About the role
Position Overview
The Retail Brand Sourcing Specialist / Manager will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, onboarding, and developing strategic partnerships with emerging brands, direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses, local manufacturers, artisans, entrepreneurs, and innovative product suppliers to support the company's retail expansion strategy.
The role focuses on building a diverse, competitive, and commercially attractive portfolio of brands and products that align with the company's target customers, market positioning, quality standards, and business objectives.
The successful candidate will proactively explore new sourcing opportunities, negotiate favorable commercial terms, assess product and brand potential, and establish long-term relationships with suppliers and brand partners. The role will also contribute to category development, assortment planning, revenue growth, and the expansion of the company's retail ecosystem.
Key Responsibilities
A. Brand and Supplier Sourcing
Identify and develop a pipeline of promising local and international brands, DTC businesses, manufacturers, distributors, artisans, and product innovators.
Research market trends, emerging consumer preferences, competitor offerings, and new product categories to identify growth opportunities.
Proactively approach potential brand partners through industry networks, trade fairs, exhibitions, business associations, online platforms, and direct outreach.
Discover unique, differentiated, and high-potential products that strengthen the company's retail assortment and market position.
Build and maintain a structured database of prospective brands, suppliers, and business partners.
B. Brand Evaluation and Selection
Evaluate prospective brands based on product quality, market demand, pricing, uniqueness, brand reputation, operational capacity, and commercial viability.
Assess supplier reliability, production capabilities, inventory availability, fulfillment capacity, and ability to support business growth.
Analyze target customer fit, competitive positioning, product differentiation, and potential contribution to sales and profitability.
Conduct preliminary due diligence on suppliers, including business legitimacy, product authenticity, quality assurance, and compliance with applicable requirements.
Prepare brand evaluation reports and recommendations to support management's sourcing and selection decisions.
C. Commercial Negotiation and Partnership Development
Negotiate pricing, wholesale discounts, commissions, payment terms, minimum order quantities, delivery schedules, return policies, and other commercial conditions.
Develop mutually beneficial partnership models, including wholesale purchasing, consignment, marketplace arrangements, exclusive distribution, and other suitable retail collaboration structures.
Establish clear expectations and service-level requirements with brand partners.
Prepare commercial proposals and coordinate the review of supplier agreements with relevant internal stakeholders.
Build sustainable relationships that encourage repeat business, brand loyalty, and long-term commercial growth.
D. Brand Onboarding and Product Listing
Coordinate the end-to-end onboarding of selected brands and suppliers in collaboration with merchandising, operations, marketing, finance, and other relevant teams.
Collect and verify supplier documentation, product specifications, pricing information, product images, descriptions, and other required materials.
Ensure that products meet the company's quality, packaging, labeling, pricing, and presentation standards.
Coordinate product listing, catalog setup, inventory planning, launch preparation, and promotional readiness.
Monitor onboarding progress and resolve operational issues that may delay product availability or brand launch.
E. Category Development and Assortment Planning
Identify gaps in the existing product assortment and recommend new brands, categories, and product lines.
Support category managers and merchandising teams in developing balanced assortments aligned with customer demand and commercial objectives.
Recommend products across relevant retail categories based on the company's business model and target market.
Monitor product performance, pricing competitiveness, sales trends, and customer feedback.
Recommend assortment expansion, product replacement, seasonal sourcing, and discontinuation of underperforming products where appropriate.
F. Market Research and Competitive Intelligence
Conduct regular market research to identify emerging brands, innovative products, new suppliers, and changing consumer preferences.
Benchmark competitor assortments, pricing strategies, brand partnerships, and promotional activities.
Identify opportunities to introduce locally made, differentiated, and value-added products to the retail market.
Track industry developments and prepare periodic reports on sourcing opportunities, market trends, and competitive positioning.
Provide actionable recommendations to management regarding new market opportunities and potential strategic partnerships.
G. Supplier Relationship and Performance Management
Maintain effective working relationships with existing and prospective brand partners.
Monitor supplier performance against agreed standards for product quality, pricing, availability, delivery reliability, and responsiveness.
Identify supply risks and coordinate corrective actions with relevant departments.
Review supplier performance periodically and recommend improvements, expanded partnerships, or supplier replacement when necessary.
Maintain accurate records of supplier communications, negotiations, contracts, product information, and performance assessments.
H. Sales Growth and Commercial Performance
Contribute to sales growth, gross margin improvement, product availability, and overall category profitability through effective sourcing.
Identify commercially attractive products and brands with strong sales potential and sustainable margins.
Collaborate with marketing and sales teams on brand launches, promotional campaigns, seasonal initiatives, and product visibility.
Track the commercial performance of sourced brands and identify opportunities to improve revenue and profitability.
Prepare regular sourcing pipeline updates, performance reports, and recommendations for management.
Technical and Commercial Skills
Strong brand discovery, supplier sourcing, and market research capabilities.
Commercial analysis, pricing, margin evaluation, and negotiation skills.
Understanding of retail merchandising, assortment planning, and product lifecycle management.
Ability to assess supplier capabilities, product quality, and business potential.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and relevant business or inventory management systems.
Strong reporting, documentation, and presentation skills.
Behavioral Competencies
Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
Strong commercial awareness and a results-oriented mindset.
Proactive, entrepreneurial, and innovative approach to identifying opportunities.
Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
Effective planning, organization, and time management.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
High standards of integrity, professionalism, accountability, and attention to detail.
Educational Background and Requirements
A bachelor's degree (BA/BSc) in Business Administration, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Purchasing, Retail Management, Merchandising, Economics, or a related field.
Additional training or certification in procurement, strategic sourcing, retail merchandising, negotiation, or supplier relationship management is an advantage.
Relevant practical experience in retail sourcing and brand acquisition may be considered alongside academic qualifications.
A minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in retail sourcing, vendor acquisition, procurement, merchandising, supplier management, or brand partnerships.
Experience identifying, evaluating, negotiating with, and onboarding suppliers, brands, manufacturers, or product partners.
Experience working with local businesses, SMEs, startups, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, or local artisans is an advantage.
Familiarity with retail operations, product assortment planning, pricing, and commercial negotiations
Working at Confidential
- Private health coverFor you and your immediate family
- 25 days paid leavePlus all public holidays
- Home office budget30,000 ETB to set up your space
- Learning stipendAnnual budget for courses and conferences
- Parental leave16 weeks fully paid, all parents
- Transport allowanceMonthly stipend for commuting days
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