CLAIRE BARKWITH
LONDON
Summary
Accomplished professional with many years experience in key account management, sales forecasting, and strategy development. Demonstrates a strong ability in business development and relationship-building, with a proven track record in client retention strategies. Skilled in opening new accounts and optimising opportunities, backed by extensive product knowledge and negotiation skills. Adept at critical path management and working effectively as part of a team. Possesses a deep understanding of fashion trends, key licences and retailers.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work history
Senior key account manager
Rubies UK
London
05.2022 - Current
- Manage portfolio of key accounts in kids' dress-up category, achieving 40% growth in sales.
- Increased margin and profitability.
- Develop seasonal ranges with design team to present to customers in CAD form, to final sample stage.
- Collaborate with marketing and brand teams to launch innovative dress-up lines for licensed and generic products to resonate with key accounts.
- Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new national account, export accounts.
- Negotiate pricing with factories and customers to improve profit margins.
- Manage critical paths effectively to reduce lead times and eliminate potential issues before they impact order fulfilment.
- Develop and create sales strategies that align with market trends and customers' needs, resulting in increased revenue and market share.
- Achieved sales growth through strategic account management.
- Executed financial forecasts for accurate budgeting and planning.
Key Account Manager – Ladies, Kids, Men's, Luggage and Special Equipment
YKK Europe Global Marketing Group
04.2019 - 05.2022
- Manage key accounts in UK, consisting of companies such as Primark, Sainsbury's, Mountain Warehouse, EWM, Sports Direct, George, and Morrisons, along with all UK importers and luggage brands, altogether totalling sales volume of $19M USD.
- Promoting sustainability, new products, developments, aligning information, sampling, and lead time support with manufacturing facilities, as well as being their key point of contact with regards to issues like lead times, prices, slider development, and quality issues.
- Daily contact with manufacturing facilities and support with some vendor management.
- Developing new business for key items with key accounts, and new customers.
- Cold calling and introductions to YKK
- Arrange and present sustainability seminars, technical seminars.
- Attend shows and customer meetings, with targets of 180 contacts per year.
- Committing to market research and shop floor audits to understand customers' market share.
- Present internal meetings with regards to demand visualisation for future growth and market share.
- Update internal data for progress tracking and interactions with customers.
- Travel for customer meetings, internal group meetings, and shows.
- Set yearly KPIs and targets for performance bonus-related scheme.
- Targets for sole nomination of key items, key departments, or full customer nomination.
Business Development Manager – Ladies, Kids & Mens Denim & Formal Bottoms
QUALITEX
08.2016 - 04.2019
- Supplying private label denim and casual/formal bottoms produced in Pakistan to following retailers: Aeropostale, Original Marines, Sergent Major, DPAM, Cool Cat, and Ardene.
- Making contact, and completing initial setup and development of new business leads, with key retailers in Europe, USA, and Canada.
- Managed team of two account managers, and I have built strong relationships with buying and merchandising teams, monitoring sales and product performance to identify key product performers, and improved product lead times.
- Development of new business leads, sales, and customer focus.
- Seasonal trend research and fabric selection.
- Calculate garment price, and negotiate price and delivery with factories and clients.
- Work closely with design, product management, and merchandising teams on management of product process from initial presentations through to delivery.
- Product development and range-building.
- Travel to Europe and international retailers and factories
Senior Sales Manager – Ladies Casual and Formal Outerwear
JEL DIRECT
01.2014 - 08.2016
- Supplying ladies outerwear to Lipsy, New Look, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse, River Island, Jane Norman, Orsay, Bershka, Zalando, Blue Inc, Quiz Clothing, East, Boohoo, and Select.
- Bring in new accounts, and to grow business. - New accounts New Look, Bershka, Orsay, Quiz Clothing, East, BHS, Etam France, and Boohoo.
- Working closely with design team to give customers exceptional products and new styles.
- Calculate garment price, and negotiate price and delivery with factories and clients.
- Weekly CP meetings.
- Sourcing product and fabrics from many places world wide
- Product development and range building based on trends.
- Factory compliance/audit
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Outerwear, Tailoring and Woven
VELMORE LTD
12.2012 - 01.2014
- Managed turnover of £17 million – increased turnover on Per Una by £3 million (overall turnover £35 million).
- The client was M&S with departments T62 Per Una, T50 Autograph, T58 Classics, and T57 Bottoms.
- Communicate and visit clients on a daily basis to grow relationships, and offer swift responses.
- Use understanding of client needs, profile, and in-store needs to highlight and push relevant products together with design.
- Calculate garment price, and negotiate price and delivery with factories and clients.
- Manage overall net margin and revenue within target.
- Weekly CP meetings via VC with China and Sri Lanka.
- Weekly meetings with all managers to discuss sales, targets, and problems.
- Fabric and trim sourcing, along with trips abroad for samples and inspiration.
- Work closely with and manage three designers on product and development.
- Increased turnover on T62 Per Una by 5 million US dollars by pushing other product areas.
- Secured core product lines on linen, PVL, and ponti with keen prices and updated styling.
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Formal Jersey
FREELANCE BREEZE LTD
07.2012 - 12.2012
- To open doors and increase turnover with current accounts, I was offered a full-time position.
- Clients were Next, Debenhams, Wallis, Oasis, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse, and ASOS.
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Formal Jersey
ARMONDI LTD
11.2011 - 07.2012
- Order taken from Evans & Wallis, but it was decided not to continue due to downturn in overall business.
