Managing Director, Dubai

What's the Short Version?

The Managing Director, SanMar Global Sourcing–Dubai leads SanMar's Dubai-based sourcing office. The position is SanMar's most senior employee in the region and provides leadership across all aspects of the office and regional team – both strategic and tactical. The Managing Director will manage SanMar's supplier network across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa, responsible for supplier relationships and overall management including product development and all performance aspects including factory compliance, margin, quality, and delivery. The role is an exceptionally dynamic position with significant opportunity to contribute to SanMar's global success and demands the utmost in independence, integrity, and entrepreneurship.

What Will You Be Doing?

• Hire, train, and motivate teams focused on merchandising/product development, product quality, technical design, and color management. Ensure that SanMar’s “be nice” and “tell the truth” values are at the core of the culture for the new office.
• As the top-level liaison to SanMar’s United States based operations (SMUS), effectively partner with peers to ensure high levels of internal customer service and strong global alignment in responding to challenges across the supply chain.
• Serve as SanMar’s executive level liaison by building meaningful relationships with factory leadership across the region. Model SanMar’s ‘business is personal’ strategic approach to vendor relationships in all interactions with our supply base.
• Travel extensively to meet with partners, gather best practices, and champion organizational alignment across SanMar’s global supply chain. While the Dubai office will manage vendors in Africa and the Middle East, travel throughout Asia and Central America is required to build a sufficient understanding of SanMar’s entire global network.
• Model and drive a continuous improvement mindset across SanMar’s vendor base. Continuously strive for ways to eliminate inefficiencies and improve quality – from the factory floor to the way we partner with factories to place Purchase Orders.
• Evaluate and propose new vendors and geographic opportunities that align with SanMar’s sourcing strategy. Develop a strong working knowledge of the key apparel producers in the region, their relative strengths/weaknesses, and ensure they understand SanMar’s sourcing model and the values we bring to our factory partners.
• Develop an understanding of current product line, competitive landscape and sales trends in our channel and drive initiatives/propose new styles that reflect the strengths of SanMar’s vendor base, provide exceptional value to our customers, and align with business trends.
• Prepare annual budgets for SanMar Global Sourcing-Dubai and provide regular reporting back to SMUS on performance to plan.
• Responsible for all other aspects of the SanMar Global Sourcing-Dubai office - ensure benefits are appropriate and aligned with SMUS, comply with all local laws/rules/regulations, manage required IT installations and support, etc.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Comply with all policies and standards.

What Are We Looking For?

• Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering, Textile Engineering, Fashion Design, or related field.
• 10+ years experience managing all aspects of global apparel supply chains Required
• 4-6 years executive experience as an independent leader charged with building teams, managing global relationships, and stewarding culture.
• Demonstrated leadership skills applied to global apparel supply chains.
• Extensive experience managing, mentoring, and inspiring teams.
• Strong bias for action and ability to seek information proactively while working cooperatively in a diverse group.

What Should You Expect?

Hybrid: SanMar's Eastpointe office is located in Issaquah, WA in the Seattle metropolitan area. Employees are required to work in our offices Tuesday through Thursday each week and additional days may be added based on business needs. Our standard working hours are 8:00-5:00 PST. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle or feel. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Work environment is moderately quiet. Ability to work on computer for multiple hours with frequent interruptions. Quarterly travel may be required.