Loblaw Companies Limited
### What You’ll Do: – Collaborate with merchants, design, fabrics, product development, and sustainability teams to implement sourcing strategies aligned with company goals. – Build and manage a vendor network tailored to assigned categories, ensuring vendors meet quality, capacity, and innovation standards. – Work with cross-functional teams to develop products that meet design intent, margin, and cost targets. – Lead vendor negotiations to secure target pricing and margins across categories. – Develop and share detailed product briefs with vendors to clearly communicate design vision and expectations. – Foster relationships with suppliers and agents to expand resources and drive innovation. – Provide technical manufacturing guidance to enhance product development and execution. – Partner with merchant teams to align on ex-factory delivery schedules and production timelines. – Collaborate with QA teams to address testing exceptions and ensure product integrity. – Lead regular sourcing updates to inform teams on progress and address potential challenges. – Review proto samples to ensure alignment with quality, fit, and design expectations. – Stay updated on industry trends and incorporate relevant innovations into sourcing strategies. – Identify process improvements, diagnose issues, and implement effective solutions. – Foster cross-functional collaboration to drive flexible, impactful solutions. – Lead, assess, and develop the team to enhance productivity and performance. – Support sourcing and product development initiatives and travel for vendor visits as needed. ### What You Bring: – Bachelor’s degree in fashion, business, or supply chain management. – 10+ years of experience in product development and sourcing, with a focus on apparel retail. – Strong understanding of global apparel manufacturing, production cycles, and best practices. – Proven experience evaluating offshore factories (especially in Asia) for quality and compliance. – Skilled in negotiating product costs and vendor agreements. – Proficiency in Web PDM, PLM systems, Microsoft Word, and Excel. – Familiarity with design specifications and product lifecycle management. – Comprehensive knowledge of sourcing, production, pricing strategies, and SKU planning. – Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills to manage multiple priorities. – Proven ability to inspire and develop teams to meet objectives.
