Udhayaraj S

Merchandising professional with 9+ years of experience across product development, buying support, vendor sourcing and bulk order execution for global apparel brands and retailers, plus 6 years' experience in industrial sales and production planning. Strong track record in sample approvals, vendor negotiation, T&A tracking and quality compliance — the same private-label sourcing and buying cycle used across large multi-brand fashion and lifestyle retail formats. Seeking to bring this multi-buyer, cross-category merchandising expertise to a GCC-based retail organisation, with flexibility to relocate to the UAE/Middle East.

Senior Merchandiser - First Steps Baby Wear Pvt Ltd - Hosur, India

(2020-01)

Own product development and order execution end-to-end, from buyer enquiry through bulk shipment. Buyers: NEXT, The Children's Place

• Develop base hangers and secure buyer sign-off; lead costing, evaluation and price negotiation.
• Drive approvals for fit, black seal and final samples, plus pre-production approvals (fabric quality, lab dip/yarn dip, AOP strike-offs).
• Prepare bulk booking forms from buyer enquiries; confirm ex-factory dates with planning teams against factory capacity.
• Manage yarn booking and PO/contract processing per booking forms; place bulk and in-house fabric/trim orders per T&A.
• Track fabric/trim test reports to ensure buyer quality standards are met ahead of bulk production.
• Hand over style files to factories and lead risk-assessment reviews with production, quality and IE teams.
• Ensure shortage-free, on-time delivery of cuts and shipments; send weekly progress reports to buyers on fabric/trim status and cut/sew starts.
• Coordinate with the Exim team on final stock and shipment handover; analyse fabric stock ageing post-cutting.

Factory Merchandiser - S.P. Apparels Ltd - Tirupur, India

(2018-01 - 2020-12)

Managed factory-level merchandising — product development, sampling and bulk production — across five international buyer accounts. Buyers: Tesco, Mothercare, Primark, Carrefour, K-Mart

Production Merchandiser - Premier Knits Apparel India - Tirupur, India

(2017-01 - 2018-12)

Coordinated production merchandising activities, bridging sampling, planning and production for on-time execution. Buyers: Vertbaudet, Blue Clothing (Dunnes)

Sales, Marketing & Production Planning - Jayachandran Plastics Pvt Ltd - Coimbatore, India

(2014-01 - 2017-12)

Handled industrial sales, marketing and production planning.

• Represented the company at Plast India 2015 (Gujarat) and Plast Vision 2017 (Mumbai), leading stall organisation.

MBA - Bharathiar University Distance Education (2014-01 - 2016-12)

B.E. - Maharaja Engineering College (2007-01 - 2011-12)

HSC - Vivekam Matric Hr Sec School (2006-01 - 2007-12)

SSLC - Vivekam Matric Hr Sec School (2004-01 - 2005-12)