Raw Materials Sourcing Manager

Position based in Ghana West Africa

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Company description 

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Ethical Apparel Africa (EAA) is a trailblazer in the West African apparel sector, offering international brands a gateway to ethical, cost-effective, and high-quality manufacturing. Working across both our own factories plus another 4 partner factories, we are a manufacturer of apparel products, exporting on average $5m of product a year.  By 2030 our vision is to directly create 10,000 jobs, over 70% for women and source / manufacture annual exports of $100M.

Our commitment to ethical practices is not confined to high-end products; we're proving that large-scale manufacturing can uphold these values too. From our base in Ghana, our seasoned team excels in product development, quality assurance, and more, ensuring a positive social impact with a worker wellbeing centric approach. 

Our garment manufacturing company specializes in both heavy and light weight garments including fleece, sweats, nightwear, underwear, shirts, schoolwear, dancewear, and even pet products. We work with mainly large scale brands in the USA and have strict quality and compliance requirements.

At EAA, we're not just operating factories; we're revolutionizing an industry starting it right from the beginning in West Africa. Collaborating with governments and development agencies, we're fostering an ecosystem ripe for industrial growth, setting a new precedent for ethical manufacturing on a global scale.

 

Position overview

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Join our dynamic team in Ghana, West Africa, and take on the role of Sourcing Manager in the thriving clothing manufacturing industry. This is your chance to make a tangible impact and spearhead industry development on an exciting new frontier. Reporting directly to the Merchandising Manager, you'll collaborate closely with our exceptional EAA teams in Ghana.

 

The RMS Manager will be working closely with the Merchandising and Technical teams and will be dedicated to support garment factories in procuring all fabrics, trims and packaging required to manufacture international orders in Ghana, Togo and Benin, while building strategic relationships with suppliers. This person will also work closely with partner factories and build their sourcing capability on an ongoing basis.

 

They will be accountable for the following areas:

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Factory training for export readiness

• Conduct training needs assessment at each Partner Factory 

• Develop a Sourcing training programme that can be trained at different levels of intensity to managers in partner factories to develop their sourcing skills

• Assess and analyze Trainees’ knowledge thanks to pre and post assessment and adjust training plan based on the needs.

• Complete training reports including training logs and pictures.

• Organize a Buyer visit with potential international clients and support factories for clients

• Promote smooth working relationships with factory partners through clear and proactive communication

 

Supplier Development

• Using their own contacts and also new research build a network of certified Tier 2 suppliers that provide strong material options to meet our Ethical Code of Conducts

• Build a strong sourcing library/network from the Far East, Europe, Asia and Africa in order to respond to all customer enquiries with prices and lead times at speed

• Research and develop a specific network of suppliers that are producing ethical, eco, sustainable and recycled fabrics at scale

• Be ahead of industry trends and news to seek new opportunities for improving our offering to clients.

• Attend sourcing events and trade fairs for the purpose of identifying new Material and initiating/ building relationships with suppliers

• Work with the Technical Director and dedicated consultants on an emerging project focused on catalyzing integration in the West African cotton supply chain

 

Fabric, Trim and Packaging Sourcing

• Review all brand fabric and trim manuals prior to sourcing to ensure all requirements are met, proactively flag any concerns at Risk Assessment stage

• Work with nominated fabric, trim and packaging sources where available to obtain raw material for sampling and bulk

• Find fabric, trim and packaging sources that meet our clients quality, lead-time and price requirements for sampling and bulk

• Suggest alternatives to the Merchandising Team if different fabrics, trims or packaging can meet spec and save cost or manufacturing complexity.

• At the costing stage for each new order agree a budget for testing and inspection and be accountable for ensuring this is kept to. 

• Build a sampling library of fabric and trims within budget to ensure samples for core products can be turned around in Ghana. Togo and Benin within 48 hours

• Complete cross costing exercises for all new orders and periodically for repeat orders as well

• Negotiate payment terms with suppliers to minimize risk and maximize flexibility

• Raise all Proforma Invoices and Purchase Orders with comprehensive and accurate terms and conditions and manage all ongoing communication with suppliers.

• Ensure all fabric and trims sourced pass the base EAA and client’s testing standards before bulk orders are placed

• Ensure all bulk fabric and trims pass testing and third party inspection before shipping

• Negotiate any issues with testing standards in bulk with minimal time and cost impact to EAA

• Negotiate any relevant date movements or price discussions where issues may occur in production

• Work on container consolidation and fill to maximize space and minimize shipping and cross country transportation costs

• Manage all communication for the raw material logistics providers removing delays and ensuring best prices (with support from EAA team where needed)

• Complete documentation and costing tools accurately to send prices to clients quickly in order to secure orders

• Use the Critical Path to report and explain delays, analyze root causes of delays, and propose solutions

• Start to develop packaging and trims locally to International quality working with local suppliers 

Qualifications & Attributes

 

• Fluent in English 

• Proven track record of similar position in the industry with more than 5 years’ experience 

• Ability to demonstrate a comprehensive list of contacts and relationships with fabric mills, trims and packaging suppliers, especially in woven fabrics, in several countries

• In depth technical understanding of the fabric development process from origin through spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing and testing

• In depth understanding of the apparel industry, critical paths, sourcing and product development

• Proven successful experience in training and developing training curriculum for factories Understanding of ethical compliance (Human Right Due Diligence) requirements within Tier 2 suppliers

• Understanding of logistics processes

• Preferred experience of working within a developing country/region

• Attention to detail and ability to analyze data

• Strong negotiation skills

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills across cultures

• Energetic with a passion for working in an enterprise with a social mission

• Ambitious big picture thinker who is solution driven, wants to work hard, learn and progress

• Evidence of the following characteristics: Pro-activity, self awareness; resilient and adaptable; persistent and resourceful; able to work under pressure and respect deadlines, apt at both strengthening relationships and resolving problems, poised, active listener; fun to work with; full of integrity; ability to multi-task and thrive in a fast-paced environment 

 

Benefits

 

• Full time employment contract 

• Salary level dependent on candidate experience and profile

• Annual flight and rent allowance

• Health and repatriation insurance

• 25 days of annual leave in addition to Ghana national holidays

• Opportunity to join a key department of an award-winning, dynamic, and mission driven organization that welcomes strategic input from all members

 

How to apply 

 

• Commencement Date: Fall 2024 

• Applications will be assessed continuously. 

• Please submit your resume along with a tailored cover letter for the position to talent@ethicalapparelafrica.com, ensuring the reference "EAA RMS 24" is clearly stated in the subject line. 

• Note that only complete applications with the correct reference will be reviewed, and only the most qualified candidates will be invited for interviews. 

• EAA is dedicated to equal opportunities in employment, welcoming talents from Africa and beyond. We strongly encourage applications from women, individuals with disabilities, and ethnic minorities.

 

For more information: www.ethicalapparelafrica.com