A senior advisory role acting as a bridge between Western leadership and China-based teams. Not a sourcing agent, not a replacement for existing local supply chain staff. Functions as translator of intent, diagnostician, and founder sparring partner. Responsibilities - Diagnose on-the-ground supply chain reality via time with local team and key suppliers. - Identify where/why NL–China communication and execution break down; speak bluntly including when issue is on Western side. - Help design/test non-standard supply chain models against real feasibility, hidden costs, and ignored commitments. - Translate low-context vs high-context communication both ways; coach early escalation of bad news. - Flag risks (interest conflicts, compliance, supplier health) invisible from abroad.

Must-Haves - 10+ years living/doing business in China; personally managed suppliers/factories/operations (not just visited). - Professional Mandarin (negotiate without interpreter). - Comfortable delivering unpopular truths to Western founders. - Full transparency: no undisclosed financial ties to introduced suppliers/agents/factories (hard gate; reference-checked). - Chinese and English as working language Pluses - Experience with European (esp. Dutch/Benelux) firms and direct communication style. - Built non-FOB supply/fulfilment architectures. - EU last-mile/customs/VAT-IOSS knowledge. Location - (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, or wider Pearl River Delta preferred Nature: Freelance / Fractional senior advisor, not a full-time perm role. Phase 1: 4–6 week paid diagnostic project: visit China team and 1–2 key suppliers, deliver a frank written assessment (what works in the model, where it breaks, what HQ cannot see, whether the new supply chain concept is viable). Phase 2: If mutual fit: convert to long-term fractional retainer (e.g. X days/month) as standing advisor and "bridge." Reports to: Directly to tje Founder. Billing: By day rate or monthly retainer, quoted by candidate; client explicitly states "rather pay properly for a senior person than cheaply for someone who needs managing." Deliverables: Written diagnostic assessment + ongoing bridge/diagnosis/coaching support.