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WORK EXPERIENCE

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SKILLS

Key Responsibilities in My Previous Roles

01

Product Design + Development

  • Ideate and develop concepts based on market research, consumer insights, and market gaps.

  • Create visual concept decks for stakeholders and vendors to initiate the first rounds of sampling.

  • Manage product testing with internal teams and external customers, conducting and analyzing survey results.

  • Report project status, including completed milestones, upcoming deadlines, risks, and mitigation strategies.

  • Communicate product feedback and necessary changes to company stakeholders and vendors.

  • Negotiate costs and prepare detailed cost sheets.

  • Collaborate with the creative team to develop packaging.

  • Compile information to place purchase orders.

  • Forecast SKUs for new product launches.

  • Manage key milestones in the NPD process to ensure timely launches.

  • Oversee logistics and timelines for photoshoot samples, marketing samples, and production units.

  • Update and document product information files, including specification sheets, sample logs, and dieline files.

  • Create product visual decks for cross-functional teams to highlight new features.

  • Supervise internal quality assurance processes to maintain high-quality standards.

  • Inform the team when products are ready for launch.

  • Conduct post-mortem analyses of launch results versus expected KPIs.

02

Innovation & Research

  • Develop new hair shades based on customer demand and emerging trends.

  • Produce weekly reports on competitor launches and industry trends.

  • Conduct testing and analysis of competitor products.

03

Operations/ Admin

  • Manage SKU uploads and updates in NetSuite.

  • Handle the return of defective products for vendor credit.

  • Provide SRP recommendations for new and existing products.

  • Update all product information, including specification sheets, approval forms, and technical documents.

  • Conduct vendor meetings and maintain strong vendor relationships via email.

04

Quality

  • Ensure quality standards for existing products and implement necessary running changes.

  • Address and manage color variance issues common in hair extensions.

  • Oversee reworks resulting from failed quality assurance checks.

  • Develop processes for the QA team to efficiently inspect products, providing clear instructions for various types of inspections (new vs. existing products).

RESUME

April 2023 - December 2023

July 2022 - April 2023

January 2021 - July 2022

May 2019 - August 2019

Hotheads and Hairtalk (USA & Germany) - Beauty Industry Group

Product Design + Development Manger

  • Restructured the New Product Development (NPD) process, resulting in streamlined operations and increased efficiency: standardized project timelines and established clear concept approval procedures, implemented structured weekly meetings with senior leadership to ensure alignment and timely decision-making, overhauled testing and sampling processes to enhance product feedback, created detailed product information sheets for better documentation and traceability, organized a database of over 3,000 existing SKUs, improving inventory oversight and accessibility.

  • Collaborated with the Creative team to redesign sustainable, luxe packaging for over 2,000 SKUs across all product lines.

  • Implemented enhanced product testing procedures for the QA team, ensuring high quality, consistency and timely vendor feedback, reducing vendor turnaround times by 2 weeks and limiting reworks.

  • Developed and implemented a new SKU naming process across 13 Beauty Industry Group brands to ensure consistency and clarity, facilitating clear identification of each product type, hair color, hair length,etc., by its SKU name.

  • Played a key role in developing an innovative, gentle bleach technique to address significant quality concerns raised by stylists, customers and retailers. Successfully re-launched the updated product with enhanced hair quality and in new packaging, solidifying the brand's strong presence on retailer shelves.

Luxy Hair - Beauty Industry Group

Associate Product Design + Development Manager

  • Led 16+ successful new product launches (274+ SKUs) from concept to market, including new innovations, expansions in shades/methods, and limited edition collections. Oversaw sampling, testing, product approvals, and packaging development to ensure seamless execution.

  • Developed and launched Luxy Hair’s first influencer product collaboration. The collaboration went viral on social media, with four sold-out re-launches selling over 11,600 units with sales over $410,000. Initially a limited-time contract, the product's success led to a multiple-year renewal with the influencer, becoming Luxy Hair's top-selling accessory of all time, attracting 90% new customers and greatly enhancing the brand's market presence and reach.

  • Developed and launched a new 12” length hair extension for customers looking to add fullness. In 2022, this product was our top performing new launch. In 2022 and 2023, we sold 4,440 units generating revenue exceeding $710,000.

  • Achieved a 97% on-time product ready date for new launches, surpassing company targets through strengthened supplier relations, meticulous oversight of logistics, and proactive communication with stakeholders throughout the NPD process.

  • Led a project to reduce color variances across 40 shades, standardizing color production by coordinating with all factories to match an approved color ring. Resulted in fewer QA rejections, reduced complaints, and improved product consistency.

  • Developed and launched a viral weekender bag selling over 2,000 units, featured by influencer Alix Earle, garnering tens of millions of views. This successful Black Friday Cyber Monday gift-with-purchase initiative became the first of its kind, leading to an annual strategy of launching premium items to drive sales during this time period.

Luxy Hair - Beauty Industry Group

Product Design + Development Coordinator

  • Developed and launched the first salt and pepper gray human hair extensions on the market, achieving sales of over 4,200 units and generating revenue exceeding $677,000. Following launch, the hair color and blend have been emulated by competitors keen to replicate our success by tapping into this emerging market segment.
    Led the initiative to secure the Vegan Action Certification for a six-product hair care line, overseeing a meticulous approval process that spanned over a year. I collaborated closely with regulatory authorities, certification bodies, formulation labs, and raw material vendors to ensure compliance with stringent criteria.

The TJX Companies, Inc.

Allocation Analyst Intern

  • Analyzed sales and inventory reports daily in order to predict demand and decide the optimal product mix for the children’s department across 90 Marshalls stores nation-wide; resulted in a diverse and seasonally appropriate merchandise floor that ultimately drove the highest sales comp over last year of any department.

© 2024 By Melissa Wong. 

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