Supplier Sourcing & Business Development Virtual Assistant

Taguig, PH (Onsite)  •  4 hours ago
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Job Description


Supplier Sourcing & Business Development Virtual
Assistant


(Chemical Supply Chain & Procurement Support)


About the Company


An Australian chemical distribution and logistics company
specializing in sourcing, supplying, and distributing chemicals across various
industries including mining, manufacturing, construction, agriculture,
laboratories, universities, and research institutions.


The company sources products locally within Australia and
internationally across Asia—including India, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and
Vietnam—to provide customers with competitive pricing and reliable logistics
solutions.


With increasing customer demand and expansion plans into New
Zealand, North America, Europe, and Asia, the business is looking for its first
long-term Virtual Assistant who can help build scalable supplier networks and
customer relationships while supporting future international growth.


Position Overview


We are seeking a proactive, highly organized, and
commercially minded Virtual Assistant to support supplier sourcing, procurement
research, customer inquiries, and business development.


Unlike a traditional administrative VA, this role requires
someone who enjoys research, relationship building, and creating organized
systems that will allow the company to scale internationally.


The successful candidate will become a key member of the
business, helping establish supplier databases, communicate with manufacturers
and distributors worldwide, assist with customer quotations, and eventually
grow into a leadership role managing future VAs as the company expands.


Primary Responsibilities


Supplier Research & Database Development


  • Research
    Australian chemical suppliers

  • Research
    international suppliers across:

    • India

    • China

    • Malaysia

    • Indonesia

    • Vietnam

  • Build
    and maintain a centralized supplier database

  • Gather
    supplier product catalogs

  • Identify
    preferred suppliers by region

  • Organize
    supplier information by:

    • Products

    • Chemical
      grades

    • Geographic
      location

    • Lead
      times

    • Logistics
      capability

  • Maintain
    updated supplier records


The client emphasized that creating a comprehensive supplier
database is one of the highest priorities for scaling the business.


Procurement & Sourcing Support


  • Source
    products based on customer inquiries

  • Compare
    suppliers

  • Request
    quotations

  • Gather
    product specifications

  • Verify
    product availability

  • Research
    alternative suppliers

  • Monitor
    pricing trends

  • Assist
    with procurement decisions

  • Support
    logistics coordination


Supplier Relationship Management


  • Reach
    out to suppliers via professional email

  • Request
    catalogs and pricing

  • Build
    long-term supplier relationships

  • Follow
    up on outstanding requests

  • Coordinate
    documentation

  • Maintain
    communication records

  • Escalate
    supplier issues when necessary


Customer Inquiry Support


  • Respond
    to inbound customer inquiries

  • Assist
    in gathering quotation information

  • Coordinate
    customer requests

  • Follow
    up on sales inquiries

  • Organize
    customer information

  • Assist
    with lead qualification

  • Support
    proposal preparation


The VA will initially support existing inquiries before
proactively expanding supplier and customer networks.


Sales & Business Development


  • Conduct
    market research

  • Research
    potential customers

  • Identify
    companies requiring chemical products

  • Build
    prospect lists

  • Maintain
    CRM/database

  • Follow
    up on sales opportunities

  • Support
    business growth initiatives

  • Assist
    with regional expansion


Documentation & Compliance Support


  • Organize
    Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

  • Maintain
    product documentation

  • Upload
    compliance documents

  • Assist
    with Australian regulatory documentation

  • Organize
    downloadable product resources

  • Ensure
    accurate record keeping


The client plans to build an Australian-compliant library of
Safety Data Sheets that the VA will help organize and distribute to customers.


Administrative Support


  • Email
    management

  • Data
    entry

  • Documentation
    management

  • Spreadsheet
    maintenance

  • Reporting

  • File
    organization

  • Process
    documentation


Occasional Phone Support


Although approximately
90% of communication is via email

,
the VA may occasionally:


  • Receive
    inbound calls

  • Make
    outbound calls

  • Clarify
    customer requirements

  • Contact
    suppliers when urgent clarification is needed


The client expects phone communication to be infrequent and
primarily for urgent matters.


Future Growth Opportunities


This position is designed as a long-term role with
significant career progression.


Future responsibilities may include:


  • Managing
    additional VAs

  • Leading
    a Philippine support team

  • Training
    new staff

  • Managing
    supplier territories

  • Supporting
    international expansion

  • Process
    improvement

  • Business
    operations coordination


The client specifically shared his vision of establishing a
satellite office in the Philippines, with the first VA potentially growing into
a Team Leader role.


Required Skills


Technical Skills


  • Supplier
    sourcing

  • Procurement
    support

  • Internet
    research

  • Email
    communication

  • Data
    management

  • Excel
    / Google Sheets

  • Database
    management

  • Documentation
    management

  • CRM
    experience (preferred)

  • Microsoft
    Outlook

  • Business
    writing


Preferred Background


Experience in one or more of the following:


  • Chemical
    industry

  • Chemical
    distribution

  • Supply
    chain

  • Procurement

  • Purchasing

  • Logistics

  • Industrial
    products

  • Manufacturing

  • Business
    Development

  • B2B
    Sales


Chemical industry experience is preferred but not mandatory,
as training will be provided.


Soft Skills


The client specifically highlighted the following qualities:


  • Excellent
    written English

  • Professional
    communication

  • Strong
    interpersonal skills

  • Time
    management

  • Cultural
    awareness

  • Emotional
    maturity

  • Resilience
    when dealing with difficult suppliers or customers

  • Ability
    to represent the company professionally

  • Strong
    organizational skills

  • Initiative

  • Attention
    to detail

  • Long-term
    mindset


Tools


The VA will primarily work with:


  • Microsoft
    Outlook

  • Microsoft
    Office

  • Excel

  • Shared
    email accounts

  • Supplier
    databases

  • Online
    research platforms

  • Company
    website

  • Future
    CRM/database systems


Potential future tools:


  • Cloud-based
    phone system

  • CRM
    platform

  • Shared
    supplier database


Working Hours


Part-Time


  • Initial
    commitment:

    • 10
      hours per week

  • Flexible
    schedule

  • Daily
    consistency preferred rather than completing all hours in one day

  • Availability
    for occasional urgent requests


The client emphasized that the work should be spread
consistently throughout the week to ensure timely supplier and customer
follow-ups.


Ideal Candidate


The ideal VA is someone who:


  • Enjoys
    research

  • Thinks
    proactively

  • Can
    build organized systems

  • Loves
    solving problems

  • Communicates
    professionally

  • Wants
    long-term career growth

  • Is
    comfortable working independently

  • Wants
    to become part of a growing international business
Company

About Company

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