Job Description

• Understand UK performance and immediate commercial priorities from weekly trade, proactively respond to trading needs in stock management and supply base requirements
• Attend season intent and understand the season strategy; identify sourcing priorities in collaboration with your Sourcing Manager and Buying and Merchandising peers and support the strategy development process
• Join selective development trips (physical or remote) to lead price negotiations
• Support the development process for continuity product with the Buying and Global Design team
• Negotiating prices on behalf of our business with direct and indirect suppliers across categories of responsibility; consolidate prices from the region and maintain accurate initial and final quote sheets and submit to relevant Buying teams
• Obtain and leverage open cost sheets for all mandatory styles in line with our criteria
• Support the Sourcing Manager in negotiating lead times and capacity with suppliers and provide UK colleagues with periodic visibility of available capacity in our key sites
• Initiate the sourcing process for direct and indirect suppliers for relevant products; pre-vet factories; manage the supplier set up process and maintain an accurate database of suppliers in the region
• Manage the critical path and production status management with direct and indirect suppliers across the region engaging with Origin Supply Chain to support the timely handover of goods
• Understand the WSSI meeting outputs for my area and commercial dynamics; negotiate deferral of orders or pull forward orders with suppliers
• Run progress meetings with my UK Merchandising colleagues independently
• Provide solutions to critical path and production challenges ensuring all critical deadlines are met and robust progress meetings are in place
• Coordinate sourcing activity between the Far East and the Near East through engagement with teams across our four offices in Asia
• You will have a clear understanding of our Clothing Strategy and our Global Sourcing Strategy and write goals and objectives contribute to these
• Achieve commercial objectives for margin rate improvement and cost of goods reduction; deliver great availability through on time delivery; buying areas achieve their sales and profit targets
• Source value adding direct and indirect suppliers on a timely basis in line with the departmental strategy
• Develop strong working relationships with team members in UK Merchandising and Buying
• Embrace smarter working withcolleagues in the wider Sourcing, Technical and in the Global Design teams
• Follow operational procedures to achieve great results
• Lead own development and champion Diversity & Inclusion within broader business. I actively embrace the Valued Behaviours.
• Play your part in making Sainsbury’s a great place to work

What I need to know

• Able to articulate a clear interest in sourcing, merchandising and production. Developing knowledge of production processes, techniques, and product components. Understand the levers that drive lead times for the different regions and products worked on
• A developing awareness of the different cultures that I interact with
• I can read commercial reports and I understand basic commercial metrics such as cover and have the confidence to learn new systems
• Relevant education background, preferably a degree in fashion textiles or any business discipline
• Excellent business written and spoken English and Mandarin

From fragrance to car care, clothing and pots and pans, our Sourcing Team delivers all the non-food items for our Sainsbury’s, Habitat and Argos customers in the UK. This multi-brand environment means you get to work across most areas. You can also be a pioneer, because the team believes in being brave, iterating and learning as they go. Working with colleagues globally, you’ll develop deep connections to other departments, which opens up a lot of different career opportunities for you.

We understand that all important work life balance and the benefits this brings for you, your role and our business. At Sainsbury’s Argos Asia, we work flexibly so you can prioritise. Exactly how you work will vary from role to role and between teams, depending on the nature of your work and specific goals. You will be able to manage your time better and concentrate on your wellbeing, giving you time to exercise, spend time with your family and friends when it matters or just to simply recharge your batteries.

This is a truly inclusive culture so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you go. Find out more about life working in Sainsbury’s Argos Asia and the importance we put into Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) by visiting our LinkedIn page - Sainsburys Argos Asia Limited