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Danielle V DeKalb

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Senior Sourcing Manager with over 20 years of experience across many product categories in the retail industry.  With an entrepreneurial mindset I thrive in ambiguity and motivated by autonomy to drive results.   Driven by complex challenges requiring innovative and action-oriented problem solving. Excels in a collaborative team environment, working independently and directing others.  Excellent communication skills building strong relationships with internal and external partners.  Experienced traveler both overseas factory trips as well as domestic trade shows, conventions, and vendor meetings. 

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Sourcing Manager Domestics 2014-Current

  • Ecotech Recycled Material Management

    • Partnered with greenfield expert creating reporting utilizing material data collected through factory inspections combined with annual unit volumn to highlight potential users of recycled polypropolene material.  Great tool for indenifying material needs in future cirularity expansion.

    • Partnering with CTV, CTB and CFT, meeting with vendors to understand current supply chain for recycled materials and future needs. Connecting vendors with Eco-Tech for supplier opportunities, on track to utilize all remaining resin in Target products.

  • Circularity Opportunity Assessment   

    • The current model of Eco-tech purchasing the recycled product combined with unchanged product development and negotiations model doesn’t prioritize materials going back into Target owned brands. Research and assessment on current landscape of sortation and recyclers is needed to understand capabilities, capacities, and agreement structures.  Without these actions Target is at risk of being left behind in the circularity space.

    • Opportunity to evolve the relationship model with key resources to ensue Target is positioned to lead in this space with dedicated recycling and production capacity and negotiated cost structure.  Elevated communication with regular touch points grounded in a shared vision and goals for innovation and expansion.

    • Opportunity for regular connection points with CTB, CTV and core CFTs staying connected with business strategy.  Building relationships to bring partners along with circularity concepts creating vested interest in future success.

  • Initiated Sustainable Material Conversion

    • Converted coir doormats from PVC backing a toxic material causing adverse health impacts for factory workers and product users to a natural latex backing.

    • Identified the opportunity and persuaded my CFT by getting them invested in delivering a product that causes less harm to the environment and people through educating on sustainability impacts.

    • Saving 4 million pounds of plastic (1.6 million gallons of oil) from being produced annually.

  • Commitment to D&I & Volunteering

    • Led a working group that created an internal resource guide on how to identify, connect and onboard a black owned business.

    • Partnered with external companies and internal groups to identify potential roadblocks for black owned businesses.

    • Volunteered as a project lead in the Advancing Design Diversity program.  Partnered with the owner of My Beautiful Fluff to uncover factors contributing to inconsistent sizing and worked internally with experts to deliver a custom sizing scale inclusive of plus sizes. Rewarding experience.

    • Create opportunities for community engagement through regular volunteer events such as free farmers market, food shelf, health screening, vaccine clinics.

  • Spearheaded a Speed to Market Business Model

    • Identified an opportunity to decrease the development time staying relevant among emerging competition in trend toss pillows.

    • Created this model with insights from vendors, retail competitors, and drawing from experience in a trend business.

    • Built collaborative CFT relationships creating trust and willingness to try a new business model.

    • Drove results in reducing development lead-time by 120 days, increased profitability with 6% average cost decrease, and delivered trend right product to the guest.

  • Identified an Opportunity to Develop Fabric Directly with Mills

    • Created a direct fabric sourcing model through research and collaboration with fabric trend manager, PD&D manager, and Delhi sourcing team.

    • Created viability parameters to guide researching fabric mills in India.

    • Successfully tested with mills translating our trends into viable fabric options, vetted costing and award to production vendor.  

    • Results decreased reliance on vendors and gave Target more control, reduced CFT workload, increased fabric quality and reliability, and reduced costs by an average of 5% by negotiating directly with the mill, saving $500k annually.  

  • Leader in Business Flexibility    

    • Creative solution to the challenge of long production lead-times and the need to react quickly to sales trends.

    • Negotiated with vendors to have 50% of estimated units held in finished fabric available when the product sets. 

    • Reduced lead-time by 40 days allowing for faster reaction to trends, in the first-year sales opportunity exceeded forecasts by 15% driving $1.5M in incremental sales with the ability to react quickly.

Sourcing Manager Accessories 2011-2014

  • Managed a team of 3 direct reports adapting my communication and leadership style based on the needs of my team.

  • Worked through several challenging performance issues, coaching, and providing guidance resulting in personal growth and career advancements.

  • Navigated the complexities of transitioning the sunglasses and watch business from national brand merchant owned to sourcing supported. 

  • Educated the merchants on owned brand development and production processes.  

  • Worked to solve numerous challenges with testing and visibility to factory operations with no overseas support by quickly gaining trust with vendors and internal team by listening to the issues and collaborating.

 

Senior Business Analyst Domestics/Outdoor Living 2008-2011
Senior Product Coordinator Bullseyes Playground/Toys 2006-2008

 

Coolibar, St. Louis Park, MN
Product Development Assistant 2005-2006

  • Developed strong multitasking skill holding positions across this start up sun protective apparel company. My responsibilities ranged from collaborating with factories to ensure patterns were executed to our fit requirements, creating, and updating website content, and merchandizing the small store front in the office.

 

DeKalb Gallery (MOA), Bloomington, MN
Store Manager/Sales Associate 1999-2005

  • Curated the assortment of home furnishings and fine art by attending trade shows across the country and visiting local galleries, balancing the appropriate aesthetic breath for the wide consumer base. 

  • Created and managed an inventory system to track key sales trends driving purchasing and inventory decisions.

  • Created inspiring visual merchandizing displays drawing customers into the store.

 

EDUCATION

University of Minnesota - College of Design & Carlson School of Management                                                 

Bachelor of Science, Retail Merchandising & Business Management – Completed 2005

 

Minneapolis College of Art & Design – Sustainable Design Graduate Program                                                  

Masters in Sustainable Design – in progress

 

PERSONAL INTERESTS

  • Volunteering at Peace House in downtown Minneapolis serving meals weekly.

  • Volunteering at Northpoint Community Center in north Minneapolis for a range of events; cancer screening, food shelf, and recently vaccine clinics.

  • Advocating for social equality through volunteering and education.  

  • Gardening for food and flowers from seed to harvest.

  • Restoring old furniture to its original beauty.  

© 2024 Danielle DeKalb

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