Our client is a global consulting firm supporting a prestige and luxury FMCG and retail organisation on a procurement value delivery initiative focused on contingent labor. The engagement has a strong Travel Retail dimension, covering airport duty free, Hainan, and border store environments, and spans both operational and commercial workforce models.

The firm is seeking a senior contingent labor subject matter expert to support this initiative on a medium-term, part-time advisory basis. The expert will bring deep, hands-on experience in China (mandatory), with additional APAC exposure (e.g. Korea and Japan) considered a plus. The role goes beyond high-level advisory input and will actively support the design and execution of savings levers across blue-collar and pink-collar contingent labor. Success will be measured by the expert’s ability to provide practical, execution-oriented insight that informs sourcing, pricing, and workforce strategy decisions.

What you will be doing

• Provide hands-on expert input to a Travel Retail–focused contingent labor initiative.
• Support the design and execution of procurement savings levers across:
• Blue-collar contingent labor (logistics, warehousing, installation, operations).
• Pink-collar contingent labor (Beauty Advisors, promoters, brand ambassadors).
• Advise on workforce strategy, commercial models, and supplier economics in premium and travel retail environments.
• Validate assumptions and challenge current approaches based on real-world China market experience.
• Contribute perspectives from procurement, workforce strategy, or commercial operations.
• Participate in expert interviews, working sessions, and targeted discussions with the consulting team.
• Provide practical input that can be translated into actionable recommendations rather than theoretical views.

Your background

• 15+ years’ experience in contingent labor, workforce strategy, procurement, or commercial operations.
• Deep, hands-on experience in mainland China and/or Hainan; China experience is mandatory.
• Senior leadership background with P&L, pricing, or cost ownership for retail or Travel Retail clients.
• Strong experience in Travel Retail, premium retail, or luxury FMCG environments is highly desirable.
• Primary perspective from Procurement / Workforce Strategy / Commercial Operations.
• Secondary perspectives from staffing agency leadership or HR transformation roles with sourcing and pricing ownership are acceptable.
• Former employee of target companies for at least 12 months (candidates who left within the last 3 yearspreferred).
• Must not be currently employed by target companies.
• Proven ability to operate as a trusted senior expert in advisory or consulting-led engagements.
• Experience across broader APAC markets (e.g. Korea, Japan) is a plus.