Heather O'Donnell has over 15 years of experience in retail management, visual merchandising, and buying roles. She holds bachelor's degrees in fashion merchandising and business management. Her experience includes senior management positions at Zara, Macy's, and Bloomingdale's where she oversaw visual merchandising, sales, inventory, and staff. Currently, she is seeking a new retail management opportunity in New York.

1. Heather O’Donnell
1714 66th Street • Brooklyn, NY 11204 • (646) 241-4019 • heatherodonnell18@yahoo.com
EDUCATION
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE
November 2014-
PRESENT
September 2011-
November 2014
March 2009-
August 2011
April 2007-
February 2009
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ART & DESIGN, Miami, Fl
•Bachelors Degree in Fashion Merchandising, June 2004
STONY BROOK STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, Stony Brook, NY
•Bachelors Degree in Business Management, December 2001
ZARA GENERAL MANAGER
•Customer Service Provides highest level of care to customers Visual Merchandising
•Consistently ensures the floor is fully stocked with merchandise; Merchandises the store with the
support of the visual merchandising team Sales & Stock Management
•Opens and closes registers with cashiers at the start and/or end of the day within their department
•Oversees the receiving of new shipments (stockroom layout, garment sensors, display)
•Controls all returns/damages/store transfers for department; Oversees store inventories for
department and ensures the highest level of accuracy
•Consistently meets sales goals set by upper management while striving to exceed expectations
•Buying-Keeps up to date on product information regarding fits, fabrics, sizes and current season
trends; Places orders for their department based on sales and latest market trends
•Loss Prevention- meet shrinkage goals within their department
•Human Resources -Ensures the proper training for all staff and recognizes potential candidates for
promotion ;Recruits, interviews, develops and maintains a strong department team members; Ensures
that all HR procedures are followed (payroll, store coverage, budgeted hours, training)
MACYS HERALD SQUARE SENIOR DISTRICT VISUAL MANAGER
•Creative merchandise presentations, seasonal fashion trend statements, three-dimensional visual
presentations, Corporate shop concepts
•Develop new fixtures, display elements, an visual eusing vendor resources and partnerships
•Utilize sales reports and results to impact business along my partnership with Central Buying Team.
•Identify best sellers and key items; communicate merchandise needs
•Responsible for the training and development of vendor relations
•Ensure Sales and Promotional Event set-up
•Coordinate selling floor fixture and merchandise moves with Merchandise Team Manager
•Maintain high standards; deliver a clean, neat and easy to shop store environment
•Train store management and support teams on merchandising standards, proper fixture utilization
•Set prototype visual directives and distribution of directives to all stores to implement
•Responsible for training, coaching and the development of store team, Assistant VM and associates.
•Submit, Review, and Approval of Purchase Orders
•Conduct ongoing Talent Analysis of Associates and establish career progression plans for key players
and positions to result in retention of best people and turnover reduction.
•Communicate all merchandising directives to store team, clearly communicate company, store and
departmental objectives to visual team
BLOOMINGDALE’S VISUAL MANAGER - RTW New York, NY 59TH
Street
• Created seasonal and quarterly layouts and floor
• Prepared stock and sales plans together with buyers and district merchants
• Created layouts and floor plans
• Forecasts sales and profits using programs, planned budgets, optimized sales volumes, and
designated product areas or profitability, controlled stock levels and high visual standards to represent
brand image.
• Running the business and facilitating in-store growth and profitability.
• Work in conjunction with Account Executives, Regional Merchandisers, Buyers, and store line
personnel. Dealing with customer requests, overallbusiness
• Analyze my business on a daily / weekly / monthly basis
• Obtaining knowledge of competitions business and sharing it with my staff.
• Lead seminars, teach staff how to prioritize and make decisions in my absence,
• Enforcing markdowns, ensuring current stock levels and on-orders are in line with the stock turns.
ALDO SHOES AREA STORE MANAGER
SOHO, W4TH, KINGS PLAZA, NEWPORT CENTER
• Ensures all sales goals are achieves and sales floor is adequately covered, across all4 doors in

2. January 2005-
April 2007
August 2004-
December 2005
Region.
• Sets an example with constant client contact, ensuring the steps of Distinctive Service are followed
and that employees communicate seasonal product information.
• Works with District Sales Manager and Field Product Manager from all stores, analyzing business
trends, developing and executing plans to maximize sales.
• Communicate best sellers and merchandising needs to District Sales Managers.
• Implementation best practices rolled out of merchandise directives in a timely manner, evaluating the
impact of product placement and standards.
NEW ERA CAP Co., BUFFALO, NY
Visual Merchandise Manager/Project Manager for the US, Canada, China, the UK
• Work with Visual Merchandising Team, POP Coordinator, 3- D/Environmental Graphic Designer
Design Services, and internal Urban and Action Sports SBU personnel to improve New Era’s presence
and Visual Merchandising standards in Urban and Action Sports accounts, as wellas manage and
assist with ongoing Visual Merchandising projects as they pertain to these accounts.
• Oversee all visual direction for all flagship stores, retaillocations, individual sport shops and 30
Major League Baseball Stadiums.
• Created brad directives for seasonal and promotional set ups and merchandise standards for new
product placement.
• Coordinate and keep up to date in a shared location, a calendar for the VM Dept. to track product
launches, events, and key SBU dates and POP needs. Allocate and track Advertising and POP orders.
• Provide critical in-store support for the SBU’s Business Planning process by developing, delivering,
and ensuring proper implementation of Visual Merchandising initiatives and POP collateral through
both innovative and effective digital and manual-based direction, as well as field visits.
• Develop and distribute visual merchandise such as seasonalfloor sets, vendor shop set-ups or
complete re-design, and new store layouts including signage and graphics, to create a highly focused
merchandising environment. Orchestrate and update the Merchandising boards.
• Communicate to SBU Directors from retail, in leveraging POP support to increase product
volume/market share at retail.
• Analyze industry landscape to understand competitors in –store positioning and presence and the
impact merchandising has on sell-through.
DAVACO, INC., Dallas, Texas
Visual Merchandising Coordinator for national merchandising company
• Perform a wide-array of retail merchandising services for clients based in Manhattan, Brooklyn,
Queens and Long Island; locations include Macy’s (16 stores), Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth
Avenue; client brands include DKNY JR's, BCBG, Kenneth Cole, 4YOU, Akademiks, Tommy
Hilfiger, Green Dog, Nick Danger, Warnaco, Columbia Sportswear, and Nike.
• Consistently meet or exceed sales quotas, generating an average across-the-board increase in sales
of more than 35%. Specific activities include negotiating for prime locations within stores, creating
visually appealing product displays and a highly focused merchandising environment, by developing
and executing visual merchandise standards and objectives. Interact extensively with customers to
determine local market wants and needs. Train sales staff / specialists in all aspects of merchandising.
• Conduct extensive market research to identify merchandising trends and opportunities; engage in
comparison-shopping activities and competition research. Prepare in-depth reports and analyses,
including performance reviews, sales, and margin reports. Provide to Account Executives with
strategic direction and advice as to brands and line development, updated financial buy plans.