Sourcing Specialist

About the role

Exact is looking for a Sourcing Specialist in the Western Cape. The role finds, develops and manages the vendors, fabrics and products that bring Exact's ranges to market, securing the right product at the right cost, quality and lead time while ensuring suppliers meet TFG's ethical, compliance and sustainability standards.

Key responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate and onboard new local and offshore vendors, and source fabrics, trims and finished products that meet the brief on handle, performance, cost and lead time.
• Brief developments to suppliers, follow them through to approved samples, and manage the fabric library, sample tracking and sample flow between suppliers, PDV and buying.
• Balance local CMT and manufacturing partners against offshore options, and build strong, long-term supplier relationships.
• Conduct supplier and factory visits, track vendor performance through a scorecard, and lead supplier performance reviews and improvement plans.
• Screen and approve new vendors against the supplier code of conduct, ensure factories hold current ethical audits and certifications, and support sustainability and traceability goals such as Better Cotton, GOTS and GRS.
• Negotiate prices and MOQs, calculate full landed costs, and reduce sourcing risk by spreading volume across vendors and countries.
• Manage the critical path, production and shipping lead times, track approvals and flag delays early.
• Analyse quotations, run cost exercises, conduct competitor analysis, and use sales and sell-through data to inform product and vendor decisions.

Required profile

• Degree or diploma in textiles, fashion, clothing production or supply chain management.
• 6+ years' experience in apparel sourcing, ideally in South African retail.
• Experience with both local and offshore suppliers; experience in a specific category such as womenswear wovens and knits is an advantage.

Required skills

• Strong knowledge of fabrics, fibres, trims and garment construction.
• Costing, landed cost and margin calculation.
• Understanding of testing, quality standards and compliance requirements.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Strong negotiation and analytical skills with attention to detail.