Sourcing Manager

AW Connect; Dubai; On-site; AED 268,000 - 469,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

International travel

Asia factory visits

Supplier network development

Job summary

AW Connect in the UAE seeks a hands-on sourcing and product development professional responsible for identifying and managing suppliers, negotiating with factories and ODM partners, and driving products from concept to sampling, production and launch.

The role collaborates with suppliers across Asia, coordinating with Hong Kong agent, quality partners and internal teams to ensure viability, feasibility and delivery to standards.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on sourcing experience in Asia (China, Vietnam, Cambodia).
• Proven ability to manage factories/ODM suppliers and negotiate terms.
• Experience in product development: prototypes, sampling, supplier coordination.
• Good technical understanding of manufacturing processes and certifications.
• Strong product sensitivity and market trend awareness.
• Autonomous, structured, able to manage multiple suppliers.
• Willingness to travel regularly to Asia; based in UAE.

Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing across accessories and lifestyle products with focus on Asia.
• Identify and develop relationships with factories, ODM suppliers.
• Build and maintain supplier network with factory visits and reviews.
• Negotiate pricing, MOQs, lead times, and commercial terms.
• Oversee product development from concept to production, including sampling.
• Coordinate with Hong Kong agent, quality partners, and internal teams.
• Ensure products meet quality, certification, and compliance requirements.
• Monitor timelines, costs, quality, and production progress; address risks.
• Maintain supplier, development, and sourcing documentation.
• Support seasonal ranges and new supplier opportunities.

Skills

Sourcing experience in Asia

Negotiation skills

Product development

Supplier management

Travel to Asia

Commercial mindset

Technical feasibility

Communication

Problem solving

Job description

This is a hands-on sourcing and product development role with responsibility for identifying and managing suppliers, negotiating with factories and ODM partners, and driving products from initial concept and sourcing through to sampling, production and launch.

The role will work closely with suppliers across Asia and coordinate with the client's Hong Kong agent, quality partners and internal teams to ensure products are commercially viable, technically feasible and delivered to the required standards.

A retail background is ideally preferred but not essential. We are particularly interested in candidates with strong Asian sourcing experience who understand factories, ODM relationships, product development and the realities of taking products into production.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing activities across a portfolio of accessories and lifestyle products, with a particular focus on China, Vietnam and Cambodia.

• Identify, assess, qualify and develop relationships with factories, manufacturers and ODM suppliers.

• Build and maintain a reliable supplier network, including regular factory visits and supplier reviews.

• Negotiate pricing, MOQs, lead times, payment terms and commercial conditions.

• Challenge suppliers on cost, quality, specifications, lead times and proposed solutions to achieve the best commercial outcome.

• Manage product development from initial concept and supplier identification through prototypes, sampling, revisions, approvals and production.

• Work with suppliers to assess product feasibility, manufacturing constraints, production timelines and technical requirements.

• Review materials, finishes, components and construction to ensure products meet the intended creative and commercial direction.

• Contribute to model, colourway, material and gift-set selections, bringing a strong understanding of product and market trends.

• Monitor competitor activity, market developments, materials and emerging product opportunities and proactively bring new ideas to the business.

• Support the development of seasonal product ranges and identify opportunities for new categories and suppliers.

• Coordinate closely with the Hong Kong agent, quality partners, factories and internal stakeholders throughout the sourcing and development process.

• Ensure products meet relevant quality, certification and compliance requirements across different categories.

• Monitor sourcing timelines, costs, quality and production progress and proactively address risks or delays.

• Maintain structured supplier, product development and sourcing documentation.

• Support the business in developing and scaling a strong, commercially viable accessories supply base.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for an experienced sourcing professional who is commercially minded, technically capable and comfortable working directly with factories and suppliers.

Essential

• Strong, hands-on sourcing experience in Asia, particularly China, Vietnam or Cambodia.

• Proven experience managing relationships with factories and/or ODM suppliers.

• Strong negotiation skills, particularly around pricing, MOQs, lead times and product specifications.

• Previous experience in product development, including prototypes, sampling and supplier coordination.

• Good technical understanding of manufacturing processes, feasibility, lead times, production constraints and certification requirements.

• Strong product sensitivity, with an understanding of trends, materials, finishes and relevant market opportunities.

• Ability to understand creative/product direction and translate it into commercially and technically feasible products.

• A proactive and curious mindset, with the confidence to challenge suppliers, identify better solutions and bring new ideas.

• Strong communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Highly structured and autonomous, with the ability to manage multiple suppliers and stakeholders independently.

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to Asia for factory and supplier visits.

• Currently based in the UAE.

Ideally

• Previous experience within retail, fashion, sportswear, lifestyle, accessories or consumer products.

• Experience sourcing across multiple product categories.

• Background with an international brand, sourcing office or ODM/OEM environment.

• Existing supplier relationships across China, Vietnam or Cambodia.

• Experience working with a Hong Kong-based sourcing agent or quality partners.

• Strong commercial understanding of product costing, margins and supplier negotiations.

• Experience contributing to range planning, product selection and seasonal collections.

What We’re Looking For

This role would suit someone who is hands-on and genuinely curious about product and sourcing.

You should be comfortable getting into the detail with factories, questioning specifications, challenging costs, finding alternative materials or production solutions and pushing suppliers to improve.

We are looking for someone who doesn’t simply manage suppliers — they actively manage the sourcing strategy and influence the product outcome.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in developing and scaling an international accessories range and its supplier network.