Sara Upshaw

Achievements

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Cross-Functional Collaboration / Leadership
- $500,000 saved annually as a result of updating an antiquated data management system to improve data accuracy. For more information, click here.
- Directed a cross-functional team of approximately 97 employees in the implementation of a $27 million initiative to implement Retail Merchandising Suite.
- Improved the prioritization, funding, tracking and budget accountability between business and corporate IT divisions by developing and implementing formal engagement processes.
- Secured the support of the Foreign Service personnel to use technology by implementing the mainframe system and holding several corresponding training seminars.

Strategic Planning / Tactical Execution
- Provided the company with a $1.7 million upside to Outlet's margin by implementing a technology solution to allow for localized markdowns.
- Streamlined business analysis and retired more than 1,000 redundant Excel spreadsheets by implementing the company's first-ever merchandising enterprise data warehouse.
- Implemented the first Limited Official Use mainframe in Embassies and Consulates around the world.

Integrating Technology & Business Solutions
- Led an Enterprise Data Warehouse project implementation, which contributed to hundreds of thousands in cut labor costs across multiple brands. For more information, click here.
- Saved the company $2.3 million by designing, directing and implementing a proprietary promotion pricing application. For more information, click here.
- $1.3 million reduction to operating costs achieved annually as a result of restructuring data reporting processes.

Maximizing Vendor Relations / Negotiations
- Reduced man-hours by 57% after reviewing and attaining an agreement to the costing and assorting business case. For more information, click here.
- $2 million saved by negotiating a resolution to unapproved, key changes in a vendor contract.

Leveraging Customer Experience / CRM
- Eliminated 35% of the company's contract costs by persuading management to replace an outdated CRM system. For more information, click here.
- 47% increase in market penetration achieved by implementing best-of- breed CRM system.

Team Recruitment / Development / Deployment
- Successfully built 100% of the division's IT group from scratch, including job descriptions, competencies and success planning.
- Recruited an effective team to conduct a complete makeover of IT engagement practices to address informal, unplanned and unbudgeted IT projects.
- Effectively trained six senior-level direct reports on capital / baseline budget management and when to insource and outsource projects.
- Trained multiple junior consultants on C&L's process reengineering methodology, project management and improved team estimating of project deliverables.

Financial Performance Optimization / ROI
- Contributed to $5 million in revenue growth by delivering strategic efforts and excellent project implementation skills.
- Wrote excellent business cases in partnership with clients that led to the highest recorded ROIs for the company.

Business Process Reengineering / KPIs
- $6.3 million savings generated by reducing complex financial reporting processes in order to achieve difficult staff reductions.
- Eliminated 23% of product manufacturing costs by implementing Ariba, a new online e-sourcing tool at the company.

Sara Upshaw
4809 E. Thistle Landing Drive,
Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85044
info@scc.com