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General Manager – Merchandising

Top Management

Merchandising Set

Complete overall merchandising set up aligned and synchronize with factory to ensure smooth operation. 

•  A professional with above twenty years post qualification experience in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Jordan &	Bangladesh.
•  Expertise in Buying House & Larger Manufacturing plant startups & Operations.
•  Proficiency in managing; Seasonal Product developments with strict timelines meeting, Professional	Costing approaches, Production planning & allocations, Quality control system Monitoring, Compliance	System Maintain and monitoring. Overall Plant Operations, Staff training and motivations. KPI	strategizing and monitoring.
•  Excellent track record of managing Merchandising & Marketing strategies, seasonal development,	operations, sourcing as well as distribution & commercial management
•  Attained experience & knowledge in ERP, Logistics and Customs, & systems implementations.

Achievements
•	Setting up factory Merchandising procedures through restructuring the Workflow and internal	controls.
•	Improved sampling submission time lines to reduce approval process by 15% efficient
•   Streamline Merchandising KPI modules and evaluation process.
•   Defined Merchandising JD & JR in documentations.
•   Third party vendors saving time and cost. Maintain Performance evaluations for future references and	grading.
•   Ensure the project deliveries are on time for Seasonal Developments Projects.
•   Execute product analysis projects with support of group IE team and procurement team for various brands	and delivered ahead of agreed fit out period maximizing the revenue with minimal cost.
•   Achieved cost savings through value added IE engineering, CAD improvements projects.

Heading & supervising Merchandising division,
Heading the entire development/costing and order placement / strategy and process planning in the company, innovations & sample development process, wash aesthetic development process, bulk order placements, capacity managing & shipments process and sourcing activities.
Monitoring the production floor activities to make sure plan meet the expectations.
Managing over 300 styles annual with quantity of 8 Million pieces of shipment.
Contributing towards pricing strategies of the company and reporting to the Business Head.
Suggesting creative concept revisions according to the client’s needs & preferences
Supervising the Brand/ Visual Execution Team through a combination of corporate direction, visual talent/ knowledge/ experience, and specific market needs.
Establishing strong partnership with regional client for all matters of the business & branding objectives through meetings and business visits.
Developing & appointing new supplier bases for raw material, managing & coordinating with suppliers and freight partners for delivering the ordered materials effectively.
Backing the planning of marketing strategy for the assigned unit by identifying communications needs based on relevant research.
Frequently visit vendor production facility to monitoring production, quality, compliance, operational and planning requirements.
Attending customer visits. development meetings and costing meetings.
Handling customer complaints. Claims etc,, for settlements
Setting up Marketing & Merchandising team “KPI” and monitoring for achievements.
Generate management reports for analysis and monitoring
Arrange continues training programs for team Marketing & Merchandising team Improvements.


Heading Marketing and Merchandising team for factory feeding for 30 production lines with capacity of 600,000pcs monthly output target.
Developing seasonal customer presentation sampling programs for marketing and order conformations.
Attending to buyer meeting to order negotiation and conformations.
Preparing and arranging costings for customer inquiries and negotiation for order conformations and finalizations.
Preparing seasonal budget plans and monitoring for achievements.
Directing and monitoring factory planning for smooth factory operation executions.
Reviewing and monitoring, guiding factory production, quality, shipments executions. 
Working and developing strong supplier base for competitive advantage to meet customer demands in pricing challenges.
Setting up Marketing & Merchandising team “KPI” and monitoring for achievements.
Arrange continues team training programs for team Marketing & Merchandising team
Improvements.
Handing customer complaints. Claims etc,, for settlements.
Monitoring finical settlements timely manner to ensure payments are receiving on time
Generate management reports for analysis and monitoring


General Manager – Marketing & Merchandising

Garment Costing, Negotiations and order execution.
Sampling – Make sure on time sample submissions and approvals according to the TNA in order to shipments on time delivery.
Working on special washing developments for customer approvals.
Fabric and trims procurement.
Heading Wrinkle free developments and production with closer monitoring.
Planning – Work with planning, Work study and production heads to maintain in best plan to fit for production, delivery.
Organize pre-production meetings, technical meetings, re-capping the meeting minutes for follow ups with team who is responsible.
Coordinating with Production, daily tracking of the production figures to ensure on time shipments.
Arrange Final inspections, Monitor Audit reports & authorize to release shipments.
Coordinate all commercial activities with Logistics departments.
Communicate with customer on day-to-day, weekly re-caps, Updates.
Follow up all related arrears in manufacturing garments (production / technical / washing & wrinkle free / printing / embroidery & Appliqués etc).
Handling all technical related issues with production staff/ Co-ordinate with Customers for solutions.
Arranging production and other related reports to customers, top Management.
Preparing Time & Action Plans for order conformations and follow up with team.
After sales services for Brand Protection, Final Order reconciliations etc..
Workout on 2nds and over runs with customers to discount and close the inventories.
Guiding the subordinate teams with priority task to achieve set target goals on time.
Ensure maintain process control in Factory with all departments to meet customer standards. 


 Merchandising Manager 

Attending to customer meetings for Developments / costing etc..
Garment costing for customer order placements.
Product development specialized in bottoms / Tops (Woven). 
Follow-ups from ordering fabric & trims to deliver garments up to final destinations for confirmed orders
Communicate with Customer on day-to-day re-caps.
Handling day-to-day all technical related issues with production staff.
Follow up all related arrears in manufacturing garments (Technical / production / washing/ cutting / Embellishments etc…).
Arranging production and other related reports to buyers.
Co-ordinate with other departments related to garments manufacturing.
Developing seasonal sample programs for customer requirement & order conformation.
Preparing Time & Action Plans (TNA) for confirmed orders & follow up with team.
Monitoring & balance FOB” cost accounts for “FTA” approvals for USA customs.


Senior Merchandiser

Product development specialized in woven tops & bottoms.
Follow- ups from sourcing fabric & trims to final garments delivery for confirmed orders for smooth execution.
Communicate with customers on day to day related issues, updates etc..
Follow up all related areas in manufacturing garments. (Technical / production / washing / printing / embroidery / Appliqués etc..).
Handling day-to-day all technical related issues with production staff and communicate to customer for solutions.
Arranging production and other related reports to Management / Customers.
Co-ordinate with other departments related to garments manufacturing. (washing / technical / quality)
Preparing Time & Action Plans for confirm orders & follow up with team.
Coordinate Vietnam production team to ensure getting proper product packs for smooth production.
Visit Vietnam factories to monitor production and quality.
Monitoring all fabric & trims deliveries for Vietnam production on time.  


Senior Merchandiser 

Marketing wash programs with customer.
Prepare wash developments as per customer requirements for order placement conformations.
Negotiate wash cost finalizations for contract sign. 	
Planning washing capacity allocations for confirmed orders.
Monitoring daily wash production and delivery plans to ensure agreed with customers.
Handling customer complaints and charge backs to close the settlements plans.
Follow up final order reconciliations.
         


1999   Junior Merchandiser 

Walimuni Lakshman Fonseka is a General Manager Merchandising at Epic Garments Manufacturing Ltd. (Bangladesh – Leading Manufacturing Plant) in Uttara, 13.

Walimuni Lakshman Fonseka

Walimuni Lakshman Fonseka

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Education history

- University of Wales – Trinity Saint David.

Ceylino Institute of Management

Clothing Industry Training Institute