Sourcing & Product Development - Menswear

Job description:

Sourcing & Production Merchandiser – Menswear

Location: Thane

Experience: 2–6 years

Employment: Full-time

Industry: Menswear / Fashion / D2C

Pay: ₹50,000.00 - ₹90,000.00 per month

About the Role

We are looking for a Sourcing & Product Development who can operate equally well in the market and in the system.

This is a highly hands-on, field-oriented role for someone who understands menswear sourcing, production, vendors, fabrics, costing and timelines — but is also comfortable using technology and software to maintain accurate, real-time information.

We are looking for someone who can build the vendor ecosystem from the ground up, not simply manage an existing vendor list.

From Day 1, the person should be capable of:

Finding the right vendors → Building relationships → Getting vendors onboarded → Negotiating commercials → Developing products → Managing production → Solving issues → Maintaining vendor relationships → Keeping all information updated digitally.

The ideal candidate will have strong industry connections, excellent communication skills, commercial understanding and the confidence to deal directly with factories, fabric suppliers, job workers and other production partners.

Key Responsibilities

1. Vendor Sourcing & Network Building

• Identify and develop new vendors for menswear manufacturing and sourcing.
• Build a strong network of:
• Garment manufacturers
• Shirt manufacturers
• Trouser manufacturers
• Kurta manufacturers
• Fabric suppliers
• Dyeing/processing units
• Printing units
• Embroidery units
• Washing units
• Trims/accessories suppliers
• Job workers
• Actively visit factories, markets and production units to identify new capabilities.
• Build relationships with factory owners, production heads, merchandisers and suppliers.
• Maintain a continuously growing vendor database.
• Identify alternative vendors to reduce dependency on individual suppliers.
• Develop backup vendors for critical categories and processes.

The expectation:

You should already know how to find the right people — and if you don't know someone, you should know how to get introduced to them.

2. Vendor Onboarding

Own the complete process of bringing new vendors into the business.

This includes:

• Initial vendor identification
• Capability assessment
• Factory visits
• Product/category understanding
• Capacity assessment
• Quality assessment
• Commercial negotiation
• Sampling
• Trial orders
• Commercial finalisation
• Documentation
• Vendor onboarding
• Performance tracking

Build long-term relationships rather than treating vendors as transactional suppliers.

3. Relationship Management

Develop strong, professional relationships with vendors and production partners.

You will be expected to:

• Maintain regular communication with vendors.
• Understand vendor priorities and constraints.
• Build trust while protecting company interests.
• Resolve conflicts professionally.
• Maintain strong relationships even during difficult negotiations.
• Ensure vendors remain responsive and committed to our business.
• Develop strategic relationships with high-performing vendors.

We are looking for someone who understands that:

Strong vendor relationships are a business asset.

4. Negotiation & Commercials

Take ownership of commercial negotiations with vendors.

Negotiate:

• Product costs
• Fabric costs
• Manufacturing rates
• Sampling charges
• MOQ
• Lead times
• Payment terms
• Credit periods
• Development charges
• Rework/alteration costs
• Quality-related claims
• Production timelines

Understand the complete cost structure of a garment and identify opportunities for cost optimisation without compromising quality.

You should be comfortable negotiating firmly while maintaining long-term relationships.

5. Product Development & Sampling

Work closely with the design/product team to convert concepts into commercially viable products.

Responsibilities include:

• Understanding tech packs and product requirements.
• Communicating requirements to factories.
• Sourcing suitable fabrics and trims.
• Getting samples developed.
• Coordinating fit/sample corrections.
• Following up on revisions.
• Ensuring sample timelines are met.
• Comparing vendor quotations.
• Evaluating feasibility and production constraints.
• Identifying the right vendor based on product/category requirements.

You should be able to tell the team:

This product can be made, this is how it should be made, this vendor is best suited for it, and this is what it will realistically cost.

6. Production Merchandising

Once an order is placed, take ownership of production coordination.

Track:

• Order confirmation
• Fabric booking
• Fabric availability
• Cutting
• Stitching
• Printing
• Embroidery
• Washing
• Finishing
• Packing
• QC
• Dispatch
• Delivery

Ensure production stays aligned with agreed timelines.

Identify delays early rather than waiting until the committed date.

7. Field Operations

This is a field-oriented role.

Regular travel to:

• Factories
• Vendors
• Fabric markets
• Production units
• Processing units
• Suppliers
• Sampling units

will be required.

You should be comfortable spending significant time outside the office when required to solve sourcing and production problems.

