Procurement Manager

Role & responsibilities

Manufacturer & Market Discovery

• Identify qualified overseas manufacturers and direct factory sources using online research, industry directories, trade databases, trade-show information, and professional networks.
• Conduct regional industry and market research to identify manufacturing clusters, emerging suppliers, product trends, cost drivers, tariffs, shipping considerations, and production capabilities. Supplier Profiling, Vetting & Verification
• Develop detailed supplier profiles documenting company background, factory location, ownership, manufacturing capabilities, product categories, export experience, certifications, production capacity, markets served, minimum order quantities, lead times, commercial terms, and references.
• Perform preliminary supplier vetting and verification through online research, including business-registration checks, website and domain review, export history, certifications, reputation, and any litigation or compliance concerns. Supplier Communication & Coordination
• Contact prospective manufacturers, distribute introductory information and RFQ packages, obtain required documentation, and maintain regular follow-up communication.
• Serve as a communication bridge across time zones by communicating with Asian manufacturers during their business hours, gathering answers and documents, and preparing organized updates for U.S. review.

Coordinate meetings, document notes, track open items, and follow up with suppliers until required information is received. Bid & Data Management

• Enter, organize, and maintain supplier quotations and bid information, including pricing, Incoterms, freight, tariffs, minimum order quantities, lead times, payment terms, specifications, alternates, and exclusions.
• Support apples-to-apples bid comparisons by flagging missing information, inconsistent assumptions, specification deviations, proposed equivalents, and commercial differences between proposals. Maintain Excel-based supplier databases, sourcing trackers, bid logs, follow-up schedules, document registers, and sample trackers. Project Support & Confidentiality
• Help manage multiple sourcing initiatives from initial research through outreach, quotation, sample review, and preliminary qualification, then hand off for final commercial or technical evaluation.

Protect confidential business, supplier, pricing, and project information, and maintain organized electronic sourcing records.

Preferred candidate profile

• Working knowledge of supplier vetting, RFQ management, and bid/quotation comparison.

• Familiarity with Incoterms, freight, tariffs, and international commercial terms.

• Strong command of Excel for maintaining trackers, bid logs, and supplier databases.