Director, Sourcing (Kids Apparel and Hardgoods)

Our values start with our people, join a team that values you! 

Bring your talents to Ross, our leading off-price retail chain with over 2,200 stores, and a strong track record of success and growth. Our focus has always been bringing our customers a constant stream of high-quality brands and on-trend merchandise at extraordinary savings. All while providing a fun and exciting treasure hunt experience.

As part of our team, you will experience:

• Success . Our winning team pursues excellence while learning and evolving
• Career growth . We develop industry leading talent because Ross grows when our people grow
• Teamwork . We work together to solve the hard problems and find the right solution
• Our commitment to Diversity, Equality & Inclusion, and our community. We celebrate the backgrounds, identities, and ideas of those who work and shop with us because our differences make us stronger. We strive to be a positive force in our community.

Our Corporate headquarters are in Dublin, CA, we have 3 buying offices in key markets in New York City, Los Angeles, and Boston, and 8 distribution centers nationwide. With 2025 revenues of $22.8 billion, we are a Fortune 500 company who is committed to providing an inclusive work environment with continuous learning opportunities and development for our teams.

About this opportunity...

The Sourcing Director, Kids is responsible for leading the end-to-end process, from initial concept through production and delivery. This role drives product innovation, assortment vision, cost optimization, quality, and supplier performance while ensuring alignment with the overall merchant business strategy and financial objectives. The Sourcing Director manages agents, vendors, and factories to drive a holistic sourcing strategy for a group of product categories. The Director will identify appropriate product and material for development, based on merchant business needs and trends that meet cost, lead time requirements and quality. The Director will provide Merchant education to deepen sourcing and manufacturing knowledge. The Director will have direct reports at Associate Sourcing Manager or Manager level.

What you will do and what you will learn...

•    Drives sourcing strategy (including agent, vendor, COO, and cost strategies) to meet business needs, leverage market conditions, and mitigate risks. Monitors in-season placements against seasonal strategic sourcing goals.
•    Development of product based on merchant business strategy: considering trend,  customer needs, and analysis of product performance.
•    Identifies new resources to address merchant business needs: supply gaps/whitespace, novelty, newness, breadth, diversity and value, within context of sourcing strategy.  
•    Grows and manages effective agent and vendor partnerships with keen understanding of vendor, country and cost capabilities. Assesses vendors’ core capabilities and manufacturing efficiencies to build an effective vendor matrix. 
•    Develops existing vendors and resources new vendors based on business needs and/or changes in country and/or vendor capability and performance. Partners with teams on onboarding new suppliers/countries/factories.
•     Allocates to vendors based on product performance and production performance – based on SVP / GVP COO targets and strategies.
•    Partners with merchants to develop products that align with customer needs, market trends and business analysis.
•    Review weekly business performance, assessing sales, turn, sell through and margin performance. Leverage this information to inform development decisions and impact what’s in the production pipeline, where needed. 
•    Demonstrates a critical eye for product and has strong experience developing raw materials and programs that fit Ross cost structure.
•    Establishes and manages development and production placement based on yearly calendar, holding offices, agents and vendors accountable. Proactively raise concerns to SVP/GVP when there are any production issues and develop solutions to mitigate these risks.
•    Expertly engineers product construction and COO placement to achieve best quality at the best costs
•    Updates merchants on high level sourcing or production issues
•    Creates synergy in the cross-functional team (Sourcing, Merchants, Technical Design and Fashion Office) that delivers the right product for our customer that meets value and style requirements.
•    Collaborates with Fashion office lead on seasonal trend and category opportunities
•    Collaborates with Product Technical Services lead on vendor technical capabilities.
•    Keeps product knowledge current by shopping the competition, Ross stores, and the market. Makes recommendations to the Ross assortment mix based on learnings. Demonstrates understanding of price value relationship.
•    Advises buyers on key topics, as needed including technical manufacturing details, cost components, product construction and calendar / lead times.
•    Drives continual development and refining of workflow, processes and tools in partnership with the VP.
•    Provides direction to team on regular priorities and projects to achieve established milestones and deadlines and grow their understanding of the work and goals.
•    Provides ongoing development feedback to direct reports through regular one and one meetings and individual development support.

What you need to be successful...

•    10+ years’ experience managing sourcing/product development within a large retail environment with a strong preference within kids apparel
•    Bachelor’s degree Required 
•    Thorough knowledge of the product development and production process. Technical understanding of raw materials and product manufacturing. Knowledge of product construction and manufacturing methods / processes
•    Sourcing and developing raw materials expertise
•    Experience in multiple categories and price points, with a preference for experience working with value/off price product 
•    Understanding of end to end manufacturing and global supply chain processes.
•    Experience sourcing product directly from overseas factory/supplier/vendor 
•    Professional and effective written and verbal skills. Experience communicating with international partners
•    Thorough and accurate communication and follow-up.
•    Strong critical thinking with a solution focused approach; ability to independently analyze information and make recommendations
•    Creative problem-solving skills
•    Strong time management skills and planning and organizing skills. Ability to prioritize and multi task.
•    Demonstrated success communicating and negotiating with internal partners and overseas suppliers
•    Collaborative working style: Ability to balance needs of internal organization with focus on buyers with the needs of global product partner base.
•    Comfort and experience embracing change and adapting to shifting priorities in a multi task environment
•    Management experience leading and developing a team
•    Possesses strong network of resources- direct suppliers, agents, mills
•    Strategic mindset and experience in project management. Ability to direct and drive strategy at high level and go narrow, deep and tactical when needed
•    Ability to thrive in a large, multi-office, global, matrix organization
•    Ability to travel domestically and internationally, with previous experience traveling to overseas factories 
•    Fluency in Bengali, Hindi or Mandarin Chinese, Experience Living / Working in Asia a plus
•    Strong PC/Microsoft Office skills, with an emphasis on shared tools and Excel spreadsheet applications
•    Proficient in retail math, with a strong understanding of costing

#LI-SS2

Perks and Benefits of joining our team...

Our Associates are at the heart of everything we do and we're proud to offer a range of benefits that reflect how much we value their contributions. Here's a peek into what you can expect as an eligible Ross Associate:

• A broad range of affordable health insurance options & personal medical plan concierge
  401(k) with employer match and Life insurance
• Ample PTO including accrued vacation, paid holidays, diversity day, summer Fridays and the ability to purchase additional vacation.
• Employee stock purchase plan*
• Access to health and wellness benefits such as BetterHelp and Headspace
• Charitable donations matched by Ross Stores Foundation
• And more....

*benefits vary by level and position and are subject to change

DISCLAIMER

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at management’s discretion.

Ross is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company’s overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented and diverse workforce. Ross is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.

The base pay range for this role $132,000.00 to $175,000.00. The base pay range is dependent on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, qualifications, relevant education, certifications, seniority, and location. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards vary by position and location.