Sourcing Manager
Job Description
We are seeking an experienced Sourcing Manager based in China to lead sourcing initiatives for a fast-paced apparel business. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies, identifying and managing supplier partners, negotiating costs, and ensuring vendors meet the company’s expectations for quality, compliance, speed, and commercial performance.
The ideal candidate has deep experience within the fast-fashion apparel industry, an established network of factories and suppliers throughout Guangdong, and a strong understanding of U.S. and European quality and compliance standards. This role requires a highly commercial, hands-on sourcing professional who can identify new opportunities, build strong factory relationships, and effectively partner with international teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute the company’s overall apparel sourcing strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives, product requirements, cost targets, quality standards, and delivery expectations.
- Continuously evaluate the sourcing market, manufacturing capabilities, material availability, pricing trends, and supplier landscape to identify opportunities and mitigate potential risks.
- Identify, evaluate, onboard, and develop apparel factories and strategic supplier partners, with a particular focus on Guangdong and surrounding manufacturing regions.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with factory owners, vendors, mills, and other key sourcing partners.
- Lead costing and price negotiations with suppliers to achieve competitive pricing while maintaining required quality, compliance, and delivery standards.
- Develop and implement cost-control initiatives, identifying opportunities to improve margins through supplier negotiations, material alternatives, production efficiencies, and sourcing strategies.
- Evaluate supplier capabilities across quality, capacity, speed, cost, compliance, technical capabilities, and reliability.
- Ensure suppliers consistently meet company standards and applicable U.S. and European quality, social compliance, and product safety requirements.
- Partner closely with product development, production, merchandising, design, and other cross-functional teams to understand product needs and translate them into effective sourcing solutions.
- Support the fast-paced product development and production calendars typical of the fast-fashion apparel industry, proactively identifying and resolving sourcing or supplier issues that could impact delivery.
- Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective action plans when issues arise related to cost, quality, compliance, capacity, or delivery.
- Maintain a strong understanding of emerging suppliers, manufacturing capabilities, materials, and sourcing opportunities within the China apparel market.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of sourcing management experience within apparel, ideally within a fast-fashion or high-volume, speed-to-market environment.
- Strong knowledge of apparel manufacturing, sourcing, costing, supplier management, quality, and compliance.
- Experience working with sourcing and manufacturing standards comparable to leading global fast-fashion retailers such as Zara and H&M.
- Deep knowledge of U.S. and European apparel quality and compliance requirements.
- Established network of apparel factories, vendors, and supplier resources in Guangdong, with the ability to quickly identify and engage qualified manufacturing partners.
- Proven track record of successfully negotiating pricing and driving cost improvements without compromising product quality or delivery.
- Strong understanding of the China apparel manufacturing landscape and supplier capabilities.
- Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Excellent spoken English is required.
- For non-Chinese candidates, professional proficiency in spoken Mandarin is required.
- Ability and willingness to travel regularly to factories and supplier locations throughout the region.
Meet Your Recruiter
Pooja Sachan
Originally from India, Pooja has spent 15 years in the design industry. Her passion is reflected in her previous entrepreneurial roles, and her current role as a fashion recruiter is like a match made in heaven. This enables her to utilize her skills into helping and guiding people to follow their passion and lead to them their ultimate goals.