Manager, Merchandise Sourcing

DESCRIPTION: 
The Manager, Global Merchandise Sourcing is responsible for managing Apparel categories and supporting the Senior Manager.  The Manager, Global Merchandise Sourcing has responsibility for anticipating production market shifts and developing breakthrough ideas and processes to continually mitigate risk.  The Manager, Global Merchandise Sourcing will be responsible for developing and executing short and long-term sourcing strategies, driving factory relationships, initial cost negotiations, production follow up, and is accountable for all strategic details and decisions of all categories.   

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 

• Partner with team to support quarterly business needs to meet KPIs like IMUs, launch dates, chase business. Hindsight each quarter on hits & misses & identify gaps for future improvement.
• Inspires and motivates peer and direct reports (as applicable).
• Proactively drives measurable efficiencies of team communications, tasks, and overall workflow to support continuous improvement.
• Facilitates short and long-term sourcing strategies for managed categories, setting priorities, objectives, and action plans to improve supply base and mitigate risk with measurable accountability.
• Travel internationally/domestically to build factory and supplier relationships, and continuously expand product knowledge/expertise.  Be the expert in all key sourcing regions.
• Assists in the leveraging opportunities, trains and executes sourcing strategies for global site-specific items.
• Drives product to meet Disney quality standards and elevate supplier performance with measurable results
• Partner with US/EMEA/APAC-based Sourcing team to drive market exploration and diversification.
• Transform data into information and collaborate with Quality Assurance team on root cause/corrective action.
• Gear Vendor Community to support Creative’s Research & Innovation needs
• Manages the development process, supporting on time delivery and driving profitability while maintaining design vision.
• Drives product development management, communicating key milestones and deadlines within the sample approval process.
• Drives proactive production tracking, communicating and troubleshooting exceptions and delays.
• Negotiates costing and proposes value engineering options to achieve profitability goals while ensuring product vision is achieved.
• Seeks new ideas, techniques, and materials to drive product innovation.
• Identifies opportunities to leverage cross-category tools, information, processes and resources to optimize category performance.
• Collaborates with factory and Product Design to bring new art techniques and applications and researching trends.
• Understands market behavior and suggests strategy options to mitigate risk, protect the Disney brand, and achieve competitive advantage.
• Develops and maintains a stable and socially compliant supply base that meets ILS MCS, regulatory standards, and other established supplier performance requirements.
• Proactively addresses issues with timely and high-caliber communication and actions.
   

CORE SKILLS:

• A Global Mindset to collaborate with cast members across cultures & functions to align on strategies.
• Build bench strength of the vendor community to support existing & future business needs.
• Able to leverage the strength of each team member & maximize their potential to deliver results
• Develop and grow each team members with stretch goals & cross functional opportunities
• Strong knowledge of product-specific construction standards, materials, and manufacturing processes/techniques.
• Outstanding negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to balance conflicting priorities between creative design and cost of goods objectives.
• Proficient in English and Mandarin or native dialects where applicable
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and strategy-formulation skills.
• Ability to influence internal stake holders and drive efficient decision-making.
• Understanding of macro-economic pressures and variables that influence global sourcing decisions.
• Experience in merchandise sourcing and production management.
• Strong computer skills. (i.e., Excel, PowerPoint, MicroCharts, etc.)
• Ability to work on multiple projects within specified time frames.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• Understanding of Japan and Global testing, safety, and labeling requirements and impact to product design and manufacturing processes.
• Understanding of free-trade agreements, duties and resulting impact of sourcing strategies.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• + 8 years’ experience in Global Sourcing and/or Merchandising
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Product-specific technical degree and/or manufacturing experience a plus
• Proficiency in English (spoken and written)
• Ability to communicate in other languages would be a plus