About us. We're a UK-based brand and online retailer selling beauty and health products. The business has grown quickly and we need someone to take ownership of our supplier relationships in China and our stock forecasting/planning.
Role Overview
The role is part-time, standalone with no direct reports. You will be the main contact between our Chinese suppliers and our UK & international operations. The work splits into two parts: managing suppliers and forecasting demand to maintain right stock levels.
Responsibilities
- Find, vet and onboard new suppliers across product categories.
- Negotiate price, MOQs, payment terms and lead times.
- Build long‑term relationships with manufacturers and trading partners on Alibaba, 1688, Made‑in‑China and direct contacts.
- Run quality checks, factory verifications, sample reviews and product certifications (UKCA, CE, RoHS, cosmetics safety).
- Resolve problems: late shipments, quality issues, commercial disputes.
- Build SKU‑level demand forecasts using sales history, seasonality and upcoming promotions.
- Place purchase orders to keep stock at healthy levels without overbuying.
- Monitor slow‑moving and ageing stock and act on it.
- Collaborate with sales, marketing and warehouse to align supply and demand.
- Track forecast accuracy, sell‑through, stock turn and on‑time delivery.
Qualifications
- Fluent Mandarin (spoken and written).
- At least 3 years in procurement or buying, with hands‑on experience sourcing from China.
- Practical experience in demand forecasting and inventory planning.
- Strong negotiation skills with a commercial mindset.
- Confident with Excel or Google Sheets (pivot tables, lookups, basic forecasting models).
- Well‑organised and capable of managing several categories simultaneously.
- Useful but not essential: background in home beauty/health or electronics; familiarity with Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Linnworks, Cin7 or NetSuite; working knowledge of UK product compliance (UKCA, CE, cosmetics rules); CIPS qualification or studying toward one.
Benefits & Compensation
- £18,000 per year (part‑time).
- Part‑time hours: 9 am‑2 pm, Monday‑Friday (25 hours per week).
- Office in Wood Green, 5 minutes from Piccadilly line tube.
- Opportunity to shape the function as the business grows.
Application
Email your CV with the following information:
- Your experience working with Chinese suppliers.
- A forecasting or stock problem you handled and how you resolved it.
We review applications as they come in.
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