Sourcing Manager – Apparel

Here at the John Lewis Partnership, we are looking for an established Sourcing Manager. You will be recognised as an expert in sourcing.

You will be responsible for implementing the sourcing strategy for your specific category or group of categories, leveraging a deep understanding of the area and ensuring alignment with the directorate strategy.

A core part of your role will be to analyse and interpret relevant category data and insights. By working closely with the Commercial and Sourcing Offices, you will utilise this insight to contribute to and define the strategic sourcing plan.

Key collaboration partners include:

- Buyers, Designers, and Merchandisers
- Sourcing Office Colleagues
- CSR team
- Technical team
- Supplier Management

• Partnership Salary - £54,500 - £84.100

• Expected salary - We are looking for candidates up to £70,000, depending on experience

• Contract type - This position is a Permanent contract.

​

• Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home-based, upon your personal needs, whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team aim for around 2/3 days a week in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings. 

• Location -  This role is based at our London Head Office campus in Pimlico.

​

• We foresee this role being very popular and will not be accepting late applications, and may close earlier than advertised.

​

• You need to be based in the UK with the right to work in place; we do not offer sponsorship.  There is travel for this role in the UK and worldwide

• This role is known internally as Category Sourcing Manager

Key responsibilities

• Define strategic sourcing plans for the different categories

• Recommendations for the supply base and its capabilities across the buying office

• Setting of price negotiation  calendar and cadence

• Develop supplier planning by capability, region and product 

• Market intelligence insight, including currencies, trade deals, and commodities

• Continuously improving the supply base through the use of scorecarding.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Expert knowledge of global sourcing for the category

• In-depth knowledge of Country of Origin sourcing, right region, right product, right route approach.

• Understand at a high level the manufacturing capabilities of their industry and provide knowledge and insight on Free Trade Agreements

• Understands the economic model that retail operates within, to understand the available levers to pull to drive progress

• Experience working in the Sourcing department for an Apparel retailer or supplier

• Strong Relationship Management Skills with UK and International Stakeholders

• Passionate about Product

• Expert in costing at BOM level

Desirable skills/experience you may have 

• Background in Womenswear Sourcing

#LI-HEADOFFICE

#LI-HYBRID

#LI-MG1

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview. 

Attachment: Download Job Attachment