Footwear Sourcing Specialist in at MASON COMPANIES INC

Footwear Sourcing Specialist

JOB SUMMARY:

The Footwear Sourcing Specialist is responsible for supporting and executing global sourcing strategies, supplier development, footwear product development, commercialization, and production activities in alignment with the company’s mission, values, quality standards, cost objectives, and business goals.

This role partners cross-functionally with Merchandising, Footwear Product Development, Quality Assurance, Marketing, and international manufacturing partners to ensure footwear products are developed and produced on time, at the right cost, and to established quality, fit, performance, construction, and durability standards.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The below listing of essential functions is not an inclusive listing of all duties that may be requested to be performed by supervisor or manager.

Global Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Support the development and execution of global sourcing strategies aligned with footwear product requirements, cost targets, quality standards, capacity needs, and business objectives.
• Research, analyze, and evaluate prospective footwear factories and suppliers, assessing capabilities, core competencies, footwear construction expertise, capacity, quality systems, compliance, commercial terms, and overall strategic fit.
• Assist in the selection and onboarding of footwear factories that meet sourcing requirements, including target costs, quality standards, minimum order quantities, lead times, certifications, capacity, and compliance requirements.
• Monitor and evaluate supplier performance using established metrics and business objectives; identify opportunities for improvement and drive timely resolution of issues.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative business relationships with footwear factories, suppliers, coworkers, and management.
• Monitor current and emerging footwear sourcing markets and provide market intelligence and recommendations to support sourcing decisions.
• Identify opportunities to diversify footwear sourcing, mitigate supply chain risk, and improve cost, quality, capacity, and lead-time performance.

Footwear Product Development & Commercialization

• Partner with Merchandising and Footwear Product Development to understand product requirements and translate those requirements into clear manufacturing expectations for footwear suppliers.
• Support footwear development from initial concept through commercialization, including material selection, component development, construction, fit, sample development, testing, costing, approvals, and production readiness.
• Coordinate footwear development and manufacturing timelines to ensure prototypes, development samples, fit samples, photo samples, production samples, and finished goods are delivered according to established milestones.
• Coordinate milestone meetings throughout the footwear development process, ensuring samples, costing, specifications, fit comments, approvals, and other required information are complete and ready for review.
• Manage footwear Tech Packs and fit processes for new and carryover styles, ensuring accurate and timely communication of product specifications, construction details, materials, components, measurements, and fit requirements.
• Coordinate the introduction of new and existing footwear products, including identifying appropriate materials, components, manufacturing capabilities, equipment, construction methods, and production requirements.
• Support footwear fit and wear evaluations by communicating fit, comfort, construction, and performance feedback to factories and Product Development teams and ensuring revisions are completed accurately.
• Develop footwear product and sourcing recommendations by researching market trends, customer needs, competitive products, manufacturing capabilities, materials, construction methods, and profitability.

Costing & Negotiation

• Coordinate competitive pricing for finished footwear, materials, components, packaging, and other applicable production inputs.
• Support footwear product costing strategies that enable Merchandising to achieve margin targets while maintaining required quality, construction, fit, performance, and product specifications.
• Develop negotiation strategies that support business objectives while building sustainable, strategic supplier relationships.
• Negotiate and manage key commercial terms with footwear factories and suppliers, including cost, minimum order quantities, lead times, payment terms, capacity, tooling, development costs, and other applicable conditions.
• Conduct periodic supplier rebids and cost reviews to ensure footwear pricing remains competitive and aligned with market conditions.
• Partner with appropriate internal teams to research duty, freight, and other landed-cost components and ensure they are accurately reflected in footwear product costing.
• Identify cost-saving and margin improvement opportunities through supplier negotiations, sourcing strategies, material alternatives, construction efficiencies, and process improvements.

Production, Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with Merchandising, Marketing, Quality Assurance, and footwear manufacturing partners to ensure adequate factory capacity and production readiness for upcoming seasons and production requirements.
• Work collaboratively with footwear factories and internal teams to identify and implement cost-reduction, productivity, quality, construction, and process-improvement initiatives.
• Research and identify required footwear product testing, including applicable material, component, performance, durability, wear, and safety testing, and coordinate testing with approved laboratories.
• Communicate testing results and non-compliance findings to appropriate stakeholders and coordinate corrective actions through resolution.
• Monitor production milestones and proactively identify risks that could impact cost, quality, fit, performance, delivery, or customer satisfaction.
• Ensure approved footwear specifications, samples, fit standards, construction details, materials, components, and production standards are consistently communicated and maintained throughout the manufacturing process.
• Partner with factories to troubleshoot development and production issues related to footwear construction, materials, components, fit, quality, and performance.

