Jocelyn Antony Pinto

Operations (Process Management, Communications, and Database Management):

• Leading a team of Specialists and Officers (team of 5 personnel), ensuring seamless registrations of 10,000+ applications for 15+ product categories across 10+ markets year-over-year.
• Performed KSA Registrations with an innovative strategy, resulting in a 50%+ decrease in shipment level registrations and 80%+ shipments consistently certified within 24 hours in 2023.
• Guided a team of specialists in developing Compliance Guides that covered pre-shipment inspection, marking/labelling, and testing requirements for key product categories (Toys, Apparel, Footwear, Electricals, and Food Contact Materials) across 10+ markets.
• Managed to provide technical support to the Operations Team for shipment certification markets (KSA, KUWAIT, MOROCCO, EGYPT) to facilitate the issuance of the final certificate for 75% of the shipments within the business SLAs.
• Ensure timely distribution of regulatory alerts to the business and devising a market access plan with minimal impact on the supply chain.
• Managed centralized trackers for 20+ brands, facilitating smooth registration-related information flow across various functions.

Strategic Planning (Project Management) & Stakeholder Management:

• Supported internal Planning and Development Teams in implementing an online reporting tool and migration of Product registration/certification data from conventional Excel trackers for 10+ brands.
• Successfully onboarded brands like Disney-USA, Milano, and BOHOO-UK, facilitating their regulatory access journey to Alshaya Markets.
• Revitalized Claires-USA's presence in GCC markets by collaborating closely with Claires-USA and an external consultant to establish an end-to-end optimized process for GCTS toy registrations. This initiative ensured compliance with GCTS-mandated markets and resulted in a remarkable 97% reduction in timelines for product registrations.

People Management:

• Facilitated people development through mid/end-of-year performance reviews and quarterly 1-2-1 sessions with team members.
• Devised training plans and collaborated with the team to develop effective training materials for the training of new members and seamless handovers.
• Motivated team members to actively participate in Alshaya Social Events, including Women's Day, Sports activities, and festivities.
• Organized team bonding events and farewells, collaborating with nominated team members to ensure a positive and supportive environment.

Vendor Management:

• Negotiated and managed SABER registration contracts with 3+ suppliers, totalling $2.1M. Achieved a minimum 25% reduction in overall registration costs year-over-year.
• Handled day-to-day communications and conducted business reviews for certification and testing partners.
• Maintained strong business relationships while assessing business plans, positive outcomes, challenges, and customer feedback.
• Serve as the Representative for SGS Gulf Limited Dubai Industrial Committee. Also, the primary point of contact for discussions on Technical Regulations with GSO, MoIAT, and SASO.

Cost Management & Finance:

• Collaborated with the Head of Department and Invoicing personnel to ensure a seamless invoicing process for 10+ vendors, maintaining zero accruals over the last 2 years (until 2023).
• Received ARC Platinum recognition from Steve Vickerstaff (Chief Operating Officer) for achieving collective savings of approximately USD 283,824 in registration and compliance activities during 2021.
• Consistently reduced annual functional costs by a min. of 15% across registration and shipment certification areas, up to 2023.
• Introduced an innovative registration model for ESMA/MOAIT registrations, resulting in a 23% decrease in registration costs during 2023.
• Achieved around 30% cost optimization in Saber registration unit costs during the first half of 2023.
• Managed invoice payments for 10+ vendors, totalling $3.6M, achieving 100% invoice submissions without any accruals until 2023.

Technical Consultation and Stakeholder Management:

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop Product Compliance Guides and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering regulatory and compliance processes and requirements for products including Textiles, Footwear, Jewelry, Toys, Electricals, and Food Contacts across 10+ markets.
• Provided technical consultation to 20+ International Brands across 10+ product categories, ensuring compliance with Alshaya market regulations for successful new product development and product safety.
• Developed Vendor Compliance Guides for 5+ brands based on a gap analysis review of Technical Documents as per EU/US Protocols.
• Managed technical discussions with 20+ Brands with the support of the team, to build technical files for product registrations and certifications.

Vendor Management:

• Identified and shortlisted accredited local/international testing laboratories to facilitate testing for 20+ Brands.

Database & People Management:

• Managed a team of 2 personnel responsible for creating, updating, and maintaining a registration document database and trackers for 20+ International Brands.

Shipment Certification, Product Registration/Certification, and Stakeholder Management:

• Member of the core technical team for consignment-based conformity assessment (CBCA) for Middle East and African Contracts. Also, key member of the product certification team, which reviews upcoming SASO and GSO technical regulations, streamlines the GCTS and SASO IECEE certification process for clients; and negotiates and finalizes technical documentation requirements.
• Verification of compliance as per Middle Eastern and African country requirements for products ranging from consumer types such as household appliances, luminaires, IT products, textiles, food products, and toys to industrial types such as machinery, metals, and alloys.
• Certification of products as per GCC requirements based on GSO technical regulation for LVE (Low Voltage Electrical) equipment and appliances and Toys to issue G-mark Type certificate.
• Investigated and justified cases with customs, authorities, and regulatory bodies such as SASO, PAI, TBS, GOIEC, and UNBS where discrepancies have been reported during monitoring and surveillance.
• Performed product certification and assisted clients with the registration process for various SASO compliance programs such as SABER Product Registrations, SASO IECEE certification, and Energy Efficiency labelling (EEL) & Energy Efficiency Registration (EER).

Technical Consultation:

• Developed cost-effective test model as per SASO technical regulation requirements for key clients by performing manufacturer risk assessment and gap analysis based on existing test reports, manufacturer declarations, supplier audits, and certifications as per national and international standards.

People Management

• Managed a team for the highest revenue-generating account for the Government Services, business line of the organization.
• Managed training of new/existing members for VoC & Product Certification Programs.
• Created training material for inspectors for global Physical Inspection Centers (PICs) to ensure consistency in inspection reporting.

Vendor Management:

• Coordinated with regional offices and vendors to arrange inspection and test reports for client's global counterparts.

Inspections, Reporting, and Communication:

• Perform inspection following CBCA (Consignment Based Conformity Assessment) requirements and guidelines.
• Perform inspection to check compliance of products according to national and international manufacturing standards using Product Inspection Check Lists (PICLs).
• Report discrepancies concerning product marking, quantity, and quality based on the physical verification of the goods.
• Communicate non-conformities and other inspection findings with the exporters or manufacturers.

Inspections, Reporting, and Communication:

• Perform inspections in compliance with the WTO (World Trade Organization) requirements to help international trade operators comply with the latest legislation.
• Perform inspections to combine confirmation of the buyer's specifications, and quantity and value controls of imports/exports.
• Report discrepancies in terms of product marking, quantity, and quality based on the physical verification of the goods.
• Report critical product information for pricing and determination of taxation codes.
• Witness loading and sealing of containers. Also, report container deformities and additional goods that are loaded that are not declared under shipping documents.