Product Development & Sourcing Coordinator

We are looking for a highly organized and resourceful Product Development & Sourcing Coordinator to help support a growing product company and future product ideas.

The founder is an inventor and entrepreneur building physical products, starting with a fitness product called xplate. We are looking for someone who can help research suppliers, request quotes, compare manufacturing options, organize product information, and help move new product ideas from concept to real samples.

This role is perfect for someone who is detail-oriented, great at research, comfortable communicating with manufacturers, and able to keep projects organized without needing constant direction.

You do not need to be an engineer, but you should be comfortable working around product development, manufacturing, sourcing, materials, packaging, costs, and timelines.

Main Responsibilities
• Research suppliers and manufacturers for new product ideas
• Find vendors on Alibaba, Global Sources, Thomasnet, Google, and other platforms
• Send RFQs and collect pricing from suppliers
• Compare quotes, MOQs, sample costs, tooling costs, lead times, and shipping options
• Communicate with suppliers professionally and clearly
• Follow up with vendors and keep projects moving
• Organize supplier information in Google Sheets or Airtable
• Help create supplier briefs based on founder instructions
• Research materials, coatings, packaging, and manufacturing processes
• Help coordinate samples, shipping, and production timelines
• Track open tasks, pending quotes, and supplier responses
• Create organized folders for quotes, drawings, specs, supplier contacts, and product files
• Support future product ideas from research through early development

Ideal Skills
• Product sourcing
• Supplier research
• Alibaba sourcing
• Manufacturing research
• RFQ management
• Google Sheets / Excel
• Strong written English
• Project coordination
• Vendor communication
• Cost comparison
• Product development support
• Organized file management

Tools You May Use
• Google Sheets
• Google Drive
• Airtable or Notion
• Alibaba
• Global Sources
• Thomasnet
• ChatGPT
• ClickUp, Trello, or Asana
• Canva, optional
• Slack, WhatsApp, or email

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is:
• Extremely organized
• Good at research
• Proactive with follow-ups
• Comfortable asking suppliers detailed questions
• Good at comparing options
• Able to summarize information clearly
• Reliable and consistent
• Excited about helping bring new products to market

This Role Is Not For You If
• You need constant instructions for every small task
• You are not comfortable communicating with suppliers
• You do not like spreadsheets or organized tracking
• You are not detail-oriented
• You only want basic admin work

Why This Role Is Exciting
You will be working directly with a founder who is building a product company and developing multiple new ideas. You will help take ideas from rough concept to real-world product development.
This is not just a basic VA role. This is a long-term opportunity to become a key part of the product development and sourcing process.

How To Apply

Please answer the following questions in your application:
1. What experience do you have with product sourcing or supplier research?
2. Have you used Alibaba, Global Sources, Thomasnet, or similar platforms?
3. Have you ever sent RFQs or collected quotes from suppliers?
4. What tools do you use to stay organized?
5. Give an example of a time you had to research vendors, compare options, or organize a project.
6. Are you comfortable working full-time?
7. What is your expected hourly rate?
8. Please include the phrase “Product Builder” at the top of your application so we know you read the full post.