Sourcing Manager

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Sourcing & Product Development Manager to lead a sourcing function responsible for turning commercial briefs and product ideas into competitive, manufacturable solutions.

This is not purely a procurement role. The successful candidate will combine sourcing, product development, supplier management, costing and team leadership to improve product quality, speed, commercial competitiveness and supplier capability.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Sourcing & Costing

• Develop sourcing strategies for new product opportunities, pitches and client requirements.
• Translate budgets, quantities, timelines and product requirements into viable sourcing solutions.
• Lead supplier negotiations on pricing, commercial terms and manufacturing options.
• Challenge supplier quotations and identify opportunities to improve cost through materials, construction, production methods or supplier strategy.
• Develop costing benchmarks and improve visibility of expected manufacturing costs.
• Review major sourcing proposals and identify opportunities to strengthen commercial competitiveness.

Product Development & Innovation

• Work with internal teams to convert concepts and briefs into manufacturable products.
• Advise on materials, construction methods, production processes, finishing, printing, packaging and tooling.
• Identify new products, materials, manufacturing technologies and supplier capabilities.
• Develop alternative product solutions where appropriate to improve cost, quality or overall value.
• Assess manufacturing feasibility early in the product-development process.
• Stay informed on emerging consumer, product and manufacturing trends.

Sampling & Prototyping

• Lead prototype and sample development across priority projects.
• Maintain strong sample-quality standards before products are presented externally.
• Ensure samples accurately represent what can be commercially mass-produced.
• Challenge weak execution and work with suppliers to improve construction, materials or finishing.
• Drive faster sampling turnaround while maintaining quality and feasibility.

Supplier Development

• Build and maintain a strong supplier and factory network across relevant manufacturing markets.
• Identify and evaluate new factories, suppliers and manufacturing capabilities.
• Develop direct supplier relationships where commercially appropriate.
• Maintain alternative supplier options to improve competitiveness and reduce dependency.
• Evaluate suppliers across cost, quality, innovation, speed, reliability and sampling capability.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and maintain structured supplier information.

Feasibility & Handover

• Assess production feasibility, lead times and delivery risks during the sourcing stage.
• Consider sampling, approvals, tooling, production, quality control, packaging and logistics when developing solutions.
• Flag risks early where timelines or requirements may affect final delivery.
• Ensure awarded projects are handed over with clear specifications, approved samples, suppliers, costs, lead times and known production risks.

Governance & Supplier Management

• Maintain transparent and traceable supplier-selection and quotation processes.
• Ensure supplier information, commercial terms and sourcing decisions are properly documented.
• Support strong standards around supplier ethics, conflicts of interest and procurement governance.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop the sourcing team.
• Manage priorities and workload across multiple concurrent briefs.
• Improve team capability across negotiation, product knowledge, costing and supplier management.
• Build shared category expertise and reduce dependency on individual supplier knowledge.
• Promote accountability, commercial thinking and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Degree or diploma in Supply Chain, Merchandising, Buying, Business, Product Design, Fashion, Retail or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience across sourcing, merchandising, buying, product development or related functions.
• Previous team-leadership experience is essential.
• Strong knowledge of Asian manufacturing and supplier markets, particularly China.
• Demonstrated experience working directly with factories and suppliers.
• Strong commercial negotiation and costing capability.
• Good understanding of materials, manufacturing processes and product feasibility.
• Strong product sense and ability to evaluate quality and execution.
• Confident working across multiple product categories and unfamiliar product briefs.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Able to travel to supplier markets when required.
• Strong English required; Mandarin would be highly advantageous for direct supplier communication and negotiation.