Sourcing Manager

Role summary

The Sourcing Manager for Merchandise Sourcing and Product Development leads sourcing and product development for confectionery and packaged consumables, supporting Parks Product Development and Retail with a strong focus on domestic Theme Parks & Resorts. This role owns supplier strategy across short- and long-term horizons, balancing localization, speed to market, financial goals, and seasonal merchandise and design priorities. It also helps advance sourcing priorities such as sustainability and diversification of sourcing countries.

The position guides the product development and sampling journey from concept to Final Line Review, working closely with Product Design and Merchandising. Core work includes vendor and ingredient innovation, feasibility reviews, formulation and packaging recommendations, flavor profile decisions, cost estimation, supplier negotiations, vendor communication, and management of samples through final approved development, final costing, and vendor assignment.

The successful candidate needs deep, practical confectionery expertise, especially in product development, sourcing, supplier oversight, ingredients, packaging, labeling, and food safety. A strong grasp of confectionery trends, related commodities, and the global supplier market is essential to turn market knowledge into compelling consumer products.

This role reports to the Senior Manager, Merchandise Sourcing and Product Development and includes domestic and/or international travel. It is also subject to current company in-person requirements, including four days per week onsite at a company-designated location in Central Florida, with those requirements subject to change.

Responsibilities

• Build and execute supplier strategies for both near-term and long-term needs in coordination with Merchandise Strategy and Product Development teams.
• Complete annual supplier scorecards and performance evaluations with input from cross-functional partners, and run joint business planning and supplier review meetings.
• Work with Trade Compliance, Product Integrity, Food Safety, and Sourcing & Procurement to help ensure compliance with laws and safety standards.
• Support sustainability objectives, including materials goals and Scope 3 emissions targets.
• Maintain elevated product quality by tracking regulatory requirements, and by monitoring labeling and product composition changes so items continue to meet established standards.
• Protect cost and margin by anticipating and responding to macroeconomic, geopolitical, agricultural, ingredient, labor, packaging, trade, and regulatory or policy-driven impacts.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities for new suppliers and manufacturers, including costing, sampling, and onboarding activities.
• Partner with TWDC Global Product & Labor Standards to help ensure labor compliance requirements are met.
• Explore new ideas, techniques, and materials to improve product innovation with both new and existing suppliers.
• Organize vendor innovation reviews on a seasonal basis and attend annual industry trade shows to stay current on packaged consumables trends and supplier options.
• Spot opportunities for new product development and support sustainable ingredient or packaging-engineering solutions.
• Work with Product Design to finalize packaging and labeling, manage development samples, and support on-time launch execution.
• Improve merchandise productivity and profitability by identifying and reducing cost drivers.
• Prepare preliminary costing and final business placement summaries, including country-of-manufacture distribution, margin by channel, and vendor load assumptions.
• Approve final costing and vendor placement, including variant costing or sourcing for all adopting region quantities.
• Partner with Trade Compliance on tariff engineering solutions where relevant for domestic and international distribution.
• Lead any re-costing or redevelopment work needed when production issues affect appearance, formulation, texture, shelf life, or flavor.
• Manage packaging inventory and liability with Planning and Merchandising to reduce risk while protecting in-stock levels.
• Create packaging approaches that use fewer materials, support sustainability, and can adapt to labeling or Extended Producer Responsibility requirements and other packaging regulations.
• Use tools and systems such as AI, PLM, Business Objects, Microsoft Office, and internal platforms for costing and development tasks.
• Oversee all samples and guide approvals through delivery while tracking milestones and communicating status in weekly cross-functional meetings.
• Prepare scheduled and ad hoc reporting, including time-and-action calendars and status updates.
• Ensure products meet safety and quality standards in all intended markets, including quarterly Product Review Requests for non-food items.
• Complete item setup, financial roadmap, and invoicing workflows, while overseeing supplier compliance with labor and food safety standards.
• Track production with Supply Chain Intelligence and Logistics teams and provide regular delivery updates for new and replenishment orders.
• Proactively reduce supply chain or manufacturing disruptions to support business continuity.
• Develop strong supplier relationships across TWDC and help build effective cross-functional teams across Merchandise, Design, and Planning.
• Influence partners with a clear business case and help drive organizational change and new initiatives.
• Lead recurring development and costing meetings with suppliers and international partners, including evening calls when needed across time zones.
• Run regular supplier/vendor meetings to review business volume, verify data, resolve routine issues, and align on company processes.
• Participate in product strategy meetings to shape sourcing plans around key initiatives.
• Use product and business knowledge to manage stakeholder needs and support effective collaboration across teams and vendors.
• Lead teams in a way that supports productivity, growth, accountability, innovation, and adaptability.
• Work closely with cross-functional partners across supplier strategy, negotiations, placement, product development, product quality/safety changes, and on-time delivery.
• Hold yourself to high performance standards while managing complex projects and resources with integrity, resilience, and openness to feedback.

Requirements

• 7 to 10+ years of progressive experience in product development, merchandising, or sourcing, with substantial direct experience in the candy or confectionery industry.
• Proven ability to take confectionery products from concept to commercialization, including supplier selection, development, costing, packaging, and quality and regulatory review.
• Hands-on experience sourcing and developing candy products in multiple formats, along with knowledge of ingredient markets, flavor development, packaging needs, and manufacturing capabilities.
• Strong understanding of confectionery packaging production, including printed paperboard, flexible packaging, and seasonal gifting formats.
• Knowledge of ingredients, formulation, labeling, shelf-life considerations, and food safety and regulatory guidelines relevant to confectionery.
• Strong collaborator who can work effectively with design, merchandising, and channel commercial partners.
• Excellent writing, speaking, and presentation abilities.
• Strong negotiation, financial, and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to meet margin goals and annual operating or financial plans.
• Ability to manage multiple SKUs, timelines, and deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally.
• Ability to work onsite four days per week in Central Florida, subject to company in-person policy changes.
• Preferred background includes branded, licensed, seasonal, novelty, or giftable confectionery products; established supplier and packaging partner networks; formulation and flavor development experience; and familiarity with global or multi-market sourcing and regulatory requirements.
• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Product Development/Design, Business, Supply Chain, or equivalent related experience of 7 to 10+ years.

Compensation and benefits

The salary range for this Florida-based role is $100,100 to $134,200 per year. Actual pay may vary based on internal equity, candidate location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may also be offered, along with medical, financial, and other benefits depending on the level and position.

Additional information

This role requires domestic and/or international travel. Evening hours may occasionally be needed to coordinate with global time zones. The job also involves strong cross-functional partnership with merchandising, design, planning, supply chain, logistics, trade compliance, product integrity, food safety, and supplier organizations.

Preferred qualifications

• Direct experience in candy or confectionery with branded, licensed, seasonal, novelty, or giftable product lines.
• Existing network of confectionery suppliers, co-manufacturers, and packaging partners.
• Experience with formula changes, flavor development, ingredient sourcing, and commercialization of confectionery items.
• Knowledge of confectionery consumer trends, innovation pipelines, and market dynamics.
• Experience handling global or multi-market confectionery sourcing and regulatory requirements.