Asia General Manager – Sourcing & Quality

Location

Shanghai or Hong Kong

Reporting Line

Directly reporting to COO – Sourcing & Supply Chain Transformation

Company Overview

Our client is a leading international retail sourcing and supply chain organization with an extensive sourcing network across Asia.

The organization operates multiple sourcing and quality offices across Greater China, South Asia and Southeast Asia, supporting global retail programs through supplier development, sourcing excellence, quality assurance and supply chain management.

With continued business growth and an ongoing transformation agenda, the company is seeking an experienced Asia General Manager – Sourcing & Quality to lead one of its most important regional organizations.

Position Summary

This role will lead a regional Sourcing & Quality organization of over 200 employees across multiple countries and sourcing offices in Asia.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving sourcing strategy, supplier capability development, quality excellence, organizational effectiveness and transformation initiatives, while partnering closely with senior leadership across the business.

This position offers a unique opportunity to influence the future development of a large-scale international sourcing platform.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Organization Management

• Lead and develop a regional sourcing and quality organization of 200+ employees.
• Manage leadership teams across multiple countries and sourcing offices.
• Build organizational capability, succession planning and talent development programs.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Sourcing Strategy & Supplier Management

• Define and execute sourcing strategies across multiple merchandise categories.
• Develop and strengthen strategic supplier partnerships across Asia.
• Drive supplier capability enhancement and supply base optimization.
• Balance cost competitiveness, quality performance, innovation and supply reliability.
• Monitor market trends and manufacturing developments across Asia.

Quality Management & Operational Excellence

• Lead supplier quality management programs and governance processes.
• Ensure consistent quality standards across all sourcing offices and supplier networks.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to quality, compliance and manufacturing performance.
• Strengthen supplier capability through audits, assessments and development programs.
• Ensure effective risk management and business continuity planning.

Transformation & Digitalization

• Lead business transformation initiatives across sourcing and quality functions.
• Drive process optimization and operational efficiency improvements.
• Support AI-enabled productivity, automation and digital transformation projects.
• Promote data-driven decision making and continuous improvement across the organization.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner closely with regional and global leadership teams.
• Collaborate with Operations, Commercial and Functional teams to achieve business objectives.
• Build strong relationships with key suppliers and external partners.
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior management on sourcing and quality-related matters.

Candidate Profile

Professional Experience

• Minimum 15 years of experience in sourcing, procurement, quality, supply chain or retail sourcing leadership roles.
• Proven track record leading large and geographically dispersed organizations.
• Experience managing sourcing operations, supplier networks and/or regional quality organizations across Asia.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing ecosystems and supplier management within China and broader Asia.
• Experience working within multinational organizations and matrix structures.

Functional Expertise

• Strong sourcing and supplier management background preferred.
• Solid quality leadership experience is essential.
• Candidates from either sourcing/procurement leadership backgrounds or quality leadership backgrounds will be considered.
• For candidates with a predominantly quality background, experience in supplier quality, manufacturing quality, quality systems, supplier development and regional organizational leadership will be highly valued.
• Experience driving operational excellence, transformation, digitalization or AI-enabled initiatives is highly preferred.

Leadership Competencies

• Mature and influential leader with excellent people management skills.
• Proven ability to lead through change and organizational transformation.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capability.
• Ability to operate effectively within multicultural environments.

Language & Mobility

• Fluent English is required.
• Mandarin communication capability preferred.
• International exposure is highly desirable.
• Foreign passport is preferred due to regional travel requirements, particularly India.
• Willingness to travel across Asia as required.

Why Join

• Direct reporting line to the COO.
• Lead a regional organization of 200+ employees.
• Manage multiple sourcing and quality offices across Asia.
• Play a key role in sourcing, quality and transformation strategy.
• Opportunity to drive AI and digital transformation initiatives.
• Stable and successful international retail platform.
• Collaborative, pragmatic and low-politics culture.
• Significant visibility and influence within the organization.

Key Selling Points

• Asia leadership role with responsibility across multiple countries

• Direct exposure to executive leadership team

• 200+ team management scope

• Strong focus on transformation, AI adoption and organizational capability building

• Open to both sourcing leaders and senior quality leaders

• Flexible location: Shanghai or Hong Kong