Associate Raw Material Sourcing CONTRACTOR (PT/FT) Full-time - Los Angeles, CA

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work with mills and overseas vendors on seasonal fabric development by communicating directly with mills and providing support to sourcing team.
• Assist the Fabric R&D process by translating design direction into fabric requirement and relate fabric requirements to mills.
• Own sourcing processes across assigned categories and collaboratively support seasonal product development process and timelines by managing mill selection, fabric quality, costing, lead times, and MOQs.
• Provide continuous communication with design/PD to ensure collaboration/alignment throughout the development process.
• Drive and influence continuous process improvements & opportunities to help improve efficiencies and profitability within the department.
• Understanding of product costs to be able to identify price distortions and engage cross functional partners for solutions.
• Negotiate price with domestic and overseas suppliers based on market fluctuations and quantities.
• Drive cross-functional calendar adherence and alert cross-functional partners on calendar implications should deliverables be missed.
• Build/maintain the fabric library to ensure all fabrics are brand/price appropriate.
• Manage receipt of new fabrics, present to Design, and file accordingly.
• Maintain and review records of fabric developed, cost, delivery, & fabric/mill performance.
• Filing, data entry, and organizing on a daily basis.
• Proactive management of potential issues; driving to resolution with cross functional teams.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in global strategic sourcing or procurement including raw material selection, supplier selection, management; relevant experience in a textile/PD or mill-related background is preferred.
• Possess technical knowledge of yarns, fabrics, dyeing, printing, finishing, and finished goods manufacturing processes.
• Previous experience/exposure to international factories/vendors required.
• Demonstrated ability to collaboratively manage multiple projects across categories, commodities, and suppliers.
• Understanding of product construction and costing.
• Ability to work independently to deliver results and influence stakeholders internally and externally.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills & understanding of design fabric intent.