Sourcing Manager, Women's Leather Outerwear
Basis Set Ventures (Basis Set) is an AI-native venture capital fund founded in 2017 that invests in early-stage AI companies, positioning itself as the first capital for founders. The firm backs startups across automated workflows, autonomy, intelligent collaboration, and scalable infrastructure, serving early-stage AI founders and startups as its typical clients.
About Basis Set Ventures
Basis Set Ventures is an AI-native venture fund founded in 2017, built on the science of minds and machines, that recently announced its $250M Fund IV. The firm positions itself as the first institutional capital for founders and provides hands-on, 24/7 'founder concierge' support, acting as its portfolio companies' first customer, sales rep, bug reporter, and recruiter. It invests in AI-first startups spanning categories such as automated workflows, autonomy, intelligent collaboration, and scalable infrastructure, with portfolio companies including Quince, Cusp, Path Robotics, OpenArt, Entire, Tigris Data, Mem0, Vizcom, Simular, and Sakana. Basis Set also publishes original research and perspectives on topics like trucking operations, global customs, maritime transport, real estate, agriculture, and AI agent infrastructure, and runs a Basis Set AI Fellows program for individuals to work on hard problems within the firm and its portfolio companies. Its typical clients are early-stage, AI-native startup founders across a range of industries including consumer, infrastructure, robotics, and enterprise software.
Skills
About the Role
You will build and lead Quince's Women's Leather Outerwear sourcing function from the ground up. You will scout and onboard new vendor partners, negotiate open costing and commercial terms, and manage supplier capacity to keep pace with company growth. You will source materials to improve cost, quality, and speed, and act as an ambassador building strong, lasting partner relationships. You will drive continuous improvement across product launches, development timelines, and sourcing processes while collaborating with a diverse set of stakeholders across functions and geographies.
Requirements
- 10+ years sourcing and merchandising experience in Women's apparel categories with high-end national brands in the United States & Europe, specifically in Women's Outerwear
- Proven ability as a self starter and quick independent learner adapting swiftly to new challenges
- Exceptional attention to detail with a data driven approach to decision making and problem-solving
- Strong analytical mindset with a focus on execution, process improvement, and brand enhancement
- Continuous learner with a proactive attitude, open to new perspectives and adaptable to changing circumstances
- Track record in supply chain management or operations
- Excellent interpersonal skills, skilled in written and verbal communication and presentation
Responsibilities
- Scout for vendor partners who can manufacture high quality Women's Outerwear products with fast production lead time
- Pitch and onboard vendor partners quickly with clear criteria for the initial test period and scaling ability
- Drive excellence in partner operations for existing supplier relationships while expanding a redundant supplier base
- Improve product costs, quality, and commercial terms for sustainable sales and profitability
- Manage capacity at a supplier and style level to keep pace with company growth and scale
- Source materials quickly to improve product cost, quality and speed for scaling orders
- Negotiate with suppliers throughout the supply chain from T1 to T2 and T3 mill and vendor partners
- Build a validated cost structure and template to negotiate with vendor partners without relying on vendor data only
- Act as an ambassador to partners, building and deepening relationships
- Drive higher hit-rate launches through product excellence and faster development times by identifying bottlenecks
- Maintain a strategic and commercial understanding of the sourcing landscape and trade benefits for product costs and speed to market
- Lead across strategic and tactical levels involving a diverse set of stakeholders from different functions and nationalities
- Redefine processes and SOPs for faster speed and continuous improvement