Sourcing Specialist

Sleeping Duck

Prahran, VIC
Permanent
Full-time

1 month ago

Sourcing SpecialistTravel the world. Find suppliers. Make unique products.Who I am looking forHello, I'm the Head of Product Management at Sleeping Duck and I'm looking for someone who loves the game of searching for bespoke products and chasing after suppliers who can make our design dreams.Our mission is to improve lives by using scientific and customer insights to address the challenges we face in achieving the best possible nights sleep. We design and engineer products and services that deliver meaningful, positive impact towards this goal. This requires us to invest deeply in understanding the factors that influence sleep quality and comfort throughout the night — as well as how our interventions directly affect these factors.We're always looking to push the boundaries in how we can impact customer's lives. We have multiple products, multiple brands and operate in multiple countries. We need someone up for a challenge.This means you need to be able to -

Take the time to understand what the leaders of the business are trying to achieve and assist in distilling this into clear projects and goals
Stand up and be actively chasing after solutions - there's no sitting around
Have a can do attitude and always ask how you can support the team

If you're a seeker, someone who is very organised, and loves working on technical products, you'll thrive if you keep an open mind and are able to push to keep the chase on with many suppliers.What we are building at Sleeping Duck and whySleeping Duck is a collective of engineers, designers, customer advocates, and medical professionals united by a shared mission: to create meaningful improvements in the quality of our customers' lives. We focus on optimising sleep—because better sleep means more energy, better focus, and a greater capacity to thrive each day.We began by challenging the traditional mattress industry—reimagining how mattresses and bed frames are designed, engineered, and purchased. Today, we're expanding into new frontiers of sleep science, exploring how elements like temperature regulation, sensors, and lighting can make the sleep experience more restorative, comfortable, and uninterrupted.One of our most exciting innovations is the Z10 Body Fit System, engineered in collaboration with a neurosurgeon and leading physiotherapists. Developed to support patients experiencing chronic pain and those undergoing surgery, the Z10 is delivering exceptional results—and is currently available exclusively through physiotherapists. Projects like this are what drive us: complex problems, human-centred design, and life-changing outcomes.Our customers consistently tell us they love what we do—and their thousands of reviews on ProductReview speak for themselves. Ultimately, that's what fuels us: helping people get their best night's sleep, and creating experiences that truly exceed expectations.We currently operate in Australia and the USA and will continue to grow into international markets.What the role looks like in practiceYou'll be working with me and my Product team. We are a small team, consisting of product managers and production managers. We work closely with the Design team.The Design team works on new product design, design updates to existing products and concept research. The Product team leads product implementation and operations.There are two main sourcing needs - * Source alternative factory options for existing products - in a systematic way. This means obtaining samples and quotes for all raw materials, product sub components, and finished goods.

Source factory options for new product design needs. We need something in a new area, technology, material. You find us factories that are suitable.

You will be trying to establish new relationships with many factories in many countries, and will have to navigate different cultures, languages, and geopolitics. Expect to be interfacing a lot with suppliers - calling them, messaging them, video meetings - and then travelling to visit them.At the start, you will need to spend time sitting down with all our design documentation and mapping out what is the key criteria for each product to assess supplier capabilities.You'll then go to the market and find suppliers who meet the requirements. Some projects you will work alone, other projects you will work with the internal team, or with external sourcing agencies.You will lead the supplier onboarding process, performing physical site visits, audits and assessments. You'll get the supplier to produce samples and deliver it to the team for evaluation. You will organise any additional requirements such as certification procurement and any testing standards that need to be passed.Success is finding multiple manufacturing solutions which meet our quality and cost targets.Relevant experience for this roleIdeally, you:

Have sourced and procured products, materials, components, preferably in the furniture/mattress industry.
Are very familiar with taking custom product designs to manufacturers
Are comfortable dealing with manufacturers from different countries - whether it be China, Europe, Vietnam, The Americas
Know how to conduct onboarding supplier audits
Know how to negotiate and evaluate tenders
Preferably speak languages other than English, such as Chinese or Vietnamese.

I'm less concerned with the amount of years worked, and more interested about your approach and attitude. You need to be able to understand and learn quickly about what matters in the technical details. If you are hungry and able to put the chase on, juggling multiple supplier leads and not put off by dead ends, you'll be fine.What you might like or dislikeSleeping Duck is a workplace with a unique working style. People are passionate and care about outcomes. The team is serious about getting stuff done. We reward you with independence and responsibility, and an expectation that you will be proactive in asking questions. With tasked responsibilities, we shouldn't have to be chasing you up. You should have work ready.Product is an always evolving area, with ambitious projects and multiple competing priorities. Some projects get released, some projects get cancelled. You may spend time in one area which doesn't see the light of day. It's sometimes hard to stay across everything that is happening and changing.As you will be working with suppliers in different countries, your working hours will often be flexible. If the supplier is only available after hours, you'll make the time to meet. It could include late night meetings, flying overseas, and being in the office as much as required to get the job done.Sometimes things don't go your way. We might change our requirements quickly. We might want a very specific thing which is hard to find. We might not always have the right offer to the supplier to make it attractive for them. There are multiple projects on the go. What I need is someone who can stick through all of this and show unyielding grit and determination.We are here in service of the company vision and our job is to provide ways on how we can achieve it. We are inspired by big goals - and strive to see how we can make it work. “This sounds too hard, complicated, or expensive” is not a slogan which exists at Sleeping Duck.As we are small and nimble, it's well positioned for support and relationships. You'll get to know everyone in the company, if you take the time. We all celebrate and win together.I appreciate when you take the time to write personal cover letters and application notes. Reconsider the temptation to use AI to generate your words. I really just want to hear from you, personally in this instance.If the above resonates, apply now!

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