Head of Sourcing & Supplier Partnerships (Residing in China)

Head of Sourcing & Supplier Partnerships (Residing in China) Lead GTE’s supplier network from China: recruit, onboard and nurture factories, build trust, and drive long‑term partnerships to power global growth. We usually respond within three days Build the Supplier Network Behind the Next Generation of E-Commerce Growth At GTE Brands, we're building and scaling multiple international e-commerce brands with an ambitious goal: reaching $100M in annual revenue. We're looking for a highly connected, entrepreneurial sourcing leader based in China to build and grow our supplier network from the ground up. This is not a traditional buyer or procurement role. This is a business development role focused on identifying, attracting, onboarding, and developing long-term supplier partnerships across key home and lifestyle categories. If you've built supplier relationships for cross-border e-commerce businesses, understand Chinese manufacturing ecosystems, and know how to earn supplier trust even before large order volumes exist, we'd love to speak with you. Why This Role Exists Historically, GTE has grown through large-scale product uploads and organic search traffic. While effective for discovering winning products, it has also created a fragmented supplier base spread across thousands of product categories. We're now transitioning to a supplier-first growth model. Our goal is to build a curated network of high-quality factories and suppliers that can support long-term growth across home decor, lighting, garden & outdoor, kitchen & dining, home improvement, related home & lifestyle categories this role will be responsible for making that happen. What You'll Do Supplier Acquisition & Business Development Identify and recruit factories, manufacturers, and suppliers across China Build relationships with suppliers in key product categories Negotiate partnerships and onboarding agreements Convince suppliers to participate during the early stages of growth, even when order volume is still developing Build trust and maintain supplier engagement over the long term Supplier Network Development Develop a scalable supplier sourcing strategy Create and maintain a pipeline of qualified suppliers Evaluate suppliers based on quality, pricing, fulfillment capability, and reliability Strengthen relationships with factories in major manufacturing regions, including the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta Product & Supply Chain Growth Coordinate supplier documentation and product onboarding Ensure products are uploaded accurately and efficiently Monitor supplier performance and inventory availability Work proactively with suppliers to resolve operational challenges Improve supply reliability and customer experience This Role Is Different Many sourcing professionals come from large marketplaces or established platforms where suppliers actively seek them out. At GTE, the challenge is different. You must be able to: Build supplier interest from zero Create excitement around a growing platform Earn trust before significant order volume exists Persuade suppliers to invest time and resources into a long-term opportunity Success in this role requires persistence, credibility, relationship-building ability, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Who We're Looking For Required Currently residing in China Strong English communication skills (written and verbal) Experience working with Chinese factories and manufacturers Experience in cross-border e-commerce, sourcing, supplier management, or business development Strong negotiation and relationship-building skills Self-motivated and comfortable working independently Preferred Experience with Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Temu, Shein, Shopify, or other international e-commerce businesses Existing supplier or factory network within China Experience in Home Decor, Lighting, Garden, Kitchen, or Home Goods categories Familiarity with OEM and ODM manufacturing Experience building supplier networks from scratch Entrepreneurial or startup experience Why Join GTE? Direct ownership over a critical growth initiative Opportunity to build a supplier ecosystem from the ground up High visibility and impact across the organization Performance-driven compensation with significant upside Work with an ambitious international e-commerce company scaling multiple brands globally Department Supply Chain Remote status Fully Remote About GTE GTE is a global direct-to-consumer company founded in 2018 and headquartered in The Netherlands. With 160+ remote e-commerce professionals worldwide, we operate 50+ online stores, aiming for $200M in revenue by 2026. We blend local brand experiences with global logistics—powered by a culture of freedom, excellence, and high performance. Founded in 2018 Coworkers 160