of Product Management

  • Manage healthcare ancillary product solutions, including telemedicine, cost and transparency, financial wellness, HSA’s and digital bundle offering• Grew telemedicine product solution 568% and cost and transparency 564% in just three years since taking over the categories• Two largest products saved clients $9.6M in 2019• Serve as the sole product manager for the company, handling all regions and supporting nearly 100 sales, client managers and implementation teams which includes ongoing trainings, webinars, demonstrations with clients and brokers, as well as onsite presentations to tap into product expertise and upsell products• Annual presenter at company summit conference• Manage vendor and client reporting, as well as creation of the quarterly and year-end business dashboard summary reports for the entire organization, establish KPI’s• Own vendor contracts and negotiate terms, pricing and SLA’s• Partner with marketing and portal teams to create relevant email and text messages to boost member engagement, utilization and member and client savings Show less