Travel

• Travel internationally as needed to support supplier development, factory evaluations, footwear product development, sample reviews, fit and wear evaluations, production, quality, and other business requirements. Travel up to 30 days per year may be required, primarily to international manufacturing locations.

SECONDARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in cross-functional initiatives and special projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

The above listing of essential and periodic functions is not an inclusive listing of all duties that may be required to be performed.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities. The role is expected to demonstrate leadership through cross-functional collaboration, supplier management, project ownership, and execution.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective relationships with footwear suppliers, factories, internal stakeholders, and management at all levels.
• Exemplary ethics and values that align with Mason’s Mission, Vision & Values.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, communication, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of global footwear sourcing, footwear manufacturing practices, business cultures, cost structures, and supply chain risks, particularly in China and India.
• Working knowledge of footwear construction, materials, components, manufacturing processes, and product development.
• Understanding of footwear fit, grading, specifications, Tech Packs, sample development, and commercialization processes.
• Strong understanding of supplier and factory performance management.
• Proven ability to execute sourcing and footwear product strategies and translate plans into measurable results.
• Ability to take ownership, exercise sound judgment, and operate with a high level of accountability.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple development projects, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong sense of urgency, self-motivation, initiative, and ability to proactively identify and resolve issues.
• Knowledge of footwear development, manufacturing, testing, quality, and commercialization processes.
• Ability to review and communicate footwear construction, material, component, fit, and quality requirements with manufacturing partners.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities, market conditions, and business requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across multiple functions and geographic regions.
• Strong Microsoft Excel and Outlook skills; working knowledge of Microsoft Access or comparable business systems.
• Ability to interpret and analyze cost, production, quality, testing, and supplier performance data to support business decisions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Retail, Footwear Design/Product Development, Industrial Design, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in footwear product development, footwear manufacturing, global sourcing, or a related consumer products environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with footwear development processes, including Tech Packs, materials, components, construction, fit, sample development, costing, and commercialization strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with international footwear suppliers and manufacturing partners preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position is primarily sedentary and requires regular use of computers, telephones, and standard office equipment. The employee may occasionally be required to stand, walk, bend, reach, or lift and carry materials or supplies weighing up to 25 pounds in support of daily business activities.

International and domestic travel is required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Tasks do not expose employee to physically unpleasant or hazardous conditions.

TRAINING/ORIENTATION:

The employee will receive training and orientation appropriate to the responsibilities of the position, including company policies and procedures, global sourcing processes, footwear development and commercialization processes, product requirements, footwear construction and quality standards, systems, and applicable compliance requirements.

Mason Companies is committed to cultivating thriving relationships. We welcome all individuals, regardless of gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity or experience.

POSITION CLASSIFICATION:

JOB TITLE: Footwear Sourcing Specialist

DEPARTMENT: Merchandising

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Director of Sourcing

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

GRADE:

DATE REVIEWED: August 26, 2026

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and communicate at all levels, both inside and outside the organization.
• Exemplary ethics and values that align with Mason’s Mission, Vision & Values.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of business culture, cost factors and major risks primarily in China and India.
• Ability to perform with a high level of accountability and leadership.
• Proven capabilities executing strategy.
• Strong understanding of factory performance management.
• Detail oriented with strong follow-through, ability to organize and prioritize multiple projects.
• Have sense of urgency in managing time and accomplishing tasks, self-motivated with outstanding initiative and proven success with meeting deadlines.
• Knowledge of product development and production.
• Ability to react to change.
• Good at working with multiple teams.
• Strong Microsoft Outlook and Excel skills with a working knowledge of Access.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Retail/Business, Apparel Design (Technical), or related degree.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in the global sourcing environment.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible product development and/or footwear factory experience strongly desired.
• Ability to travel overseas up to 180 days a year.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work is generally sedentary, with no specific need for physical coordination or effort. The employee is regularly required to talk or hear. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. May require physical effort associated with using the computer to access information, or occasional standing, walking, lifting needed to carry out everyday activities. This position requires the ability to occasionally recruitment supplies of up to 25 pounds.

Travel is required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Tasks do not expose employee to physically unpleasant or hazardous conditions.

TRAINING/ORIENTATION:

A training development plan will be created and customized to the individual.