Valentina Vivarelli

The main goal of the role is to proactively engage with customers in the fashion market to influence and support them in defining the optimal automation solution

• Implemented innovative business development strategies to increase customer base and expand market share.
• Established relationships with key decision-makers within customer's organization to generate trust and supporting them in the automation journey
• Contributed to industry events and trade shows to showcase products and gather industry intelligence.
• Collaborated with sales and marketing departments to support client acquisition.
• Translated customer needs into solution requirements using powerful value propositions and negotiation skills.
• Researched product pricing, ratings and performance and created comparison spreadsheets to evaluate competitors.
• Prepared sales presentations for clients showing success and credibility of products.

Proven track record of successful project realization and onsite installation of highly automated storage and retrieval systems (medium-high project values, up to €40M)

• Maintained schedules to meet key milestones at every project phase.
• Directed changes to project scope and cost and implemented appropriate change management processes to keep project on track.
• Developed and led multi-disciplinary team to redefine problems and reach solutions based on different perspectives.
• Updated customers and senior leaders on progress and roadblocks.
• Developed and maintained project budgets to control costs and meet organizational and project goals.
• Sourced, vetted and managed vendors needed to accomplish project goals.
• Verified quality of deliverables and conformance to specifications before submitting to clients.

Responsible of the European Retail Supply Chain, managing an inventory of 6M units and distributing 23M products annually across 57 outlet stores and 3 websites.

Management and coordination of 2 direct reports and an outsourced team of 6 employees, overseeing the flow of merchandise from worldwide-located vendors to the European Distribution Center in Parma.

· Streamlined supply chain processes towards efficiency and operational cost reduction.

· Implemented strategic initiatives to enhance customer service levels and reduce the overall inventory.

· Project successfully executed: inventory optimization (from separated to shared inventory between channels), RFID implementation, distribution network reengineering, Ecommerce market and shipping offer expansions, new store openings in Italy, Turkey and Czech Republic

In charge of managing and executing all projects with an impact on operations, working closely with technology department and customer care team and reporting to the Operations Director.

Projects successfully managed:

· Distribution's hubs opened in Hong Kong and China

· New shipping markets (moved from 60 to 101 shipping markets in 2011)

· Packaging restyling – 25% cost savings

· Italian distribution center automation, in collaboration with TGW