Sourcing and Manufacturing Specialist

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in China.

📋 Description

• Identify and source products and suppliers comprehensively for portfolio companies, focusing on China along with the USA and other regions.

• Manage relationships with manufacturers, oversee production schedules, uphold quality standards, ensure timely deliveries, and resolve issues.

• Differentiate between factories and trading companies while negotiating directly at the source.

• Facilitate the launch of new SKUs through product feasibility assessments, sampling, packaging sourcing, and cost analysis.

• Negotiate supplier pricing, payment conditions, deposits, balances, and key milestones.

• Conduct quality control and quality assurance in collaboration with inspection partners.

• Oversee product safety and regulatory compliance testing, certifications, and necessary documentation.

• Manage international freight, logistics, import coordination, customs clearance, and delivery to warehouses.

• Enhance margins through packaging optimization, vendor negotiations, re-sourcing, and cost-reduction strategies.

• Establish a vetted supplier network and develop reusable sourcing playbooks across the portfolio.

• Leverage AI, automation, and modern tools to enhance sourcing, quoting, and supplier management.

• Collaborate with Supply Chain, product, marketing, CX, and Operations Engineering teams.

• Serve as the sourcing subject matter expert across various venture-studio companies and DTC e-commerce brands.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of practical experience in product sourcing, procurement, or manufacturing.

• Ideally, experience in supporting DTC e-commerce, consumer goods, or rapidly growing brands.

• Extensive hands-on experience sourcing from Chinese manufacturers.

• Familiarity with using Alibaba and/or 1688.

• Knowledge of significant Chinese manufacturing ecosystems and the supplier landscape.

• Proven track record in identifying, vetting, and qualifying reputable Chinese manufacturers.

• An existing network of Chinese factories and suppliers, or the capability to establish one swiftly.

• Experience with RFQs and negotiations involving pricing, minimum order quantities, Incoterms, payment conditions, lead times, packaging, tooling, and production timelines.

• Proficient in calculating landed costs, inclusive of freight, HTS classification, duty rates, customs costs, and import expenses.

• Familiarity with freight forwarders and customs brokers.

• Understanding of U.S. regulatory requirements and compliance validation.

• Experience with purchase orders, supplier contracts, procurement processes, and supplier agreements.

• Background in quality control, product testing, supplier audits, inspections, defect management, and corrective actions.

• Skilled in coordinating international freight and customs clearance.

• Experience guiding products from concept through sourcing, sampling, production, and launch.

• Strong supplier negotiation and relationship management abilities.

• Excellent analytical and systems-thinking capabilities.

• Capability to manage multiple products, suppliers, and portfolio companies concurrently.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills in English.

• Cultural fluency when collaborating with Chinese manufacturers and U.S.-based stakeholders.

• Availability to work full-time with a minimum of 4 hours overlap with U.S. Eastern Time.

• Comfort operating across CST (UTC+8) as required.

• Occasional travel to manufacturing sites may be necessary, comprising less than 15% of the time.

• High levels of grit, integrity, determination, resilience, and resourcefulness.

• Proficiency in Mandarin, experience in China travel, venture-studio environments, product development, industrial design, diverse-category sourcing, AI tools, and subscription-business experience are considered advantageous.

🏝️ Benefits

• Unlimited paid time off (PTO).

• Fully remote work arrangement.

• Business travel for MV projects covered by Mechanism.

• Compensation package designed for both short- and long-term balance and flexibility.