Olha Melnyk-Jones

• Collaborate cross-functionally with the Head of Design, Buying, Merchandising, and Logistics teams to ensure seamless end-to-end product delivery.
• Managed vendor relations and production oversight, monitored manufacturing schedules, set priorities, and resolved material discrepancies or production bottlenecks, preventing timeline delays through proactive resolution of material shortages and production queries.
• Financial Analysis: Deliver accurate garment costings and margin calculations, directly supporting profitability goals and target margins.
• Negotiated commercial terms with suppliers, including pricing, minimum order quantities (MOQs), and delivery schedules to optimise cost-effectiveness and ensure timely deliveries.
• Audit and approve supplier invoices, ensuring financial accuracy and adherence to budgets.
• Evaluate supplier data to safeguard delivery timelines and ensure profit margin targets were consistently met.
• Oversaw sample approval process, ensuring quality standards and design specifications were met prior to mass production, contributing to the overall integrity of the production line.
• Coordinate international logistics by preparing compliant shipping documentation for European exports and overseas imports/custom clearance.
• Utilised internal software for order creation, material booking, and inventory allocation.
• Contribute to weekly production and distribution planning meetings to align operational workflows and timelines.

Full-time

On-site

• International Logistics & Supply Chain Setup: Designed and managed complex cross-border logistical chains from the ground up, ensuring the secure and timely delivery of humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and emergency rescue vehicles (ambulances) from the UK to Ukraine.
• Direct Field Collaboration & Needs Assessment: Interfaced directly with hospital staff and frontline evacuation units to conduct real-time needs assessments, ensuring aid directly matched the most critical requirements on the ground.
• Established and maintained communication networks with diverse international vendors and volunteers; led alignment meetings to ensure teams remained organised and responsive to changing conditions.
• Handled regulatory requirements independently, preparing and processing customs documentation to ensure compliant cross-border transit under tight timelines.
• Co-founded grassroots charitable organisation in response to urgent humanitarian crisis, building operational, administrative, and logistical frameworks from scratch to facilitate effective response.

Managed a hybrid work environment, balancing remote and on-site responsibilities effectively.

Self-employed

• Led end-to-end product lifecycles from initial concept to mass production for the "Kite" school bag and backpack brand, resulting in the team winning the prestigious "Choice of the Year" award across multiple markets for five consecutive years.
• Managed product development team of 5, coordinating with sales, design, and merchandising departments to align brand strategy and enhance market competitiveness.
• Spearheaded seasonal design concepts and mood boards, continuously analyzing fashion trends, consumer preferences, and competitor landscapes to maintain market leadership.
• Collaborated with the Head of Design to approve all product aesthetics, functional shapes, packaging, and labeling, including supervising product testing and optimization.
• Oversaw international sourcing and sample development, establishing raw material standards and product costing sheets to achieve target margins.
• Directed supplier relations and contract negotiations, securing competitive pricing and optimal delivery terms while structuring efficient production plans across factories.
• Managed the quality control and factory audit processes in China through bi-annual manufacturing site visits, implementing rigorous compliance frameworks aligned with ISO and SMETA/Sedex standards.
• Guided the product development and licensing approval pipelines with major global licensors, including Disney, Sanrio, Mattel, Hasbro, Nickelodeon, FC Juventus, and FC Barcelona.
• Represented the company at international trade shows and industry conferences, partnering with the Brand Manager to execute catalogs and marketing campaigns.

Full-time

On-site