Product Sourcing Coordinator at Pearl West

Reports to: Head of Product Development
Location: Remote

Role Summary
The Product Sourcing Coordinator works with the Product Development team to create and order new products for the company while managing reorders of existing products to ensure optimal pricing and on-time delivery. This role is essential to facilitating rapid delivery of product samples to complete our 20-product annual pipeline and building long-term supplier relationships that yield increasing profits over time.

You will work closely with both the Operations and Product Development teams to ensure that samples of packing components are reviewed and tested, ensuring product concepts are created in the most cost-efficient way possible. Success in this role requires a keen eye for quality, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to manage multiple products across various suppliers simultaneously.

Core Responsibilities

Supplier Management & Negotiation:

1. Negotiate with suppliers via Alibaba and other platforms to achieve best pricing and quality for all products
2. Build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with factories to ensure long-lasting partnerships
3. Maintain friendly relations with suppliers and keep our company prioritized during busy seasons (Chinese New Year, Q4, peak season)
4. Seek out new factories while maintaining or increasing quality standards and achieving better pricing
5. Hold suppliers accountable to producing high-quality products that enhance customer experience
6. Relay potential product opportunities from existing factories to the Product Development team

Sample Management & Product Pipeline:

1. Quickly facilitate delivery of new product samples - this is critical to completing our Product Pipeline
2. Receive samples and create approval videos before shipping to Product Developers
3. Keep accurate records of all samples and communicate with factories on which samples move to production
4. Forward samples to other team members as needed
5. Ensure pre-production, post-production, and photography samples are ordered timely and efficiently
6. Update the product pipeline with due dates and keep the team informed on progress

Quality Control:

1. Create and maintain "Golden Samples" - the definitive production standard showing exact expectations for quality, material, size, design, color, texture, and features
2. Distribute Golden Samples to: factory, inspection company, yourself, and company address with photos/videos
3. Work with inspection companies and factories to ensure all orders meet Golden Sample standards
4. Update Golden Samples as products evolve over time
5. Ensure that products not matching Golden Sample standards are rejected

Order Management & Documentation:

1. Use data and spreadsheets to negotiate payment terms that allow inventory purchases without depleting cash quickly (critical for company growth)
2. Validate that POs are accurate based on agreements and approved samples
3. Verify average unit and shipping costs per SKU for use by wider team
4. Work with Inventory Manager to place orders on time and ensure supplier payments for production start
5. Initiate approved payments to suppliers for inventory and samples
6. Obtain required legal/compliance documents through supplier negotiations
7. Ensure all contracts, agreements, and work are properly documented in Alibaba or factory systems

Logistics & Cost Optimization:

1. Arrange the most cost-effective couriers for samples and shipments
2. Coordinate shipping methods (air, sea, express) based on urgency and budget
3. Work with freight forwarders, trading companies, and warehouses
4. Help with administrative tasks around inventory and PO management

Required Experience & Skills

Must-Have Experience:

1. Experience working in a sourcing agent setting (2-4+ years preferred)
2. Proven track record sourcing products from China using Alibaba and other B2B platforms
3. Understanding of how the Chinese manufacturing industry works
4. Experience managing multiple products from multiple factories simultaneously
5. Track record of successful supplier negotiations yielding positive ROI

Essential Technical Knowledge:

1. RFQ (Request for Quotation) processes - creating detailed specs and comparing proposals
2. MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) negotiation** - aligning with inventory needs and cash flow
3. Understanding of international shipping terms (FOB, CIF, DDP, etc.)
4. Knowledge of packaging requirements and custom packaging coordination
5. Quality assurance standards and inspection protocols
6. Import/export regulations and customs procedures

Core Competencies:

1. Strong time management skills managing ~20 products annually across multiple suppliers
2. Highly organized with keen eye for detail - nothing falls through the cracks
3. Excellent English proficiency (both written and spoken)
4. Strong negotiation and relationship-building abilities
5. Ability to plan and execute strategies independently aligned with company goals
6. Able to communicate with China during Chinese working hours (flexibility for time zone overlap)

Technical Proficiency:

1. Click Up (product pipeline management)
2. Slack (team communication)
3. Excel/Google Sheets (cost analysis, negotiations, tracking)
4. Loom** (video sample approvals)

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Experience in CPG: pets, health & wellness, or consumer packaged goods industry
2. Mandarin language skills (conversational or business level)
3. Experience with Amazon FBA operations and requirements
4. Knowledge of FDA compliance for supplements
5. Experience with inventory planning and demand forecasting

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Success in this role is measured by:

1. Product Pipeline Progress - samples delivered on schedule, products moving through development
2. Sample Success Rate - # of samples approved and moved to production
3. Golden Sample Management - complete and up-to-date standards maintained
4. Supplier Database - organized factory information, contacts, and product assignments
5. Production Tracking - products in production and transit monitored accurately
6. Quality Assurance - inspection reports showing consistent high quality, zero major defects reaching customers
7. Cost Optimization - negotiated pricing improvements and favorable payment terms
8. Customer Satisfaction - 5-star Amazon reviews reflecting top-notch product quality
9. On-Time Delivery - suppliers consistently manufacture and deliver on schedule
10. Relationship Quality - mutually beneficial partnerships with all manufacturers, freight forwarders, and warehouses

Expected Accomplishments:

Within your first year, you will achieve:

1. Customer Excellence: Customers leave 5-star reviews because product quality is exceptional
2. Supplier Reliability: Manufacturers consistently produce on time with high quality standards
3. Quality Assurance: Routine inspections prevent quality issues from reaching customers
4. Pipeline Efficiency: Samples ordered, inspected, and delivered to Product Developers quickly for product refinement
5. Profitable Relationships: Negotiations create positive ROI through better pricing and terms
6. Cost Reduction: Achieve 10-15% cost savings through strategic negotiations while maintaining quality
7. Inventory Optimization: Products always in stock without overstock situations
8. Compliance Success: All required legal/compliance documents obtained and maintained

Growth Opportunities:

1. Division Leadership: High-performing Specialists can advance to oversee multiple sourcing projects
2. Inter-divisional: Coordinators who develop deep Amazon platform knowledge can potentially transition into Product Developer roles

Work Environment & Schedule

1. Remote position with flexibility required for China time zone overlap
2. Some early morning or late evening calls with overseas suppliers
3. Fast-paced ecommerce environment managing 20+ products annually
4. Collaborative work with Product Development, Operations, and Brand Management teams

Compensation

1. Salary range: $1400-$1750 (depending on experience)
2. HMO, bonuses, performance incentives
3. Growth potential, going to conferences

Application process:

• Submit your resume highlighting your relevant experience.
• Initial interview invitation with the HR Team.
• Online Assessment.
• Final interview with the Hiring Manager

We're building a team that's passionate about creating high-quality products that improve lives. If you're a detail-oriented negotiator who thrives on building supplier relationships and ensuring quality, we'd love to hear from you.