Department/Location: ET2C Poundland Team – Shanghai
Reports to: Sourcing Director
________________________________________
Job Purpose:
As the Head of Office, you will serve as the senior leader of our Shanghai operations, ensuring that local activities align with Poundland’s global sourcing, quality, and retail strategies.
61 Your core mission is to lead the office to operational excellence, ensure compliance, drive supplier performance, and enable cost-effective and timely delivery to the UK business.
61 You will manage a cross-functional team, develop supplier relationships, and foster close collaboration with the UK head office.
________________________________________
Key Responsibilities:
1. Strategic & Operational Leadership
61 Develop and execute the Shanghai office’s annual business and operational plan, aligned with the wider sourcing and retail strategy.
61 Manage and monitor office KPIs, ensuring continuous improvement and accountability.
61 Ensure smooth daily operations, including finance, HR, legal compliance, and administration.
61 Drive cost optimisation, process improvement, and operational efficiency across all areas.
2. Team Leadership & Talent Development
61 Build and lead a high-performing cross-functional team, including Sourcing, Quality, Technical, and Support functions.
61 Foster a positive, performance-driven culture and facilitate learning, growth, and succession planning.
61 Promote collaboration, resolve conflicts, and ensure clear communication across functions and regions.
3. Cross-Border Collaboration
61 Act as the key point of contact between the Shanghai office and UK-based teams, ensuring transparency, alignment, and timely decision-making.
61 Lead effective communication with suppliers, manufacturers, and third-party service providers in China.
61 Bridge UK-China cultural differences to ensure smooth execution of projects and contracts.
4. Supplier & Quality Management (optional if not applicable)
61 Oversee sourcing, onboarding, and ongoing performance management of Chinese suppliers.
61 Ensure compliance with ethical, safety, and product quality standards through effective Quality and Technical leadership.
61 Collaborate with UK stakeholders to ensure that supplier capabilities meet product and commercial requirements.
________________________________________
Qualifications & Experience:
61 Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher; an MBA or equivalent is preferred.
61 Experience:
o 5–8 years of leadership experience, with at least 3 years in a senior management role.
o Experience of working in the discount retail sector.
o Background in international, sourcing, or supply chain management.
o Prior experience managing teams and operations in both UK and China contexts is highly desirable.
61 Language:
o Fluent in English (written and verbal).
o Native-level Mandarin required.
________________________________________
Skills & Competencies:
Core Capabilities:
61 Strategic thinking – Able to connect local actions to global goals.
61 Operational leadership – Demonstrated success in driving performance, compliance, and efficiency. Ability to identify product and supplier opportunities and move quickly to realise them.
61 Established Supplier Network – Broad network of suppliers relevant to the UK discount retail sector (Toys, Celebrations, Seasonal, Stationary & DIY) that can be engaged with to deliver high quality, low cost products.
Personal Attributes:
61 Strong cultural alignment with the Client’s Values.
61 Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
61 Self-motivated and highly organised – able to prioritise and deliver.
61 Action-oriented – focused on execution and results.
61 Able to build strong internal and external relationships.
61 Comfortable with frequent travel and resilient under pressure.
61 Collaborative and inclusive leadership style.
61 Curious and open to continuous learning.

At ET2C International, we are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and strive to ensure every candidate is treated fairly and respectfully throughout our recruitment process. We believe that a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and ideas makes our team stronger and drives our success.