Microsoft Office – Outlook, Word, Excel(pivot tables, V lookup, concatenate, etc), Power Point, Teams
Garth Gerber
RETAIL/FMCG/SALES/MANAGEMENT
Bloemfontein
Summary
I am an experienced regional operations manager with 15 years' experience in FMCG, specializing in sales, merchandising, project management and customer relations. I am energetic, result driven and enjoy working with people and adding value to a team. One of my core beliefs is always doing more than what is expected of me and over delivering on any expectations in my personal and professional capacity.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
year of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Regional Operations Manager
OK Franchise Division
03.2022 - 04.2024
- Project Manager (new stores and revamps) - merchandising plans, opening orders, project plan, opening promotions, marketing, leading site meetings, staff training, etc
- Development Manager (new stores and revamps) - layout plans, construction, supplier quotes, installations, spec adherence, shop fitting, equipment, timelines, etc
- Category management per store - product range, category flows, product placement, space allocation on shelf
- Managing corporate stores - staff appointments, disciplinary hearings, staff scheduling, payroll, maximizing sales and profit, costings, product range, customer relations, purchase orders, departmental performance, controlling/monitoring waste and expenses, etc
- Service Departments (bakery, butchery, fruit & veg, take aways) - quality control, costings, recipes, range, flows, pricing and production planning
- Training - Best retail practices, merchandising principles, monitoring and driving modules per store
- Implementing sales growth strategies and achieving sales targets per store - EDLP's, relays, ranging, promotions, marketing, pricing, supplier deals
- Compliance - Monitoring and implementing food safety, hygiene, OHS, fire safety, first aid, compliance documentation in all stores
- Best retail practices - implementing and maintaining national and regional standards in all stores
- Legal documentation - managing, monitoring and accurate completion of all legal documentation between stores and the legal department
- Financial - Managing Cash Flows, Income Statements, Financial Statements, Operating Costs, operating profits per store
- Debtors - Managing arrears accounts, payment plans, securities, management statements
- Sourcing - Identifying and engaging with new potential members and store conversions
- Applications - managing all new applications, documents, site meetings, etc
- Monthly store visits - advising all franchisees in terms of opportunities, disciplines, profitability, range, merchandising, standards, etc
- Monitoring marketing campaigns - compliance and follow through in all stores
- Overall management of stock takes - bin plans, capturing, variances, management of staff, etc
- Feasibility studies for new potential stores - demographics, potential turnover, competitors, etc
- Monitoring regional budgets vs actuals and ensuring that targets are achieved
Regional Category Manager
SPAR South Rand
05.2016 - 03.2022
- Company Overview: Category Management Division
- Team leader for store implementations, revamps and relays - 7 merchandisers and 1 supervisor
- Designing and implementing floor plans for all stores (product and category placement)
- Implementing and maintaining planograms (product placement) in all stores
- Ranging - identifying and implementing the optimal product range for all stores according to volume sales, profit, category alternatives and store LSM
- Space allocation - analyzing volume sales and determining the exact space allocation per product and per category for all stores
- Data analysis - stock holding, range efficiency, sales performance per category, non-performing products, promotional contributions, etc
- Range efficiency - minimizing non-performing categories and products in all stores to reduce waste and improve cash flow
- Training - all internal merchandisers, store staff, store managers and new employees
- Store audits - compliance, range, flows, supplier KPA's and pricing
- New product innovations - communication to stores, liaising with suppliers and follow through at store level
- Store segmentation - determining the correct cluster per store according the relevant market, LSM, store size and customer profile
- Supplier meetings - aligning with sales and merchandising agents and suppliers to ensure that all initiatives are achieved at store level
- I achieved a 100% for all my annual key performance appraisals conducted by head office
- Category Management Division
Regional Manager
SRS Free State and Northern Cape
03.2014 - 05.2016
- Income and expense management - staff, vehicles, office, etc
- Staff Management - 30 merchandisers, 7 reps and 3 area managers
- Key account responsibilities - allocations, listings, price increases, new product innovations
- Reporting - feedback to suppliers, budgets vs actuals, sales performance, strategy execution and promotional compliance
- Implementing all sales and merchandising responsibilities and strategies - Spar, PnP, Shoprite/Checkers, Shield, Masscash, Independents retailers, Wholesalers, etc
- HR responsibilities - Staff appointments, disciplinary hearings, payroll, scheduling and time keeping
- Leading all trade visits with national key account managers and national sales managers
- Trade shows - representing, organizing and attending on behalf of suppliers - Spar, Checkers, OK Grocer/Foods
- Presentations - strategy meetings, supplier meetings, staff training and national sales meetings
- Implementation of operational systems and controls to improve the efficiency of the region
- Analyzing monthly and annual targets - implement strategies to grow sales and achieve targets
- Driving maximum product distribution in all stores, as well as consistent stock pressure
- Promotional material - distribution and execution in all stores
Sales Representative
SRS Free State and Northern Cape
01.2010 - 03.2014
- Sales - driving sales and achieving sales targets in all retail groups
- Reporting - feedback to suppliers, price surveys, photos, promotional campaigns, product distribution
- Negotiation - space allocation, off shelf displays, gondola ends, deals, new products
- In store execution of product displays and stands
- Implementing in store sales drives - cross merchandising, merchandising strips, EDLP's, point of sale material
- New business acquisition - cold calling
- Stock counts and Despot Maintenance
- Planogram implementation - product placement within every category
Education
BACHELOR'S DEGREE - Marketing and Corporate Communication
University of The Free State
Bloemfontein12-2011
High School Diploma -
Jim Fouché High School
Bloemfontein 04.2008 - 12.2008
Skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Analytical
- Computer Literacy
- Critical Thinking
- Relationships
- Negotiation
- Networking
- Project Management
- Target and result driven
- Problem solving
Personal Information
- ID Number: 9007275064083
- Driving License: Code B
- Marital Status: Engaged
Training Completed
- Advanced sales & Merchandising
- SAP - All aspects
- Data Management
- Health and safety
- Store Management
- FICA for accountable institutions
- Self-guided learning
- Growth mind set
Software
Sigma - SPAR POS System
In Range – SPAR Ranging
Insight – SPAR data analysis
Drop Wizard – Spar space allocation analysis
Arch – OK POS System
Arch Enterprise – OK data analysis
SAP – Shoprite/Checkers POS system
Timeline
Regional Operations Manager
OK Franchise Division
03.2022 - 04.2024
Regional Category Manager
SPAR South Rand
05.2016 - 03.2022
Regional Manager
SRS Free State and Northern Cape
03.2014 - 05.2016
Sales Representative
SRS Free State and Northern Cape
01.2010 - 03.2014
High School Diploma -
Jim Fouché High School
04.2008 - 12.2008
BACHELOR'S DEGREE - Marketing and Corporate Communication
University of The Free State
Similar Profiles
Davenia OrrenDavenia Orren
Personal Assistant Divisional Managers at OK Franchise DivisionPersonal Assistant Divisional Managers at OK Franchise Division
Leah MadsenLeah Madsen
Classroom Teacher, Inclusive Education Teacher at North East School Division/Tisdale School DivisionClassroom Teacher, Inclusive Education Teacher at North East School Division/Tisdale School Division
Andrea Perez RichardsAndrea Perez Richards
Tax Technician 1 at State of California, Franchise Tax BoardTax Technician 1 at State of California, Franchise Tax Board