Kate McCarten

Product Innovation Specialist

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

About

Experience

  • Real Food For Real Kids (7 yrs 9 mos)
    • Product Innovation Specialist
      Jun 2025 - Present · 1 yr 1 mo

    • Sourcing Specialist
      Sep 2022 - Jun 2025 · 2 yrs 10 mos

    • Product & Service Design Coordinator
      Apr 2021 - Sep 2022 · 1 yr 6 mos

      - Source and negotiate pricing for all new ingredients, managing and fostering vendor relationships - Manage the New Product Development Process ensuring stakeholder alignment, budget requirements and cross-functional communication - Support with or creation and delivery of RFQ/RFIs - Develop new custom products with third party manufacturers - Manage internal allergen program to ensure safety of clients

  • Indigo Books & Music Inc. (8 yrs 7 mos)
    • Strategic Sourcing & Profit Improvement Manager
      Nov 2015 - Mar 2017 · 1 yr 5 mos

    • Coordinator, Store Planning & Construction
      Nov 2010 - Nov 2015 · 5 yrs 1 mo

      • Act as a key project assistant for the Construction team, interfacing with external and internal customers and vendors, including the PMO, general contractors, landlords, property managers and Starbucks. Coordinate all home office maintenance requests from employees to the Landlord and Maintenance Contractor. • Manage centralized RFQ, RFP process including issuance of documentation, scheduling and analysis of proposals

    • Administrative Assistant, Store Planning & Construction
      Sep 2008 - Oct 2010 · 2 yrs 2 mos

      Assist the Vice President of Store Planning and Construction and all Projects Managers in store renovations and role outs, liaise with Landlords and contractors, create Purchase Order’s and track all incoming and outgoing invoices, provide assistance to the Real Estate department, process short term agreements, perform due diligence of documentation, obtain internal approvals, coordinate document execution and instruct accounting regarding payments, book and track all travel for the department

  • English teacher at Nova
    Aug 2006 - Aug 2007 · 1 yr 1 mo

    - English teacher for child to senior students. - As classroom teacher, built rapport with students and families - Created trusting atmosphere through sensitivity to students' strengths, weaknesses and personal learning styles