Sourcing Manager

Crate and Barrel; Northbrook (IL); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Crate and Barrel in Northbrook, IL is seeking a Sourcing Manager to lead vendor strategies, negotiate terms, and drive pre-production activities from sample development to calendar deadlines. This on-site role with optional remote Fridays requires strong cross-functional collaboration with Design, Buying, Planning, and Quality teams.

You will manage associate performance, recruit and develop staff, monitor vendor capabilities, and push for margin goals while ensuring timely approvals and cost

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in Sourcing or Product Development.
• 3 years of relevant management experience.
• College Degree required.

Responsibilities

• Executes and advises on vendor strategies to support Product Development and Buying strategies.
• Negotiates favorable first costs and ensures design/materials align with targets.
• Develops and monitors pre-production activities to meet timelines.
• Tracks sampling, escalates delays, and ensures samples review deadlines.
• Analyzes procurement costs and identifies cost-reduction opportunities.
• Monitors PO milestones and escalates approvals to senior management.
• Identifies vendor capabilities, drives innovation, and ensures CSR goals.
• Partners with Design, Buying, Planning, and Quality & Compliance.
• Improves vendor reliability and achieves margin goals.
• Manages missed production/purchase order deadlines and communicates impacts.
• Assists Sourcing leadership and supervises associates toward savings targets.

Skills

Vendor strategy

Negotiation

Cost analysis

Project management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Scheduling/calendar management

Travel overseas

Education

College Degree

Tools

Vendor management systems

Excel

Job description

This is an on-site position (Monday through Thursday) based out of our Northbrook, IL office with the flexibility to work remotely on Fridays.

A day in the life as a Sourcing Manager...

• Executes and advise on vendor strategies utilizing a vendor matrix to support Product Development and Buying strategies (including vendor allocation)

• Negotiates favorable first costs based on targets provided by Merchant team and effectively ensures design and materials are aligned to either first cost target or makes adjustments based on design and material direction

• Develop and monitor pre-production activities (sample development, quotes, packaging, etc) to ensure all are completed in a timely manner

• Responsible for tracking sampling of product, escalating potential delays and ensuring that samples are available for review by deadlines set in product development calendar

• Analyze and calculate costs of procurement and suggest methods to decrease expenditure

• Monitor purchase order milestones to ensure development is approved prior to ordering and any outstanding approvals are escalated to senior management

• Responsible for identifying and tracking vendor capabilities, including:

• Innovation in design and production (materials and techniques)

• Value - Cost and quality

• CSR

• Assess and analyze vendor capacities and partner with planning teams to utilize projections and forecasts

• Close working partnership with Design, Buying, Planning, and Quality and Compliance

• Improve vendor reliability through the management of vendor performance

• Achieve margin goals

• Assess, react, and communicate to appropriate business units on missed production or purchase order deadlines

• Assist the Sourcing leadership team on products and tasks

• Supervise an associate and help them achieve their individual savings targets

• Recruit, hire, train staff, evaluate performance, and recommend or initiate promotions, transfers, and corrective action

• Participate in ongoing training regarding technology upgrades and new systems applicable to the position

What you’ll bring to the table…

• Excellent reading and written language skills (English), multi-cultural awareness and respect, basic arithmetic, interpersonal skills, telephone presence, data entry skills

• Intermediate to advanced understanding of manufacturing processes for assigned categories

• Ability to manage and develop direct reports

• Ability to manage a timing and action calendar

• Effective email communication with overseas vendors and agents

• Negotiating skills

• Strong financial reporting and quantitative analysis skills

• Ability to be agile and flexible in a changing environment

• Ability to travel overseas

We’d love to hear from you if you have…

• A minimum of 5 years in Sourcing or Product Development role

• 3 years relevant management experience

• College Degree required