Remotehey

About Pet Life Unlimited

For too long, dog parents have had to settle for products created by companies that weren’t truly listening. Leaky pads. Questionable ingredients. Solutions that create more stress than confidence.

At Pet Life Unlimited, we believe dog parents deserve better. We’re on a mission to design thoughtful, high-performing products shaped by real feedback and real needs by making caring for your dog feel as good as loving them.

We’re building a brand rooted in trust, transparency, and practical innovation and we’re growing quickly with a team that’s passionate about raising the standard in dog care.

Role Description

The Strategic Sourcing Manager owns the day-to-day sourcing, vendor management, and procurement activities for the company’s product and supply chain portfolio. This person will work directly with component, co-manufacturing, merchandising and logistics suppliers, negotiate pricing, manage timelines, and ensure quality standards are met. The ideal candidate brings deep familiarity with packaging components and retail merchandising materials and can speak with authority across the full range of supplier categories that support a consumer products brand.  

This is a remote position with a strong preference for candidates located in the greater Chicago or Milwaukee metro areas given the proximity to our warehouse operations in the Chicago area and our primary contract manufacturers. Regular travel to these sites and periodic travel to our Long Island, NY headquarters is expected. 

What You'll Own

Purchasing & Procurement

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing plans that balance cost, quality, lead time, and supply continuity across all product categories 
• Identify, evaluate, qualify, and onboard new suppliers; maintain a pipeline of alternate and dual sources to mitigate single-source risk 
• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, volume commitments, and contractual agreements with key suppliers 
• Own the end-to-end purchase order lifecycle including issuance, tracking, and exception management 
• Design and manage supplier scorecards, conduct quarterly business reviews, and drive continuous improvement with vendor partners 
• Track and maintain supplier compliance documentation including certificates of analysis (COAs), liability insurance, and FDA/AAFCO certifications 
• Manage indirect spend categories including packaging supplies, warehouse consumables, and merchandising/display materials 

Production & Manufacturing

• Coordinate production schedules, capacity allocation, and material procurement timelines with contract manufacturers 
• Lead supply chain readiness for new product introductions (NPI), ensuring packaging, raw materials, and manufacturing capacity are aligned to launch timelines 
• Coordinate with product development and project management on packaging specifications, artwork approval workflows, and print procurement 
• Plan and execute co-manufacturer audits, site visits, and compliance reviews 
• Manage capacity planning and production allocation across multiple co-manufacturers as the business scales 
• Collaborate with quality and product teams on regulatory compliance, materials sourcing specifications, and production quality standards 

Logistics & Transportation

• Select, manage, and negotiate rates with freight carriers for domestic, international, and small parcel shipments 
• Manage import/export compliance, customs brokerage, and tariff classification activities 
• Track and resolve shipment exceptions, file freight damage claims, and manage cost recovery processes 
• Implement and maintain inbound ASN and shipment visibility tracking across all carrier and supplier partners 

3PL Management

• Evaluate, select, onboard, and manage third-party logistics providers across fulfillment, warehousing, and distribution functions 
• Define and monitor SLAs, KPIs, and performance benchmarks; hold 3PL partners accountable through regular business reviews 
• Ensure retailer routing guide compliance across all channels 
• Lead 3PL transitions, expansions, multi-node inventory balancing, and consolidation projects as the network evolves (when applicable) 
• Develop and maintain 3PL-specific business continuity and disaster recovery plans 

Systems, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain supply chain dashboards, KPI reports, and executive-level reporting cadences 
• Identify and lead process improvement initiatives across procurement, logistics, and fulfillment operations 
• Conduct supply chain risk assessments and develop contingency plans for critical suppliers, lanes, and facilities 
• Perform cost-to-serve analysis and benchmarking to identify margin improvement opportunities 
• Participate in cross-functional Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes 
• Manage vendor portal or supplier collaboration platforms as adopted 
• Support sustainability and ESG compliance initiatives within the supply chain as the company’s program matures 

What You'll Bring

• 5–8 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supply chain operations, or logistics, with at least 2 years in a management or senior individual contributor role 
• Demonstrated experience managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, and driving cost reduction initiatives 
• Hands-on experience with 3PL management including SLA development and performance monitoring 
• Working knowledge of ERP systems; NetSuite experience strongly preferred 
• Experience with retail supply chain requirements including routing guide compliance, chargeback management, and EDI integration 
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Excel, Powerpoint, SharePoint, Teams) 
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to build financial models and data-driven business cases 
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills; comfortable working with finance, product, sales, and executive stakeholders 
• Ability to travel up to 50%, primarily to warehouses, manufacturers, and Long Island, NY headquarters 
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or a related analytical field 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) or pet products industry 
• APICS CSCP, CPIM, or ISM CPSM certification 
• Familiarity with contract manufacturing (co-man) environments and ingredient/raw material sourcing for consumable products 
• Knowledge of international trade compliance, customs brokerage, and tariff classification 
• Experience implementing or optimizing supply chain automation workflows  
• Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodology certification or training 

Key Compententcies

• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate supply chain strategy into operational execution 
• Problem-solving orientation; comfortable navigating ambiguity and building processes in a high-growth environment 
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills 
• Data-driven decision making with the ability to synthesize complex supply chain data into actionable insights 
• Project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives across functions 
• Ownership mentality; takes initiative, follows through, and holds partners accountable 
• Adaptability and resilience; thrives in a fast-paced, evolving organization