Fashion Sourcing Lead: Factory Network & Compliance

Dobson Welch Recruitment Specialists; Greater London; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Dobson Welch Recruitment Specialists is seeking a Sourcing / Production Lead for factory sourcing in North London. You will own the factory sourcing process across Turkey, Morocco and China, partnering with design, technical and merchandising teams to ensure on-time, on-cost production to the required standards.

The role requires proven sourcing experience in fashion, strong garment construction knowledge, an established factory network, and strong negotiation skills.

Qualifications

• Recent and proven experience in a sourcing role within a fashion clothing supplier or clothing manufacturer.
• Strong understanding of garment construction and which factories suit which product types.
• Established network of factory contacts in key regions (e.g. Turkey, Morocco, China, Portugal, etc.).
• Confident negotiator with a strong commercial and costing mindset.
• Good working knowledge of ethical compliance and audit standards.
• Organised, proactive and able to manage multiple suppliers and deadlines.
• Willing to travel internationally.
• Commutable to London and eligible to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate and onboard new factories, assessing capability, capacity, quality standards and cost competitiveness.
• Place product with the right factory based on category, construction, volume and lead time requirements.
• Negotiate CMT and FOB prices, MOQs and terms to hit target costs and protect margin.
• Build and maintain relationships with an existing factory base across sourcing regions.
• Collaborate with technical and QA teams to ensure fit, quality and specifications are met.
• Monitor factory performance on delivery and quality and address issues quickly.
• Ensure factories meet ethical and compliance standards, including social audits (SMETA/Sedex, BSCI).
• Support sustainability and traceability initiatives (e.g., GOTS/OCS/GRS) when required.
• Track critical paths with merchandising and step in when production is at risk.
• Contribute to wider sourcing strategy, including new regions and near-shoring opportunities.
• Travel to factories and trade shows as required.

Skills

Sourcing leadership

Fashion manufacturing

Garment construction

Factory negotiations

Ethical compliance

Project management

Travel readiness

UK work eligibility

Job description

Dobson Welch Recruitment Specialists is seeking a Sourcing / Production Lead for factory sourcing in North London. You will own the factory sourcing process across Turkey, Morocco and China, partnering with design, technical and merchandising teams to ensure on-time, on-cost production to the required standards.

The role requires proven sourcing experience in fashion, strong garment construction knowledge, an established factory network, and strong negotiation skills.