Purchasing manager for Staples Technology Solutions, Jenifer Devine, won this year’s Young Professional of the year Award for leading an initiative aimed at improving service and reducing working capital.
Traditionally Staples had operated a vendor centric model, however Devine identified the need for a restructure of this division, leading a project that was eventually called “the customer centric model”
A sales survey conducted at the end of this task uncovered great results: the difference in customer service as well as inventory availability transparency for sales teams was clear.
The judges said:
“Moving from a vendor-centric model to a customer-centric model, Jenifer Devine’s pioneering restructure has shown how creative thought leadership and innovation by young professionals is driving positive results in the logistics sector.”
At a recent sales leadership conference for the division the head of sales for technology solutions made it clear that without the changes Devine had led, monthly incremental growth and a 32 per cent reduction in working capital in this category would not have been possible.
Examples of wider supply chain leadership initiative’s Devine has taken ownership of include: S&OP management, inventory & investment strategies an catalogue transitions.
Devine described winning the award as her biggest achievement in the industry so far.
“Being the winner of this award you can see the way the industry is opening up to females working in the sector and it’s exciting to be working in a changing environment like that,” Devine said.
Devine praised Staples for the way the company encourages its staff to excel in any role.
“There are a lot of opportunities at Staples, I’ve had around 4 positions at the company and each time I’ve been promoted to the next level so they are open to progress and development within the company and are very understanding of the youth within the industry,” Devine said.