Supplier Development & Sourcing – Assistant Manager (China)

Employment Type: Full-time
Location: China (based in China; frequent domestic travel)
Industry: Automotive / OEM / Aftermarket / Trading / Metal & Luxury Manufacturing
Level: Individual Contributor (execution ownership)
Language: Mandarin (native/fluency) + English (professional)

Job Description

Role Summary

The Supplier Development & Sourcing – Assistant Manager (China) is responsible for identifying, developing, and managing suppliers in China to support multiple business divisions, including automotive OEM programs, aftermarket and trading businesses, and high-end metal and luxury label manufacturing.

This role is the on-ground execution arm of the corporate Supply Chain function and reports functionally to the Supply Chain Manager / Head of Supply Chain (Corporate). The position focuses on supplier scouting, factory evaluations, supplier development, cost benchmarking, and supplier performance support.

Fluency in Mandarin is essential to engage effectively with suppliers and factory teams.

Key Responsibilities

Supplier Identification & Development

• Identify and shortlist potential suppliers in China aligned with defined product families and quality requirements (OEM and traded products).

• Conduct initial supplier screening, capability assessments, and site evaluations.

• Support supplier onboarding and development to meet quality, cost, and delivery expectations.

• Act as the primary local interface between suppliers and the corporate supply chain team.

Factory Evaluation & Audit Support

• Perform factory visits and audits covering manufacturing capability, capacity, quality systems, and compliance.

• Produce structured audit reports including findings, risks, and recommendations.

• Support corrective action planning and follow up with suppliers to closure.

• Monitor supplier readiness for new product introductions (NPI) and program launches.

Commercial & Cost Support

• Support commercial discussions by collecting cost structures, quotations, and feasibility inputs from suppliers.

• Assist in cost benchmarking and cost breakdown analysis.

• Ensure supplier quotations align with sourcing strategies and program requirements.

• Support contract implementation and supplier compliance once agreements are finalized by corporate.

Program & Launch Execution Support

• Track supplier milestones for tooling, sampling, validation, and production readiness.

• Coordinate with suppliers to ensure timely execution of development and launch activities.

• Escalate risks related to quality, capacity, or timelines to corporate leadership in a timely manner.

• Support troubleshooting during early production and launch phases.

Ongoing Supplier Performance Monitoring

• Monitor supplier performance across quality, delivery, responsiveness, and compliance.

• Support corrective actions and drive closure of supplier performance issues.

• Maintain updated supplier data, visit reports, and performance records.

Cross-Functional & Regional Coordination

• Coordinate with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to support technical and operational requirements.

• Act as the local liaison between China-based suppliers and Dubai-based corporate teams.

• Ensure clear communication and accurate information flow across regions.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain accurate supplier documentation, audit records, and visit reports.

• Provide regular structured updates to the corporate Supply Chain lead on supplier status, risks, and opportunities.

• Support internal reporting and data requirements as defined by corporate.