Restaurant Purchasing jobs

Position: Purchasing Officer

Department: Purchasing / Procurement

Industry: Hospitality – Coffee Shops & Restaurants

Reports To: Purchasing Director / Head of Purchasing

Location: Head Office

1. Job Purpose

The Purchasing Officer is responsible for managing and executing daily procurement activities across the company's chain of coffee shops and restaurants, ensuring the timely availability of high-quality products, ingredients, materials, equipment, and services at competitive prices.

The role involves sourcing and evaluating suppliers, negotiating prices and commercial terms, processing purchase orders, monitoring deliveries, controlling procurement costs, and maintaining strong supplier relationships. The Purchasing Officer is expected to support uninterrupted business operations, optimize purchasing efficiency, maintain product quality standards, and contribute to the company's overall profitability.

2. Duties and ResponsibilitiesA. Procurement and Purchasing Operations

• Manage daily purchasing requirements for all coffee shops, restaurants, central kitchens, warehouses, and head office departments.
• Source and purchase food and beverage ingredients, coffee beans, dairy products, bakery items, packaging materials, disposables, cleaning supplies, uniforms, equipment, and other operational requirements.
• Receive, review, and process purchase requisitions from various departments and operational locations.
• Prepare and issue purchase orders (POs) accurately and in accordance with approved procurement procedures.
• Ensure all purchases comply with approved specifications, quality standards, budgets, and delivery timelines.
• Coordinate with Operations, Warehouse, Finance, and other departments to ensure uninterrupted supply of required products and materials.
• Monitor outstanding purchase orders and follow up with suppliers to ensure timely deliveries.
• Handle urgent purchasing requirements and resolve supply shortages without compromising quality or cost efficiency.
• Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier quotations, purchase orders, and procurement documentation.

B. Supplier Sourcing and Management

• Identify, research, and evaluate potential local and international suppliers.
• Obtain and compare multiple quotations to ensure competitive pricing, product quality, and favorable commercial terms.
• Negotiate prices, payment terms, delivery schedules, minimum order quantities, and other purchasing conditions.
• Develop and maintain strong professional relationships with approved suppliers.
• Regularly evaluate supplier performance based on pricing, quality, delivery reliability, responsiveness, and compliance.
• Identify alternative suppliers to minimize supply disruptions and reduce dependency on individual vendors.
• Maintain and regularly update the approved supplier database, including contact details, price lists, contracts, and commercial agreements.
• Address supplier-related issues, including delayed deliveries, incorrect products, quality concerns, and pricing discrepancies.
• Ensure suppliers comply with the company's product specifications, food safety requirements, and relevant regulatory standards.

C. Cost Control and Purchasing Optimization

• Continuously monitor purchasing prices and identify opportunities for cost reduction without compromising product quality.
• Conduct regular market research and price comparisons to ensure the company receives competitive purchasing rates.
• Negotiate improved commercial terms, bulk purchasing discounts, rebates, and long-term supply agreements where beneficial.
• Monitor price fluctuations for key food and beverage ingredients and report significant changes to management.
• Support the Purchasing Manager in implementing cost-saving initiatives and improving procurement efficiency.
• Analyze purchasing trends and identify opportunities for product standardization and consolidation of purchases across multiple outlets.
• Coordinate with Finance and Operations to support food cost and cost of goods sold (COGS) control.
• Identify unnecessary purchases, excessive ordering, and procurement inefficiencies, and recommend corrective actions.

D. Inventory and Warehouse Coordination

• Coordinate closely with the Warehouse and Operations teams to monitor inventory availability and replenishment requirements.
• Review stock levels, consumption patterns, and purchasing requirements to prevent shortages and excessive inventory.
• Support the implementation of appropriate minimum and maximum stock levels and reorder points.
• Coordinate purchasing schedules based on sales forecasts, seasonal demand, promotional activities, and new store openings.
• Follow up on supplier deliveries and ensure products are delivered to the correct warehouse or outlet.
• Coordinate the resolution of discrepancies involving delivered quantities, damaged goods, incorrect items, and rejected products.
• Monitor product shelf life, expiry dates, and storage requirements when purchasing perishable goods.
• Support inventory optimization initiatives to minimize wastage, obsolete stock, and unnecessary holding costs.