When an issue occurs at the factory, the expectation is:

Go there → Understand the problem → Speak to the right person → Find the solution → Close the issue → Update the system.

Not:

Send a message → Wait → Follow up tomorrow.

8. Quality & Production Problem Solving

Work closely with factories and internal QC teams to identify and resolve:

• Stitching issues
• Fabric defects
• Measurement issues
• Fit problems
• Colour variations
• Shrinkage
• Finishing issues
• Production delays
• Rework
• Rejections
• Alterations
• Packing issues

Coordinate corrective action with vendors and ensure issues are closed within agreed timelines.

9. Technology & Data Management

While this is a field-heavy role, technology discipline is equally important.

All vendor and production information should be properly maintained in the company's systems.

You will be expected to use tools such as:

• Airtable
• Google Sheets
• Excel
• ERP / sourcing software
• WhatsApp Business
• Google Drive
• Other internal systems

to maintain:

• Vendor database
• Vendor capabilities
• Contact information
• Product categories
• Cost sheets
• Sampling status
• Production status
• Order status
• Delivery timelines
• Vendor performance
• Negotiation history
• Quality issues
• Payment/commercial information
• Vendor ratings

Important:

If it isn't updated in the system, it doesn't exist.

The role requires strong discipline in maintaining accurate and timely information.

10. Vendor Performance Management

Create and maintain vendor performance tracking based on:

• Quality
• Cost
• Delivery
• Capacity
• Responsiveness
• Flexibility
• Sampling speed
• Production consistency
• Problem-solving
• Commercial reliability

Identify:

A-grade vendors → Strategic partners

B-grade vendors → Develop and monitor

C-grade vendors → Replace / backup

Continuously improve the vendor base.

11. Market Intelligence

Stay connected with the menswear manufacturing ecosystem and continuously understand:

• Current manufacturing rates
• Fabric prices
• New fabric developments
• New suppliers
• Manufacturing capabilities
• Production capacities
• Industry trends
• Vendor movements
• New processing techniques
• Cost benchmarks

Bring this information back into the company to improve sourcing decisions.

What We Are Looking ForMust Have

• 3–6 years of experience in menswear sourcing / merchandising / production.
• Strong understanding of garment manufacturing.
• Existing vendor/factory network is highly preferred.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong vendor relationship management.
• Comfortable travelling and visiting factories regularly.
• Strong understanding of costing and production timelines.
• Ability to independently source and onboard vendors.
• Strong follow-up and execution discipline.
• Comfortable using Excel/Google Sheets and digital tools.
• Willingness to learn and use Airtable/ERP/sourcing software.
• Strong problem-solving ability.

Personality & Working Style

We are specifically looking for someone who is:

CONNECTED

You know people.

And if you don't know someone, you know how to find the right person.

PROACTIVE

You don't wait for instructions to discover vendors, solve delays or find alternatives.

COMMERCIAL

You understand that every ₹ matters.

You know when to push for a better price, when to compromise and when paying slightly more is commercially justified.

RELATIONSHIP-ORIENTED

You can build relationships with factory owners and suppliers while still negotiating strongly.

FIELD-ORIENTED

You are comfortable going to the market, visiting factories and solving problems physically.

TECH-SAVVY

You are comfortable using software, spreadsheets and digital systems to bring structure to a traditionally relationship-driven industry.

ACCOUNTABLE

You own the outcome rather than simply completing the activity.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 90 days, the person should be able to:

• Build a strong pipeline of new vendors.
• Establish relationships with relevant factories and suppliers.
• Onboard multiple capable vendors.
• Improve sourcing options across key menswear categories.
• Establish competitive cost benchmarks.
• Develop reliable backup vendors.
• Improve vendor response times.
• Create better visibility on production status.
• Maintain accurate sourcing and production data.
• Identify and resolve production issues faster.
• Establish strong relationships with key strategic vendors.

Portfolio / Interview Requirements

Candidates should be prepared to discuss:

• Vendors they have personally developed.
• Categories they have sourced.
• Largest orders handled.
• Typical production volumes.
• Cost negotiations they have successfully conducted.
• Difficult vendor situations they have resolved.
• Examples of delayed production they recovered.
• How they identify new factories.
• Their existing industry network.

During the interview, we may ask:

If we give you a new menswear category tomorrow, how would you find 10 capable vendors within one week

We are looking for a real-world answer, not a theoretical one.

The Core Question

Can you build the vendor ecosystem, negotiate the right commercials, get production moving, solve problems on the ground, maintain strong relationships — and keep the entire operation digitally organised

If yes, we'd like to meet you.

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Work Location: In person