Commercial Operations Manager in Print Sector

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Serial No: 7597

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Short Bio:

An experienced and capable individual who enjoys the hands on approach to business with experience of both the commercial/manufacturing and sales sides of commerce. Able to cope under extreme pressure, used to working in fast paced environments and delivering results within targets and to expected levels. Reliable, efficient, results/target driven. A long term involvement in the print and packaging sector (covering all aspects from press apprentice through print studio work, dtp, and sales/account management) has provided me with technical, commercial and sales skills.
Highly capable of working at board room level with internationally recognised clients such as Paramount, EMI, Universal, Warners, Sony Music, Disney, and Eidos bringing print/packaging from concept stage to finished products suitable for retail environments.
My role as Account Director required me negotiate and win the deal, then continue as the conduit between the client and manufacturing to ensure smooth running and timely delivery of finished product to market.
As part of the International Paper group I was often challenged with the project management of US derived projects with high invoice values – and high expectations - to be sold into European markets. Often the European arm of a client would want to work as autonomously as possible from the US colleagues sometimes posing problems with outsourcing and time management which helped develop my skills in communication with various time zones and parts of the globe, either within International Paper/Shorewood or directly with the outsource suppliers.
During my career I have also built up relationships via outsourcing, I have bought commercial sheet fed print, web print, print on plastics, metallic foils/paper, special packing/box manufacture, print finishing etc.
I have built teams and worked within teams, developing strong relationships with both colleagues and clients.
Past roles have also required me to gain knowledge in purchasing, outsourcing, developing SLA’s, managing KPI’s and putting together P & L reports for projects.
I am adept at Word, PowerPoint, Excel and some design software; I enjoy problem solving and delivering results in a timely and orderly fashion.
Responsibility and accountability were prerequisites that my clients expected of me and I relished the challenges of working in such a tough, fact paced environment.
I have a keen interest in using my transferable skills in other employment sectors and working in different countries, eager to experience different cultures whilst also enhancing my knowledge of international commerce.
I believe I have accumulated both technical and sales skills over the years in the print environment including a high level of commercial awareness, many of these skills can be adapted and used in other business sectors. I am able to work either within the UK or abroad either on a permanent, contract or temp basis and I look forward to adopting my next opportunity.

Current location:  United Kingdom - View on map

Preferred Sector of Employment:  accounting and finance

Spoken languages: english

Location I am interested in working: Anywhere

Selected achievements

– Utilised knowledge and skills to create and provide environmentally aware eco solutions for clients.

– Worked closely with the General Manager, Quality Department to design, install and assess processes that meet ISO 9002 quality management system.

– Implemented effective Human Resource management systems to identify areas of weakness implement training for key personnel and effectively manage underperforming employees.

– Delivered successful implementation of a MIS system which involved re-programming the software to cope with the different operating environments

– Employed excellent sales skills to grow personal sales from £1.0m to £3m in 2 years

Employment

July 2013 to October 2013

Temporary Account Manager

Working for Xerox on the Lloyds Bank rebrand exercise. Client facing role including problem solving, manufacturing liaison, artwork checking to include technical checks to ensure product from creative agency could be manufactured successful.

Extensive use of Xerox asset management system, spreadsheets, daily client calls. Involved working in a high pressure environment and adopting a “can do” attitude.

April 2012 to May 2013 – Self-employed work – please find additional details of non related work below

December 2009 to July 2010

Print and Packaging Consultant – Modo Ltd

Acting as print and packaging consultant for multimedia design agency. Duties involved introducing the company to new clients, acting as intermediary between the designer, the client and manufacturing to ensure “ideas” could be converted successfully for the manufacturing process. Working alongside the Director in a client facing role

January 2007 to August 2009 – Shorewood Packaging Ltd

Account Director Home Entertainment Sales

Roles include Account Director for major replicators, multimedia companies such as EMI, Universal, Eidos, Disney, Fox. Experienced in global sourcing for special packaging including plastic, rigid box, APET, RPET, eco substrates and working on pan European and global projects.

Taking technical and creative briefs and working with clients to project manage and fulfil their expectations.

Developed strategic outsourcing relationships enabling the business to offer a “complete” client solution. Colour control and manufacturing acumen utilized for press passing and problem solving.

Active at board room level to negotiate print contracts, participate in Vendor review processes, attend KPI meetings and communicate results through to manufacturing, structure and write SLA’s in partnership with both the client and manufacturing stakeholders, lend technical expertise to the client as well as internal manufacture.

Leveraging global resource to implement “best price” sourcing from our vendors

International travel involved throughout Europe and bi-annually to the US

Have become environmentally aware through Shorewood’s global position including knowledge of Wal-Marts 7 R’s policy and actively present and provide eco solutions for our clients print requirements.

