Sourcing Specialist - Exact

TFG (The Foschini Group); Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sourcing Specialist at The Foschini Group (TFG) focuses on finding, developing and managing vendors, fabrics and products to bring Exact's ranges to market while meeting ethics and sustainability standards.

You will secure the right product at the right cost and lead time, and build strong supplier relationships while ensuring compliance through supplier audits and certifications.

Qualifications

• Requires degree/diploma in textiles, fashion, clothing production or supply chain management.
• 6+ years in apparel sourcing, preferably in SA retail.
• Experience with local and offshore suppliers.
• Experience in a specific category (e.g. womenswear wovens/knits) is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate and onboard new vendors, local and offshore.
• Source fabrics, trims and finished products meeting brief, cost and lead time.
• Brief developments to suppliers and follow through to samples.

Skills

Textile sourcing

Vendor management

Costing & margins

Advanced Excel

Education

Degree or diploma in textiles, fashion, clothing production or supply chain management

Tools

Excel

Job description

Job Description

The Sourcing Specialist finds, develops and manages the vendors, fabrics and products that bring Exact's ranges to market. The role secures the right product at the right cost, quality and lead time, while ensuring every supplier meets TFG's ethical, compliance and sustainability standards.

Job Description

The Sourcing Specialist finds, develops and manages the vendors, fabrics and products that bring Exact's ranges to market. The role secures the right product at the right cost, quality and lead time, while ensuring every supplier meets TFG's ethical, compliance and sustainability standards.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate and onboard new vendors, both local and offshore, in line with range and category needs.
• Source fabrics, trims and finished product that meet the brief on handle, performance, cost and lead time.
• Brief developments to suppliers clearly and follow them through to approved samples.
• Manage the fabric library, sample tracking and sample flow between suppliers, PDV and buying
• Explore new fabrics, trims and technologies, and mill presentations.
• Balance local CMT and manufacturing partners against offshore options, weighing speed-to-market, cost and local procurement targets
• Build and maintain strong, long‑term relationships with suppliers
• Conduct supplier and factory visits to assess capability, capacity and working conditions
• Track vendor performance through a regular scorecard covering delivery, quality, cost and responsiveness
• Lead supplier performance reviews and agree improvement plans where needed.
• Set and maintain quality standards for fabrics and finished garments.
• Screen and approve new vendors against TFG's supplier code of conduct.
• Ensure factories hold current ethical audits and certifications
• Support sustainability and traceability goals, including preferred fibres and certifications (e.g. Better Cotton, GOTS, GRS) and supply chain mapping.
• Reduce sourcing risk by spreading volume across vendors and countries and plan contingencies for delays or disruption.
• Obtain and analyze quotations, and run cost exercises and cost breakdowns.
• Negotiate prices and MOQs to achieve target margins.
• Calculate full landed costs, including duties, freight and clearing.
• Drive cost gains and margin improvement across the range.
• Monitor forex exposure and its impact on costing and buying decisions.
• Create and own the critical path, aligned to the seasonal calendar.
• Manage production and shipping lead times
• Track approval milestones and flag delays early, with recovery plans.
• Conduct competitor analysis on product, fabric, price and quality.
• Identify gaps in the range and feed sourcing opportunities back to buying and PDV.
• Analyze sales and sell-through to inform fabric, vendor and product decisions.
• Maintain commodity management, costing summaries and cost tracking.
• Report on vendor performance, quality results and critical path status.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in textiles, fashion, clothing production or supply chain management
• 6+ years' experience in apparel sourcing, ideally in South African retail
• Experience with both local and offshore suppliers
• Experience in [category, e.g. womenswear wovens and knits] is an advantage

Skills

• Strong knowledge of fabrics, fibres, trims and garment construction
• Costing, landed cost and margin calculation
• Understanding of testing, quality standards and compliance requirements
• Advanced Excel skills
• Strong negotiator with commercial acumen
• Analytical, with close attention to detail

Behaviours

• Builds trusted relationships with suppliers and internal teams
• Highly organized; manages multiple critical paths at once
• Proactive problem‑solver who stays calm under pressure
• Business Insight - applies market and business insights in order to drive organisational objectives
• Communicates Effectively - conveys information and communicates ideas in a clear, concise and impactful manner
• Courage - confronts and tackles challenging situations with courage
• Ensures Accountability - takes accountability and ensures others are held to account on agreed upon performance targets
• Financial Acumen - understands and applies financial concepts and principles to make informed financial decisions
• Manages Complexity - interprets and simplifies complex and contradictory information when resolving organisational problems
• Plans and Aligns - develops plans and prioritises initiatives that align to the organisational goals and objectives
• Resourcefulness - effectively and creatively uses available resources to overcome challenges, solve problems, and achieve desired outcomes

Preference will be given, but not limited to candidates from designated groups in terms of the Employment Equity Act.

About Us

Who we are is because of our people. They are our greatest asset. TFG is an internationally diversified retail portfolio of 34 speciality lifestyle and apparel brands that Inspire our Customers to live their Best Lives and are woven into the lives of millions. Our vision is to create the most remarkable omnichannel experiences for our customers. TFG is more than a workplace, it's a launchpad for your growth. Join us and explore endless growth opportunities across our diverse brands. We’re a purpose‑led business, and on this team, you’ll share the pride of making an impact across a whole industry.

We’re the designers, the makers, the shakers and the teams behind the scenes.

Are you with us?