Job Summary The Associate Sourcing Manager - COGS acts as a key liaison between Buyers and agents/factories, collaborating closely with the Sourcing Manager to develop and execute sourcing strategies by category. This role drives cost optimization, ensures quality standards, and fosters strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to meet business needs. Key Roles and Responsibilities Support the Sourcing Manager in the Product Partner Matrix process for assigned categories. Lead for the Product Partner Matrix discussion for assigned responsibility Compile and analyze data (Product Partner Scorecard) and make recommendations for grow/maintain/decline Partner with Sourcing, Trend and Merchant Partners to align the matrix to the business needs  Identify any gaps in the matrix and present recommendations to fill to the team Assist in balancing global risks with country of origin diversification plans  Partner with Manager to communicate action plans with Agents/Product Partners Assist in onboarding new agents/factories Track, report and manage agent/factory performance Drive margin savings through cost negotiations during the development process Identify cost improvement opportunities (bidding) Clarify and communicate specs and product engineering details, labeling and packaging instructions and other information to in country sourcing and/or vendors  Negotiate the costs from the directives Compile and submit costing worksheets for PO creation to Merchant Partners Execute, manage and report on production, resolve any issues to ensure on-time delivery Build collaborative relationships with business and support teams Perform other duties assigned by manager

 

 

 

 

Qualifications and Competencies Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required Candidate must have a minimum of 3 - 5 years’ experience in international sourcing and/or buying, preferably within home goods, working directly with agents/factories Strong organizational and project management skills Ability to source from and work with overseas markets as needed Strong ability to identify global issues and communicate within the organization Advanced Excel skills, including proficiency with BI tools and Power BI for data visualization and reporting. Demonstrate strong analytical, negotiating and problem-solving skills Ability develop/maintain strong working relationship with peers and cross-functional teams Demonstrates leadership and decision-making skills Demonstrates strong listening, written and oral communication skills Willing and able to travel for market and store trips Flexible and adaptive to changing priorities Possesses a clear understanding of the supply chain: product development, sourcing, packaging and shipping Able to organize and prioritize workload to meet deadline Takes calculated risks to achieve results  Develops creative solutions to business issues Prior experience working in a US/European retail business model is a plus International travel required Safely lift and transport items up to 50 pounds. Ensure that all assembled products meet quality standards and specifications. Maintain accurate records of assembled items and sample pickups.