Melanie Cook
Quinton
Summary
Driven and experienced professional with a strong background in procurement. Skilled in researching market trends, sourcing quality goods, and building vendor relationships to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Known for anticipating emerging style trends through data-driven analysis and creative insight. Eager to leverage procurement expertise and strategic thinking to drive organizational growth and tackle new challenges.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Procurement Customer Advocate
UNFI, Inc.
04.2024 - Current
- Owned supplier performance reporting, including trend analysis, and facilitation of weekly performance reviews.
- Manage promotional readiness through suggestive analysis and reporting cuts and late POs, deliver ad hoc reporting for issue resolution with cross-functional partners.
- Collaborated closely with Supplier Relationship Managers in supplier meetings and providing inventory operations recovery, capacity planning, and alignment on replenishment.
- Managed and participated in DC capacity initiatives by escalating risks, and partnering with SRM and Operations on mitigation plans.
- Supported supplier compliance initiatives by monitoring missed delivery appointments and driving corrective action for reliability.
- Partner with account managers to ensure projections and suppliers meet the 85% fill rate threshold required to meet demand.
Replenishment Buyer II (Natural)
UNFI, Inc.
08.2023 - 04.2024
- Collaborated cross-functionally with SRM, sales and operations on replenishment efforts with business objectives.
- Worked with forecasting team to identify purchasing trends and fluctuations in demand, allowing for proactive adjustments in placement.
- Coordinated promotional activities with planned ad placement to ensure stock levels were maintained during high-demand periods.
- Enhanced supplier relationships through effective communication, building trust for long-term partnership opportunities.
- Optimized inventory turnover rates by regularly reviewing product performance data and adjusting order quantities as needed.
- Analyzed inventory reporting to address concerns of potential shrink and partnered with supplier and/or sales to mitigate risk.
Procurement Operations Buyer II
UNFI, Inc.
09.2021 - 08.2023
- Managed inventory of numerous assigned vendors across 30+ distribution centers within company network.
- Analyzed sales and inventory data to determine root cause of potential shrink and worked with replenishment buyers on recommendations to reduce future risk.
- Participated in weekly supplier calls to discuss inventory concerns and strategy to relieve problematic inventory.
- Mitigated risk of shrink associated with aged and excess inventory by utilizing internal transfers and vendor returns.
- Prepared month recap for The Fresh Market account of spoilage to be charged back at end of period.
- Provided training and guidance to newly hired team members.
Replenishment Buyer II (Conv)
SuperValu/UNFI, Inc.
09.2014 - 09.2021
- Optimized inventory turnover rates by regularly reviewing product performance data and adjusting order quantities as needed.
- Improved inventory management by accurately forecasting product needs and placing timely orders.
- Supported new item launches by collaborating with customer and merchandising to ensure seamless integration into existing inventory systems.
- Tracked inventory shipments and worked with transportation/vendor to expedite delivery when required.
- Enhanced customer relationships with The Fresh Market through weekly calls to discuss any issues impacting service level and promo readiness.
- Developed cost-effective strategies to maintain inventory levels while eliminating risk of spoilage.
Planogram Analyst I
SuperValu, Inc.
01.2010 - 09.2014
- Created and managed planograms for assigned categories using space planning software to optimize shelf space, product placement, and overall efficiency.
- Queried and cross-referenced data to generate insights supporting assortment decisions, shelf layout, and customer focused merchandising strategies.
- Collaborated with merchandising using data-driven recommendations based on product flow, brand representation, and regional trends.
- Analyzed market trends using Nielsen data to inform product assortment strategies.
- Partnered with cross-functional teams to align with business objectives and optimize inventory management processes.
Education
Associate of Science - Business Administration
J. Sargeant Reynolds CC
Skills
- Natural and conventional grocery experience
- Verbal and written communication
- Customer service
- Multi-tasking strength
- Relationship building
- Cross functional collaboration
- Analysis & problem-solving aptitude
- Attention to detail
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office
- Host systems expertise
Certification
- JDA Space Planning – Level I
- Category Management Knowledge Group (Manager & Analyst)
Timeline
Procurement Customer Advocate
UNFI, Inc.
04.2024 - Current
Replenishment Buyer II (Natural)
UNFI, Inc.
08.2023 - 04.2024
Procurement Operations Buyer II
UNFI, Inc.
09.2021 - 08.2023
Replenishment Buyer II (Conv)
SuperValu/UNFI, Inc.
09.2014 - 09.2021
Planogram Analyst I
SuperValu, Inc.
01.2010 - 09.2014
Associate of Science - Business Administration
J. Sargeant Reynolds CC