Ducem Buyuksonmez
San Diego
Summary
Accomplished as a Director of Operations; skilled in leveraging operational efficiency and team leadership to drive business growth. Proficient in inventory management and financial analysis, enhancing supplier relations and procurement efficiency. Skilled in managing procurement processes to ensure timely fulfillment of customer orders and purchasing inventory aligned with demand forecasts, optimizing stock availability and minimizing excess inventory. Achieved significant improvements in operational processes and customer satisfaction.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief of Staff to the CEO
Conquer Scientific & Gentech Scientific
01.2025 - 08.2025
- Executive Liaison: Serve as a strategic liaison between the CEO and internal teams across both companies, ensuring alignment on priorities, seamless communication, and execution of key initiatives.
- Strategic Partner: Act as a thought partner to the CEO, offering insights on business strategy, operational improvements, and long-term planning, including the procurement of strategic assets.
- Reporting & Communication: Prepare high-impact briefs, sales reports, KPIs, and financial summaries for internal stakeholders and external audiences, including the Board of Directors.
- Site Leadership: Lead day-to-day operations of the West Coast site, overseeing inventory management, sales support, and order fulfillment to ensure operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
- Procurement & Asset Management: Drive cost-effective procurement of critical assets such as analytical instruments, chromatography systems, general laboratory equipment (e.g., centrifuges, balances), and other essential tools.
- Vendor Management: Manage and negotiate with domestic and international vendors to ensure quality, cost control, and reliable supply chain operations.
Director of Operations
Conquer Scientific
08.2023 - 08.2024
- Operational Leadership: Managed day-to-day site operations, ensuring adherence to SOPs, implementation of KPIs, and compliance with safety and regulatory standards. Acted as the primary liaison between the corporate office and the site.
- Team Supervision & Training: Supervised and trained employees across departments, promoting operational consistency and high performance.
- Procurement & Vendor Relations: Spearheaded procurement of scientific instruments including chromatographs, mass spectrometers, and centrifuges. Managed orders for lab supplies, hazardous materials, and facility needs. Negotiated with OEMs and third-party suppliers to secure cost-effective pricing, warranties, and service support.
- Inventory & Financial Management: Maintained inventory using Fishbowl; calculated Cost of Goods Sold. Managed invoicing, A/R, and A/P through QuickBooks. Generated and analyzed financial reports, including Profit & Loss and Balance Sheets.
- E-Commerce Management: Oversaw and managed e-commerce platforms, including Chromatographyparts.com and LabX. Handled product listings, pricing strategies, and regular updates to ensure competitive visibility and sales performance.
- CRM & Order Tracking: Utilized HubSpot for customer support, service tracking, and warranty claims. Ensured customer satisfaction through timely resolution of issues and proactive communication.
- Compliance & Facility Coordination: Managed procurement of hazardous materials and compressed gases in line with safety standards. Coordinated inspections and compliance communications with city authorities and the fire department.
- Business Development & Partnerships: Set product pricing through market evaluation. Built and enhanced supplier and partner relationships. Negotiated contracts and fostered long-term vendor partnerships.
- Facility Oversight: Opened and closed the office daily, ensuring all security and operational procedures were followed.
Operations Manager
Conquer Scientific
07.2021 - 08.2023
- Cross-Departmental Support: Collaborated with warehouse, sales, and service departments to ensure smooth execution of day-to-day tasks and interdepartmental workflows.
- Order Fulfillment Assistance: Coordinated order fulfillment processes by organizing and verifying shipping documentation, including Bills of Lading (BOLs), Shipper’s Letters of Instruction (SLIs), and shipping labels.
- Facility Coordination: Facilitated routine facility maintenance, equipment upgrades, and compliance with safety standards in partnership with internal teams and external vendors.
- Shipping Optimization: Supported logistics operations by organizing outgoing shipments, minimizing delays, and identifying process improvements for increased shipping efficiency.
- Receiving Oversight: Received and organized incoming shipments, ensured documentation accuracy, and resolved any receiving discrepancies with vendors or internal systems.
- Quote Approvals: Handled quote approvals for the sales team, ensuring accuracy of pricing, terms, and warranty information
- Cycle Counts & Audits: Participated in regular inventory counts and annual physical inventory processes to ensure accurate stock levels.
- Stock Control: Assisted with restocking, labeling, and organizing inventory based on forecasted demand and supply needs.
- Fishbowl System Usage: Created and tracked sales orders, work orders, and purchase orders within the Fishbowl Inventory System.
Warehouse Inventory Control Manager
PMBC Group
09.2020 - 07.2021
- Inventory Oversight: Led comprehensive inventory management efforts, including regular stock checks, labeling, and product organization. Participated in quarterly and annual physical inventory counts and cycle audits.
- Discrepancy Resolution: Investigated inventory discrepancies by analyzing transaction history, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and implementing corrective actions.
- Inbound & Outbound Logistics: Processed incoming shipments by unpacking, inspecting, verifying contents against invoices, and restocking. Generated work orders, bills of lading, and packing slips. Checked goods received against purchase orders and monitored for damage or contamination.
- Order Fulfillment & Support: Fulfilled customer orders and coordinated delivery of consumables and instruments for service engineers. Maintained timely communication with suppliers and customers regarding lead times and changes in order status.
- Warehouse Operations: Maintained an organized, clean, and hazard-free work environment. Improved warehouse layout and processes to expedite inventory retrieval and increase efficiency.
- Procurement & Vendor Relations: Negotiated pricing with vendors to reduce acquisition costs while maintaining quality. Calculated transportation charges from vendor price lists and selected appropriate shipment methods based on budget and timing.
- Training & SOP Implementation: Trained new staff on inventory procedures and best practices, ensuring consistency and compliance with operational standards.
Education
MBA - Business Management
San Diego University For Integrative Studies
San Diego, CA06-2023
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration And Management
San Diego University For Integrative Studies
San Diego, CA04-2020
Certificate - International Business Administration
San Diego University For Integrative Studies
San Diego05-2019
Skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Team building
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Revenue generation
- Strategic Sourcing & Cost Reduction
- Scientific Equipment & Consumables Procurement
- Supplier Negotiation
- Supplier management
- Contract Management & Compliance
- Purchase Order & Quote Processing
- Administrative management
- Inventory management
- Financial analysis
- Analytical thinking
- Multitasking Abilities
- Staff management
- Team leadership
- Supply chain management
- Cost analysis and savings
- Customer service management
- Quality assurance
- Staff training/development
- Decision-making
- Sales tracking
- Operations management
- Operational efficiency
- P&L management
- Proficient in ERP Applications
Affiliations
SAMPS- Sales and Marketing Professionals in Science SAMPS- Sales and Marketing Professionals in Science
Member · Dec 2024 - Present
Languages
English
Full Professional
Turkish
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Chief of Staff to the CEO
Conquer Scientific & Gentech Scientific
01.2025 - 08.2025
Director of Operations
Conquer Scientific
08.2023 - 08.2024
Operations Manager
Conquer Scientific
07.2021 - 08.2023
Warehouse Inventory Control Manager
PMBC Group
09.2020 - 07.2021
MBA - Business Management
San Diego University For Integrative Studies
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration And Management
San Diego University For Integrative Studies
Certificate - International Business Administration
San Diego University For Integrative Studies
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