Sourcing Manager / Lead

Sourcing Manager / Lead

City of London Full-Time 28800 - 43200 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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Marks and Spencer

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead global fashion sourcing operations and develop innovative sourcing strategies.
  • Company: Join Marks & Spencer, a dynamic and inclusive retail leader.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 20% discount, competitive holidays, and wellness support.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in sustainable fashion sourcing and collaborate with creative teams.
  • Qualifications: Experience in garment sourcing and strong negotiation skills required.
  • Other info: Be part of a diverse team driving change in the retail industry.

The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.

Overview

All the details

We\\\’re hiring a proactive Sourcing Manager to lead and elevate our global fashion sourcing operations. In this pivotal role, you\\\’ll develop sourcing strategies, manage supplier relationships, and collaborate closely with buying, design, and technical teams to uphold ethical, sustainable, and cost-effective practices.

We\\\’re looking for someone with proven experience in garment sourcing, cost analysis, and working with international suppliers. If you\\\’re passionate about driving value without compromising on quality or compliance, and you\\\’re ready to make an impact across the full product lifecycle – we\\\’d love to hear from you.

Workplace note: To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.

What’s in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We\\\’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever, and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special

  • After completing your probationary period, you\\\’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
  • Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
  • Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
  • A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
  • A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
  • Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
  • Industry-leading parental, adoption, and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
  • Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
  • A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you\\\’re passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

What you\\\’ll do

Your key accountabilities will include

  • Develop and execute sourcing strategies and pricing negotiations aligned with seasonal fashion collections and brand aesthetics.
  • Collaborate with buying, design and product development teams to source fabrics, trims, and finished goods that meet margins, design intent and quality standards.
  • Manage vendor relationships across global sourcing offices, ensuring compliance with ethical and sustainability standards.
  • Lead processes to deliver margin management, total cost of goods, and negotiating contracts; analyze sourcing data and prepare reports on supplier performance, cost savings, and risk mitigation.
  • Monitor the global geo balance, estimate risks, and develop strategies to maximize opportunities or mitigate risks.

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include

  • Previous experience in garment and fashion sourcing, with a solid understanding of supply chain dynamics and the key factors influencing product costing and placement.
  • Good understanding of Fashion, Home and Beauty retail and associated sourcing.
  • Experience in leading complex strategies, analysing problems, collating information, generating opinions, and then proposing and implementing a strategy.
  • Proven ability to directly lead cross functional teams in multi locations, ability to galvanise diverse individuals with different goals and facilitate proactive discussions that align to wider business strategies.
  • Skilled in vendor negotiation, analytics, and financial analysis to identify cost savings.

Everyone\\\’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We\\\’re disrupting, innovating, and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted, and admired by our colleagues, customers, and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you\\\’d benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don\\\’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.

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Sourcing Manager / Lead employer: Marks and Spencer

Marks & Spencer is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture, where creativity thrives through teamwork. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will benefit from tailored training programmes, generous perks, and a supportive environment that prioritises wellbeing and work-life balance. Join us in our vibrant office, where your contributions will directly impact our global fashion sourcing operations and help shape the future of retail.
Marks and Spencer

Contact Detail:

Marks and Spencer Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Sourcing Manager / Lead

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or attend fashion sourcing events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its sourcing strategies. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals, especially around ethical and sustainable practices.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your analytical skills! Bring examples of how you've used data to drive sourcing decisions or negotiate better contracts. This will demonstrate your value in managing vendor relationships.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team.

We think you need these skills to ace Sourcing Manager / Lead

Sourcing Strategies Development
Supplier Relationship Management
Cost Analysis
Garment Sourcing
Negotiation Skills
Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams
Vendor Negotiation
Data Analysis
Risk Mitigation
Understanding of Supply Chain Dynamics
Financial Analysis
Ethical and Sustainable Practices
Problem-Solving Skills
Project Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your garment sourcing experience and any relevant achievements to show us you’re the perfect fit for the Sourcing Manager role.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about fashion sourcing and how you can drive value while maintaining quality. Share specific examples of your past successes to make your application stand out.

Showcase Your Collaboration Skills: Since this role involves working closely with various teams, emphasise your ability to collaborate effectively. Mention any experiences where you’ve successfully led cross-functional teams or managed vendor relationships.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates during the recruitment process.

How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer

✨Know Your Sourcing Strategies

Before the interview, brush up on various sourcing strategies relevant to the fashion industry. Be ready to discuss how you would develop and execute these strategies in alignment with seasonal collections and brand aesthetics.

✨Showcase Your Vendor Management Skills

Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed vendor relationships in the past. Highlight your experience ensuring compliance with ethical and sustainability standards, as this is crucial for the role.

✨Demonstrate Analytical Prowess

Be ready to talk about your experience with cost analysis and data interpretation. Bring specific examples of how you've used analytics to identify cost savings or improve supplier performance.

✨Collaborate and Communicate

Since collaboration is key in this role, think of instances where you've led cross-functional teams. Be prepared to discuss how you facilitated discussions that aligned diverse goals with wider business strategies.

Sourcing Manager / Lead
Marks and Spencer
Location: City of London
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