Senior Procurement Specialist

Company: Wallabaga

ABOUT THE ROLE
We are a fast-growing pet products company selling direct-to-consumer and through retail channels. Our products include manufactured and finished goods sourced primarily from China, with additional vendors in the US.
The successful candidate will consolidate purchasing currently spread across multiple people, establish supplier relationships, create spend visibility, and build the systems and discipline that will support our growth.
Who thrives in this role
You have built procurement processes from scratch before — not inherited them. You send
updates before anyone asks, flag risks before they become fires, and treat written communication
as your primary professional output. You have worked in a remote-first, async environment and
know how to create your own visibility without relying on meetings or a manager's prompts.
Who struggles in this role
If your communication style is reactive — meaning you respond when asked but don't proactively
push status updates — this role will be a poor fit. There are no daily standups, no one will ping
you for updates, and the expectation is that you own information flow entirely.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Consolidate all purchasing activity into a single, managed process covering raw materials, components, and finished goods
• Own the full supplier lifecycle: identification, vetting, onboarding, negotiation, and ongoing relationship management
• Manage USD 10–14M in annual spend across the supplier base, primarily in China
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, payment terms, and volume contracts with existing and new suppliers
• Issue and track purchase orders end-to-end, from requisition to receipt
• Align purchasing with inventory targets using our WMS (Finale Inventory) and demand planning inputs
• Build and maintain an Approved Vendor List (AVL) and supplier scorecard
• Identify cost savings opportunities and report on spend vs. budget to leadership
• Coordinate with freight forwarders and manage import logistics for inbound shipments from Asia
• Proactively flag supply chain risks and develop contingency plans — before they escalate
• Send a weekly async procurement status update to the COO without being prompted, covering open POs, risk flags, and upcoming decisions
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Minimum 5 years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or supply chain management
• Proven experience sourcing from Chinese factories or trading companies
• Strong written and spoken English communication skills
• Demonstrated experience building or significantly improving a purchasing process
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, low-structure environment
• Solid understanding of import logistics, Incoterms, and freight coordination
• Prior experience in a fully remote, async-first role — not hybrid, not remote-tolerant; genuinely
remote-first
• Demonstrated habit of proactive written communication: you maintain trackers, send async updates,
and document decisions without being asked
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Experience with WMS or inventory management tools (Finale Inventory training provided)
• Background in consumer products, pet products, or e-commerce supply chains
• Experience in a founder-led, DTC, or startup environment with low process infrastructure
• Familiarity with quality control processes for manufactured goods
• CPSM or CSCP certification
• Experience configuring an ERP or procurement module
• Mandarin language skills (written or spoken)
WORK SETUP
This is a fully remote, asynchronous-first position. Written communication is the default — not a fallback. You will document decisions, maintain purchasing status in shared trackers, and communicate proactively without relying on scheduled calls to trigger your updates.
What 'async-first' means in practice
Your manager will not have a daily standup with you. You will not receive a Monday morning ping
asking for your weekly plan. Instead, you send a structured async update every Monday covering:
open POs and status, any active risks or delays, decisions you need input on, and what you're
working on this week. This is a non-negotiable part of the role — not a bonus behavior.
90-DAY SUCCESS MILESTONES
• All active suppliers identified and documented in a centralized supplier register
• All purchasing activity consolidated under this role
• A standardized purchase order process established and consistently followed
• Full spend visibility by category delivered to leadership
• Top supplier contracts reviewed with renegotiation initiated on a minimum of three
• Weekly async procurement status updates running on a consistent cadence from week one

apply