Raw Material Sourcing and Procurement

Consultancy Contract

Position based in China (ideally in Guangzhou or Shenzhen)

 

Company description 

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Ethical Apparel Africa (EAA) is a sourcing company that provides international apparel brands with ethical, cost competitive and quality manufacturing solutions in West Africa. Our vision is to demonstrate that ethical manufacturing can and should be done at scale, not just associated with luxury or expensive products. Based in Ghana and Benin, EAA has a dynamic team bringing decades of experience from around the world in product development, quality assurance, account management, social impact, operations and finance.

EAA is working to unlock the tremendous potential of the West Africa apparel industry, supporting African-owned factories to grow exports to the US, UK, and Europe. EAA focuses on developing factories in a lean, sustainable, and ethical way that sets the standard for garment manufacturing in a West African context. We work closely with government and development agencies to develop an ecosystem for industrial growth -- including the launch of a Center of Excellence for local skill development and efforts to catalyze investment in an integrated cotton value chain. By 2023 we aim to create 2,500 worthwhile jobs in the apparel sector in West Africa. This is an exciting time to join EAA.

 

Position overview

 

The Logistics and Merchandising Partnerships teams are responsible for identifying new industry clients, securing orders and driving product development to form strong, communicative and mutually beneficial commercial relationships. The Consultant will be based in China and will work on a remote basis collaborating with the Ghana-based team.

Reporting to the Business Development Director, the Consultant will be responsible for procuring all fabrics, trims and packaging required to manufacture EAA orders for a set of EAA accounts, while building strategic relationships with suppliers. This person will also work to continually propose new cost effective sourcing options across the entire EAA supply base of fabric, trims, and packaging.

 

They will be accountable for the following areas:

 

Supplier Development

• Drive continuous improvement on raw material pricing for EAA existing orders / material needs through strong negotiation and cross-sourcing

• Maintain & Review Suppliers KPIs / scorecards and use the data / results for future improvements & negotiations

• In addition to existing suppliers, investigate new suppliers to build a network of certified Tier 2 suppliers that provide to-spec and cost competitive Material options alongside meeting the EAA Ethical Code of Conduct

• Build a strong sourcing library/network in order to respond to all customer enquiries with prices and lead times at speed

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

• Where possible, attend sourcing events and trade fairs for the purpose of identifying new materials and initiating/ building relationships with suppliers

 

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 materials 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 Brands Partnerships 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. 

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

• Negotiate payment terms with suppliers to minimise risk and maximise 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 with the EAA Logistics Team on container consolidation and fill to maximise space and minimise shipping and cross country transportation costs

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

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Qualifications & Attributes

 

• Fluent in English 

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

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

• 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

• Understanding of ethical compliance requirements within Tier 2 suppliers

• Understanding of logistics processes 

• Attention to detail and ability to analyse 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
 

• This is a consultancy position. Compensation level will be dependent on candidate experience and profile.

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

 

How to apply 

 

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

• Please send a resume and a specific cover letter for the position to talent@ethicalapparelafrica.com with the reference in the subject line “SOURCING - CHINA 21”

• Only completed applications with accurate reference will be considered and only the most qualified candidates shortlisted for interview

 

For more information: www.ethicalapparelafrica.com