May 2003 – January 2007

UK Sales Director, Shorewood – EPC Europe Ltd, Ebbw Vale

The company was set up in December 1999 as a joint venture between Shorewood Packaging in the U.S. and The Electronic Page Company (EPC) of Cwmbran, in January 2000, Shorewood Packaging were taken over by International Paper. I was selected as Sales Director in 2003 following the departure of the previous incumbent, I have seen my personal sales increase from £1.0m in 2003 to around £2.5m for 2005; these figures do not include “house” accounts which also come under my control and contribute to our overall turnover of £8m. My duties have been broad and varied a brief outline follows:

• Recruitment, training and overall management of Estimating Department

• Overall management and support of 3 Sales Executives

• Client liaison with Blue Chip companies at Boardroom level

• Actively engaged in Sales and Marketing seminars on a global level as part of the International Paper Group. Attended International Paper conferences on both Sales and Manufacturing, giving presentations and holding discussions concerning the global impact of changes in the home entertainment industry i.e. cause, effects, solutions.

• Setting of plant and staff objectives based on corporate goals in liaison with the Plant Manager

• Full responsibility for the plant’s Sales budgets with consultation to corporate head office

• Key client liaison for critical issues

• Appeals Manager for Human Resource issues

March 2001 – March 2003

Sales Manager and Head of Estimating, Shorewood – EPC Europe Ltd, Ebbw Vale

Whilst still assuming full responsibility for the MIS system I had installed my role within the company became increasing complex. I took full responsibility for estimating for the Sales Director and 3 Sales Executives. Due to certain factors I found myself becoming increasingly more involved with our client base, our sales initiatives, our manufacturing capabilities which eventually lead to my role as Sales Manager overseeing my own client base but also giving full support to the existing Sales Executives and Director.

• Working closely with the General Manager, Quality Department to help the design, installation and assessment to ISO 9002 quality management system. The system was awarded accreditation to ISO 9002 by BSi in 1998.

• The implementation of effective Human Resource management systems to identify areas of weakness and implement training for key personnel or to “weed out” ineffective employees

January 2000 – March 2001

MIS Manager and Estimator, Shorewood – EPC Europe Ltd, Ebbw Vale

Having previously successfully installed the Imprint MIS system into EPC Cwmbran I moved out of our commercial print division and into the multimedia division which came via a joint venture between EPC Cwmbran and Shorewood Packaging Ltd. It was my responsibility to execute the successful implementation of the MIS system which involved re-programming the software to cope with the different environments between commercial and multimedia print, full training for all operators including Customer Services, Despatch and Accounts departments. As part of the implementation of the MIS required expert knowledge of print estimating this also became one of my duties.

May 1996 – January 2000

Technical Director of EPC Cardiff Ltd

EPC Cardiff Ltd was set up in 1996 as an offshoot of EPC Cwmbran to concentrate on the large format display print market. My initial role was to oversee the internal running of the company alongside the M.D and S.D. I was responsible for a small team of 7 employees and also the training of a Crossfield Drum Scanner Operator. I worked closely with the Sales Director on key client issues such as colour quality, delivery schedules and Human Resource activities. I was instrumental in the negotiations and installation of a new Heidelberg DI digital press, staff training and sales and marketing for the press. Although already fully conversant with Adobe Photoshop as a pre-requisite of being a high end Scanner Operator I now became conversant with electronic file preparation using Quark, Illustrator and Freehand.

November 1991 – May 1996

Reprographics Technician, EPC Cwmbran

I was employed as part of a team of 4 using Crosfield high end drum scanners. Initially outputting raw scans to film output devices, then Winchester hard drives and eventually via direct link to a Macintosh platform which in turn required a comprehensive knowledge of Adobe Photoshop for image manipulation. I was recognised as having excellent colour judgement and during ’94 to ’96 I was often “contracted out” to a very large and well know magazine printers to train their staff and give advice on colour issues.

June 1987 – November 1991

Reprographics Technician, Owen Studio’s, Cardiff

I was employed by Owen Studio’s initially as a final film planner which involved page make-up by hand before that advent of electronic pre-press. Owen Studio’s with one of the first to purchase a Dainippon Screen Jumbo Scanner which I was trained on. As the scanning department grew I trained a further 2 operators who worked under my jurisdiction on a shift pattern basis.

December 1986 – June 1987

Final Film Assembler, St Ives Plymouth

June 1984 – December 1986

Final Film Planner & Colour Re-Toucher, Optima Studio’s, Cardiff