Director of Responsible Sourcing

Career Guide

A Director of Responsible Sourcing leads a company’s efforts to buy goods and materials in a way that protects people, supports ethical labor practices, and reduces environmental harm. This role sets the strategy, partners with suppliers, and works across teams to ensure the supply base meets clear standards and improves over time.

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Key Responsibilities

Set responsible sourcing strategy and multi year roadmap
Create and maintain supplier standards and sourcing policies
Assess supplier risk using country, product, and supplier factors
Lead supplier audits and corrective action plans
Build supplier engagement and training programs
Partner with procurement to embed standards into sourcing decisions
Track and report performance using clear metrics and targets
Manage incident response for labor and ethics issues
Oversee compliance with laws and customer requirements
Coordinate with legal, product, and operations teams on supply chain due diligence
Manage external partners such as audit firms and advisors
Prepare disclosures for customers, investors, and internal leadership
Lead budget planning for responsible sourcing programs
Coach and develop a team of sourcing and compliance professionals

Top Skills for Success

Stakeholder Management

Influencing Without Authority

Program Management

Supplier Relationship Management

Risk Assessment

Policy Development

Audit Management

Corrective Action Planning

Data Analysis

Reporting

Contract Negotiation

Regulatory Awareness

Human Rights Due Diligence

Environmental Impact Literacy

Training Design

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Director of Responsible Sourcing

Vice President of Sustainability

Head of Supply Chain Sustainability

Head of Ethical Trade

Director of Supplier Compliance

Transition Opportunities

Director of Procurement Director of Supply Chain

Director of ESG Strategy

Director of Corporate Responsibility

Director of Risk and Compliance

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Supply Chain MappingSupplier Data SystemsLegal Knowledge for Supply Chain Due DiligenceRemediation ManagementImpact MeasurementChange Management

Development SuggestionsBuild a clear supplier risk model, learn the basics of key supply chain due diligence laws, and practice setting measurable targets. Strengthen systems skills by owning one supplier data workflow end to end. Develop remediation skills by leading at least one complex corrective action plan with timelines, accountability, and verification.

Market Intelligence Report

Director of Responsible Sourcing is part of the Agile Delivery category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelTypically not an entry level role. Comparable manager roles often range from $110,000 to $150,000 in the US.

Mid Level$150,000 to $200,000 in the US for director level roles, depending on industry and scope.

Senior Level$200,000 to $260,000 in the US for senior director roles, with higher ranges in large global organizations.

Growth Trend

Growing demand, driven by tighter supply chain laws, customer expectations, and greater focus on human rights and climate impacts in supply chains.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

NikeAdidasH and MIKEAUnileverNestleWalmartTargetAmazonApplePatagoniaLevi Strauss and CoThe North FacePVHGap Inc

Industry Sectors

Apparel and FootwearRetailConsumer Packaged GoodsFood and BeverageElectronicsHome GoodsManufacturingLogistics and Supply Chain Services

Recommended Next Steps

Audit your current supplier standards and identify top five gaps against business goals

Create a supplier risk tiering model and align it with audit and engagement priorities

Define a simple scorecard with a small set of metrics and quarterly review cadence

Partner with procurement to add responsible sourcing requirements into contracts and onboarding

Build a supplier training plan focused on the highest risk topics and regions

Prepare a one page executive update that links progress to risk reduction and brand value

Join an industry working group to benchmark expectations and share best practices