Asia International

Are you interested in working in China? In entering the field of international business?  In finding a job that requires responsibility, initiative, innovative problem solving ability?  In working for a year or more at a job that will dramatically assist you in getting that high-paying career that you are looking for?  We have a position that offers all this, and more.

About the company:   Asia International is a small Western company with its main office in Nanjing (People’s Republic of China). The company has had an average of 30% growth in sales and size since its founding 9 years ago, with current sales of over US$10 million and headcount in the Nanjing office at about 20 people (half Chinese and half Westerners). We expect to keep the same growth in the next twelve months. The company provides sourcing services to buyers of Asian manufactured products. Current client base includes clients in over 25 countries around the world, most of them in Europe, North America and Latin America. Current clients include owners of Disney and Warner Bros. copy rights, mail order catalogues in North America and European hypermarket chains.  Asia International does not sell nor buy products but rather acts as the Purchasing Department of its clients in Asia. Key activities include: travelling with clients during their trips to Asia, locating suppliers, price negotiations, exclusivity contracts, sample development, quality controls… For this service Asia International invoices its clients directly.

The jobs offered:  Due to the fast growth of our company, we constantly have openings for Account Directors in our Nanjing office. Account Directors manage a group of existing clients, being accountable for their businesses and acting as the only point of contact between the client and Asia International. The number of clients managed by a single Account Director varies depending on client’s size and complexity. On average, clients managed by one Account Director represent at least US$2 million/yr. Account Directors are in daily contact with clients via e-mail, fax and phone and also take responsibility for assuring that other company departments do their jobs to meet client needs. Account Directors will also travel on average about once a month, usually to meet with suppliers and to tour factories with visiting clients from overseas. Most trips are within China or to Taiwan and Hong Kong. In addition, during the Asian exhibition fairs season (two weeks in April and two weeks in October), Account Directors are expected to do sales jobs to capture new clients at key Trade Fairs around Asia. The working environment has the characteristics of a start-up, it is very dynamic, young (average employee age is below 30) and highly international, current employees in Nanjing are from Spain, USA, Mexico, and China.

Qualifications sought:

• Strong career interest in International Business.
• Very high energy level with outstanding initiative and leadership.
• Undergraduate degree (in exceptional cases a person enrolled in university but not yet graduated could be considered).
• Open mind to be able to adapt to an extremely different culture, working with suppliers that have very different business processes and ethical standards.
• Commitment to be able to stay in China for at least one year.
• Fully bilingual English/Spanish. No Chinese proficiency is required.
• Strong communication skills and willingness to adapt interpersonal skills to different cultures.

Compensation:

The first year at Asia International should be viewed as a one year internship since the skills needed to learn how to do business in China usually take some time to develop.  The means to live comfortably in China will be provided, but it is definitely not a lucrative year. The company objective is to offer career opportunities in China or other countries beyond the first year with much more attractive compensation packages.  For those that leave Asia International in their second year, experience shows that they are able to get positions and salaries that are much higher than what they could have gotten if they did not have their China experience.

The package for the first year includes:

• Round trip plane ticket from residential location to Nanjing.
• Tax free monthly salary enough to live very comfortably in China.
• Housing and utilities in company apartments shared with other Account Directors.
• House keeping services in the apartment.
• Membership to an athletic club and indoor swimming pool.
• Repatriation emergency insurance.
• Health insurance.
• Tax free bonus for each new client you bring to the company during the trade fairs.

Contact:

Before deciding this opportunity is a good fit for you, we really encourage you to think thoroughly about it. It is certainly a unique lifetime opportunity, however this type of move is not for everyone. Life in China can be very difficult and frustrating at times, and the compensation is by no means lucrative. It should be very clear in your mind why you want to do this.  If you are interested and you would like more information, please contact Francisco Blanch as soon as possible via e-mail to infoasia@jsmail.com.cn.