Charli Saffer

• Progressed from working on the largest jersey department to the re-structured dresses team with 390 options. Adapted to working with four different designers and technicians, demonstrating organisation, flexibility, effective communication and time management. • Ownership and management of the critical path, leading meetings and communicating any potential issues with the wider team, taking appropriate actions to ensure company in-stock KPI targets are met. • Analysing departmental sales and presenting findings and actions in team trade meetings. Taking ownership of setting up styles to cross-source with closer to home suppliers to enable more effective in-season trading. • Work closely with all teams in the wider business and maintain strong relationships with international suppliers through email, weekly calls and system training support where required. • Market research on competitors and pulling together reports, competitor updates and seasonal benchmarking, analysing departmental price points and proposing key trends demonstrating commercial awareness. • Experience in managing the workload of other staff members, exemplifying leadership • Sample management, ensuring these meet key dates. Proof copy, website and catalogue. Additional responsibilities: • Taking ownership of the growing knitted dress range, working collaboratively alongside the wider teams ensuring product and pricing is relevant for all markets, attending fit sessions, setting up target cost prices, and negotiating to ensure target margins for the range and department are met. • Manage copy briefing for the website and product names, ensuring deadlines are met for direct and wider teams. Organised and introduced a more streamlined briefing process used across the business. • Work closely with buying managers and company communication system (PLM) support team to enable smoother running and more efficient use of the system

• Essential support to Jersey and Knit buying and merchandising team • Key responsibilities included raising purchase orders, website and catalogue proofing, system checks, style set up on company system for suppliers, general office admin

Work as a sales assistant for La Martina on an agency basis through CVUK.

Carried out a placement year as an assistant account manager at a fashion supplier, sourcing from Turkey and supplying womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, maternity, swimwear, activewear and towelling to a variety of brands Duties were as follows: Assisting in all areas of the critical path for Boden, Sweaty Betty, Phase Eight, JoJo Maman Bebe and Dirty Velvet Assisting on all ends of the supply chain; communicating on both the factory and client side and communicating any issues across which may occur throughout the production process Dealing with all aspects of the supply process: - Assessing lab and yarn dips, bulk fabrics, strike offs and trims - Purchase orders - Measuring garments/ fit and photo shoot samples against specs - Garment testing management - Dealing with shipment samples and CIF shipments General office admin responsibilities Skills Learnt/ Benefits included: - Experience in multiple areas of the fashion industry, primarily the garment technology and buying side - Extensive knowledge of a variety of products - Smaller company and therefore held a key role within the company and was given a great deal of responsibility - Organisation - Improved communication skills - Teamwork

The job involved interviewing applicants to assess whether they were suitable to work as camp counselors for Jewish Camps USA. I was in charge and had the responsibility to select those who fit the criteria and who had the ability to be a sufficient counsellor at camp

Worked as a head counsellor and art specialist with children aged 6- 16 with a huge responsibility for the wellbeing of others and to deliver a comfortable and exciting working environment. The role provided me with skills which are transferable to any working environment and illustrate my commitment, dedication and hard working attitude at all times. Working as a camp counselor involves putting your all into investing in other people all hours of the day and is based around great leadership and highlights my caring nature by constantly placing camper needs before my own.

Gained experience in the following departments at Somerbond LTD: Design: - I used trend forecasting databases such as WGSN to look at trends, catwalks and blogs in order to create moodboards for upcoming seasons - Was given an insight into several design programmes Buying: - Was introduced to critical path management and assisted with this during my time in the buying department - Was in charge of checking submissions such as yarn and lab dips and bulk fabrics - Assisted with specification sheets Merchandising: - Was provided with an insight into the merchandising role, learning about allocating money to specific products and how to estimate quantities of what should be bought Garment Technology: - Carried out measurements for several product types - Gained a basic understanding of testing procedures and standards Ethics and Sourcing: - Was given the opportunity to research and help the company find new and existing factories to supply to Somerbond

I was given the opportunity to gain experience in the design department at PC Clothing. Here I attended meetings with the design team, visited fabric trade shows such as Pure in order to help select swatches of new materials for the ranges in progress. I also created mood boards, cut swatches of various materials and was given the opportunity to provide my interpretation of what I felt would be in the fashion market in upcoming seasons.