Sourcing Manager (Maternity Cover - 12 Month FTC)

SUPERDRY; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave + holidays

Birthday day off

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Staff discount 50%

Flexible working hours 10am–4pm

Onsite parking

Learning & development resources

Volunteer time off

Cycle to work

Job summary

Superdry is seeking an experienced Sourcing Manager to oversee sustainable category management and lead supplier relations to deliver world-class products on time and within budget.

You will work with Merchandising, Brand, QT and Design teams to advance our sustainability-led product range, travel to suppliers as required, and ensure ethical standards are upheld throughout the supply base.

Qualifications

• Experienced Sourcing Manager or Senior Manager in the fashion industry.
• Strong and well developed network of supplier contacts.
• Committed to sustainability and ethical sourcing practices.
• Excellent negotiation and budgeting skills.

Responsibilities

• Support strategic objectives by maintaining an effective supplier recruitment and induction process.
• Build and manage a quality supplier network to meet category goals.
• Analyze benchmark costs and secure cost efficiencies through supplier negotiations.
• Research supplier innovations and sustainability credentials to support design teams.
• Analyze global demand, market development and forecasted needs for opportunities.
• Visit factories to assess ethical and technical compliance during development and production.
• Manage sourcing projects within deadlines and within department strategy.
• Oversee budgets and assess factory capacities.
• Deliver country and supply-base alignment with seasonal plans.

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

The Role

We are looking to recruit an experienced Sourcing Manager to oversee our category management for sustainable sourcing and enable us to achieve our ambition to be 'The most sustainable listed global fashion brand on the planet by 2030'.

This exciting role will involve working closely with peers in the Merchandising, Brand Business Management QT and Design teams to transition and further build on our already heavily sustainable focused product range. Reporting to the Head of Sourcing, you will be managing all elements of the supply base to ensure our market leading designs are manufactured to a high sustainable standard and delivered on time.

This role will suit an experienced Sourcing professional from within the apparel industry, who has extensive knowledge of Product Sourcing and extremely high level of price negotiating. You will understand the most effective ways to communicate with overseas suppliers and how best to deliver great quality to budget whilst also considering ethical standards, procedures, and supplier conditions.

You Will

• Support the strategic objectives of the business/department by maintaining and developing an effective supplier recruitment and induction process
• Ensure that we are able to deliver our goals in the relevant categories by having in place an appropriate network of high quality, capable suppliers
• Secure cost efficiencies through effective negotiation with suppliers by accurately analysing benchmark costings with existing and potential suppliers
• Research supplier innovations, sustainable credentials and support the Design team in the development of new product categories
• Take responsibility for analysing global demands, market development and forecasted needs to ensure that commercial opportunities are identified and capitalized on
• Visit factories as necessary throughout the cost negotiation, development and production stages to assess adherence to our ethical and technical compliance standards
• Manage sourcing projects within deadlines and in-line with the strategic direction of the department
• Manage budgets as well as assessing factory capacities
• Deliver both country and supply base mixed in line with seasonal plans

You Are

• A highly experienced Sourcing Manager or Senior Manager with a strong background in the fashion industry
• Experienced and knowledgeable about product, suppliers and factories, with a strong and well developed network of contacts
• Actively interested in sustainability and keen to make a tangible impact to support our journey
Equipped with advanced knowledge of product construction, the critical path, costing, manufacturing and calendar management
• Knowledgeable about trends in market conditions, pricing, future markets and delivering sustainability initiatives
• An excellent organizer, with project management and planning skills as well as the proven ability to prioritise multiple projects while maintaining attention to detail and accurate work in a fast paced and changing environment
• Able to think through the details and contingencies of plans and make sound business decisions
• A strong written and verbal communicator with the ability to influence and establish credible relationships with suppliers, customers and employees
• A strong negotiator with the ability to find pragmatic solutions that work for all parties
• Able to fully understand the department strategy set out by the Sourcing and Sustainability Director and drive the strategic objectives on a daily basis through your team
• Willing to travel internationally to visit suppliers as required.
• Equipped with good computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint & Word
• Based within easy commuting distance of Cheltenham, or willing to relocate

Working for Superdry has never been so rewarding...

• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, we also offer a holiday buying scheme
• An additional day off to celebrate your Birthday
• Family is massively important to us, so we have a broad range of family-friendly working policies in place, including enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Company Pension scheme
• All employees are covered by our Life Assurance policy whilst working at Superdry. We feel it's important to offer protection for your family and loved ones in such a situation and to support this we offer life assurance cover which pays a lump sum equivalent either twice or four times your annual salary
• A big staff discount - naturally. Because we know that you love to wear Superdry, you'll benefit from a 50% discount in store and online
• Our Head Office is home to our very own store for staff only where you can treat yourself to heavily discounted sample stock
• A health cash plan is open to all employees.
• Flexible working and core working hours between 10am - 4pm to help you achieve that all-important work-life balance
• Access to onsite parking and as part of our sustainable development goals, we have a selection of electrical car parking points freely available to staff.
• A range of learning and development materials to help you in your career and grow with us
• We like to give back, so we allow our employees time off for volunteering work
• A global employee assistance plan in place that you can access anytime you want - it's free and confidential
• You'll also have access to a Cycle To Work Scheme
• A range of local discounts with businesses across Gloucestershire

At Superdry, everyone has a voice and we want to hear it.

We create environments where individuality can flourish and is celebrated as part of who we are as a brand. We're incredibly proud that over 90% of our people feel strongly that they can be themselves at work.

We want to meet people with varied backgrounds because we understand that diversity of thought encourages new ideas to thrive, fuelling creativity and enabling us to do better work. We want to build a team which represents a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, and skills; we hire people based on their merit and potential.

We also welcome conversations about flexible working for all roles at Superdry and will always accommodate it where possible.

Please note that some jobs may be closed earlier than the published closing date if we get a high volume of applications. We therefore advise that you complete your application at your earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.

Who we are

Superdry have been making world-class product for over 20 years, and we're proud of it. Our mission is to inspire and engage the contemporary style-obsessed consumer, whilst leaving a positive environmental legacy.

Together with our CEO, we have built a brand that has cut through the global apparel market at record speed, taking market share from brands that have existed for decades.

Our brand direction has never been stronger, evolving American Prep to resonate with a new generation of customers.

We are now on an exciting journey having reset our brand returning to our design-led roots and we are looking for talented people to join us.