- To set up a formal jersey department within an outerwear and tailoring company.
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Outerwear, Tailoring and Wovens
JAYROMA LTD
12.2009 - 11.2011
- Set up a new department and introduced new business – Managed turnover of £4.5 million.
- Clients were Debenhams, BHS, Dunnes, Tesco, EWM, Evans, M&Co, and Next.
- I was approached by Jayroma to set up a soft separates division and employ a team, including design and pattern cutting, and source a factory in Romania, supplying the current customer base and new accounts.
- Developed a range that was price-effective and different, managed the output of samples by making sure that all clients had their relevant samples for meetings and sign-offs.
- Provided support and direction for my designer where needed, in areas such as sourcing, design/development, and trims.
- Worked effectively with the pattern-cutters, speeding up the flow of patterns to produce more samples.
- Travelled for sales, design, and product appointments.
- Led presentations, agreed prices and lead-times, and developed and managed customer relationships.
- Managed a team of 1 designer, 2 pattern-cutters, QA, and trimmings buyers.
- Price and delivery negotiation with garment factory and suppliers, along with CP.
- Set up factory and managed production from Romania, including all fits.
- Set out realistic budgets and targets for the upcoming year.
- Weekly meetings with the director, and other sales managers.
Sales Manager - Ladies Jersey, Wovens, Occasion & Tailoring
ALISON HAYES LTD
05.2006 - 12.2009
- Managed turnover of £16 million, increasing turnover on BHS by £4 million.
- Clients were BHS, Tesco, Evans, Debenhams, and Wallis.
- Reporting directly to the Managing Director, I introduced BHS as a new client, and within a year, the turnover across all departments was £4 million.
- Fabric sourcing, fabric development, range building, working with pattern-cutters, and designers.
- Comparative shopping in the UK and abroad with customers.
- Development appointments with customers, and follow-up of samples.
- Garment pricing, negotiating prices with suppliers, and customers.
- Raising orders, liaising with the Vietnam production manager, and the shipping team.
- Managing two assistants, who supported me in the areas of sales, and trimmings.
- Planned yearly budgets, and ensured sales margins were met.
Sales Manager - Ladies Jersey
FRIDGE DESIGNS LTD
09.2003 - 05.2006
- Managed turnover of £8 million, working closely with director.
- Clients were Principles, Debenhams, Wallis, Evans, and Windsmoor.
- Attending clients' meetings, advising on prints, and arranging samples.
- Booking fabric, trims, strike-offs, and sampling.
- Sourcing fabrics, prints, and trims.
- Managing CP, booking production slots, and agreeing prices with factories.
- Attending fit meetings, checking gold seals, and approving bulk fabrics.
- Weekly meeting regarding targets, CP, margins, and design.
Senior Account Manager - Ladies and Children's Jersey
PAMPLEMOUSSE LTD
01.2001 - 09.2003
- Managed turnover of £12 million.
- Clients were Principles, DP, Adams, Wallis, Oasis, Monsoon, and Sainsbury's.
- Attending client meetings and following up with prices and samples.
- Attended all fit meetings and provided feedback to technical team.
- Chasing lab dip, print, emb, sequins, beads, and windings.
- Following CP, chasing test reports, and booking fabric/trims.
- Confirming prices and orders with factories in Portugal, China, and Turkey.
Production Assistant/Production Manager - Ladies Tailoring
SMITH &. BROWN
01.1994 - 01.2001
- Clients were Principles, Debenhams, Wallis, Richards, M&S, Monsoon, and Laura Ashley.
- Maintaining CP.
- Booking all fabric and trims, adding fabric to systems, and allocating all stock.
- Liaising with clients and merchandiser team.
- Agreeing prices and payments to factories.
- Chase gold seals and test report approvals before shipment.
Education
Skills
- Key account management
- Sales forecasting and strategy development
- Business development and relationship-building
- Client retention strategies
- Opening new accounts and optimising opportunities
- Product knowledge
- Negotiation skills
- Critical path management
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Understanding of fashion trends, and retail landscape's
Custom
LONDON, MOTTINGHAM, SE9
Timeline
Senior key account manager
Rubies UK
05.2022 - Current
Key Account Manager – Ladies, Kids, Men's, Luggage and Special Equipment
YKK Europe Global Marketing Group
04.2019 - 05.2022
Business Development Manager – Ladies, Kids & Mens Denim & Formal Bottoms
QUALITEX
08.2016 - 04.2019
Senior Sales Manager – Ladies Casual and Formal Outerwear
JEL DIRECT
01.2014 - 08.2016
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Outerwear, Tailoring and Woven
VELMORE LTD
12.2012 - 01.2014
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Formal Jersey
FREELANCE BREEZE LTD
07.2012 - 12.2012
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Formal Jersey
ARMONDI LTD
11.2011 - 07.2012
Senior Sales Account Manager - Ladies Outerwear, Tailoring and Wovens
JAYROMA LTD
12.2009 - 11.2011
Sales Manager - Ladies Jersey, Wovens, Occasion & Tailoring
ALISON HAYES LTD
05.2006 - 12.2009
Sales Manager - Ladies Jersey
FRIDGE DESIGNS LTD
09.2003 - 05.2006
Senior Account Manager - Ladies and Children's Jersey
PAMPLEMOUSSE LTD
01.2001 - 09.2003
Production Assistant/Production Manager - Ladies Tailoring
SMITH &. BROWN
01.1994 - 01.2001
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