University: Durham University 2003-2007 BSc (Hons), Plant Science with Industrial Placement, Class 2.1

Post MDS Permanent Role: Supplier Development Technologist, G’s Marketing

MDS Experience:

Greenvale AP, November 2009 - April 2010

Procurement

Responsibilities:

• Purchasing potatoes for major multiples against quality and cost criteria for a £160m turnover packing and marketing company.
• Managing and improving a number of designated growers, negotiating supply and cost of potatoes.
• Development of the Greenvale grower base with new and existing growers.
• Co-ordinating and reporting product quality assessment days.
• Development of a Grower Sustainability Report for a processing customer.
• Development of a Grower Profile Portfolio for marketing purposes.

Achievements:

• Production of a report detailing grower, variety, field and quality information enabling more specific procurement and better planning, reducing cost to the business.
• Ongoing relationship building with a number of new and current growers.
• Purchase of 2,000 t of potatoes for use over the spring of 2010.

Flamingo UK, May - November 2009

Supply and Sourcing Manager

Responsibilities:

• Logistical supply and sourcing of 50 product lines totalling sales of £700,000 per week for two major multiple accounts in a £150m turnover marketing company.
• Working with the Technical, Operations and Stock Control Teams to ensure that orders are met in full in the least cost manner using the highest quality produce.
• Daily dealing and relationship building with up to 20 different suppliers across the world; calculating orders, negotiating supply of produce, and ensuring its timely arrival.
• Covering aspects of the Account Managers responsibilities during his absence.

Achievements:

• Successfully managed the supply of produce to both major multiple accounts, maintaining an excellent service level.
• Developed strong relationships with all suppliers across the World, successfully negotiating supply of produce that best satisfied both Flamingo’s and the supplier’s needs.
• Trained two new employees in Supply and Sourcing until fully competent.
• Managed a project that developed a semi-automated version of Flamingo’s procurement process, which reduced processing time by 90% and eliminated 75% of sources of human error.

G’s Marketing, October 2008 - May 2009

Supply Chain Analyst                                 

Responsibilities:

• Project based role developing systems to increase efficiency of procuring salads from sister companies in Spain in a £250m turnover farming and marketing company.
• Aiding construction and development of new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measuring factors of growing, procuring and commercial performance over the winter season.
• Reporting, sense checking and explaining these KPIs on behalf of the Finance Director to the Procurement and Commercial teams, and to Spain in the weekly Sales meetings.

Achievements:

• Developed a product procurement and stock management model to aid Product Managers in procurement of salads from Spain over the winter period.
• Run in parallel to actuals, the model showed cost savings of up to 50%.
• Development of model User Guides and training of Product Managers best enabling future use.
• Excellent grounding in the concepts and development of KPIs within a multi-national company.
• Managed procurement, and assisted in packing, of the company’s 1200 Christmas boxes.
• Significant personal developments in the use of Microsoft Excel.

Cobrey Farms (Flamingo Holdings), March - October 2008

Packhouse Shift Manager

Responsibilities:

• Shift Manager of a £50,000 per day asparagus packhouse from March-July. Sole responsibility for management of night shift during 24 hour operation.
• Management, planning, organisation and welfare of 100 Eastern European employees per shift.
• Production planning with Packhouse Manager, Senior Partners and Marketing Agents.
• Correct and proper implementation of legal, Health and Safety and food standard procedures.
• Assuming Packhouse Manager’s role and responsibilities during his absence.
• Designing, implementing, managing and analysing scientific experiments investigating the potential for extended season asparagus production.

Achievements:

• Improved packhouse efficiency resulting in 2% decrease in labour costs, with a 10% increase in pack-out performance and 75% reduction in customer quality complaints.
• Increased efficiency of packing lines and labelling machines and created trouble-shooting manual.
• Efficient and problem-free packaging stock control over the season.
• Calculated when it is economically viable to cut asparagus to shorter length products.
• Aided Technical Manager in achieving successful BRC audit.
• Successfully managed and analysed data from all projects allowing more accurate production planning for future seasons, and highlighted potential for extended season production.