E. Quality Assurance and Food Safety Compliance

• Ensure all purchased food and beverage products meet the company's approved quality standards and specifications.
• Coordinate with Quality Control, Operations, and relevant departments regarding product testing, sampling, and approvals.
• Ensure suppliers provide the required product certifications, specifications, and food safety documentation where applicable.
• Verify that purchased products comply with applicable UAE food safety regulations and relevant municipality requirements.
• Report and coordinate the resolution of product quality complaints, rejected deliveries, and recurring supplier issues.
• Ensure that no unauthorized product substitutions or specification changes are made without the required approvals.

F. Finance and Documentation

• Coordinate with the Finance Department regarding supplier invoices, payment requests, credit notes, and outstanding balances.
• Verify purchase orders against delivery notes and supplier invoices to identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Ensure purchasing transactions are properly documented and supported by the required approvals.
• Maintain accurate records of purchasing costs, supplier quotations, contracts, and payment terms.
• Assist in preparing purchasing budgets, cost comparisons, expenditure reports, and procurement forecasts.
• Follow up with suppliers and Finance to resolve invoice discrepancies, incorrect charges, and outstanding credit notes.
• Ensure compliance with the company's purchasing authorization matrix and financial approval procedures.

G. Reporting and Procurement Analysis

• Prepare regular purchasing reports covering procurement expenditure, supplier performance, cost savings, and outstanding orders.
• Monitor and report significant changes in supplier prices, availability, and delivery performance.
• Analyze purchasing data to identify cost-saving opportunities, operational inefficiencies, and supplier-related risks.
• Maintain updated price comparison sheets and historical purchasing records.
• Provide management with procurement-related information and recommendations to support informed decision-making.

H. New Store Openings and Special Projects

• Coordinate purchasing requirements for new coffee shop and restaurant openings, renovations, and operational expansions.
• Source and procure equipment, furniture, smallwares, utensils, packaging, and other opening-related materials.
• Ensure required products and equipment are ordered and delivered in accordance with project timelines.
• Coordinate with Operations, Projects, Warehouse, and Finance to ensure purchasing readiness before store openings.
• Support the sourcing and introduction of new products, menu items, packaging solutions, and operational materials.

I. Procurement Policies, Compliance and Ethics

• Strictly comply with the company's purchasing policies, procurement procedures, and approval authority matrix.
• Maintain transparency, integrity, and fairness in all supplier selection and purchasing activities.
• Avoid conflicts of interest and immediately disclose any personal or financial relationships with suppliers.
• Never request or accept unauthorized commissions, kickbacks, gifts, or personal benefits from suppliers.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding supplier pricing, contracts, purchasing strategies, and commercially sensitive information.
• Ensure all purchases are made exclusively for legitimate company requirements and are properly authorized.
• Report any suspected purchasing irregularities, fraudulent transactions, supplier misconduct, or violations of company policies.
• Perform any other purchasing-related duties assigned by the Purchasing Manager or management.

3. Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or diploma in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Logistics, or a related field.
• Minimum 2–4 years of relevant purchasing or procurement experience, preferably within the hospitality, food and beverage, restaurant, or coffee shop industry.
• Experience handling procurement requirements for multiple operational locations is highly preferred.
• Good knowledge of food and beverage ingredients, packaging materials, consumables, and restaurant operational supplies.
• Familiarity with UAE suppliers, local market prices, and procurement practices.
• Experience using ERP, purchasing, or inventory management systems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Good command of English, both written and spoken.

4. Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities.
• Good analytical and cost-comparison skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple purchasing requests and priorities simultaneously.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
• Commercial awareness and a cost-conscious mindset.
• High standards of honesty, integrity, confidentiality, and professional ethics.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with Operations, Finance, Warehouse, and other departments.

5. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Purchasing Officer's performance may be assessed against the following indicators:

• Purchase Order Accuracy: Percentage of purchase orders processed without errors.
• On-Time Delivery: Percentage of supplier deliveries received within agreed timelines.
• Cost Savings: Documented savings achieved through negotiations, alternative sourcing, and purchasing optimization.
• Supplier Performance: Supplier compliance with agreed pricing, quality standards, and delivery commitments.
• Stock Availability: Reduction in operational stock shortages attributable to purchasing delays.
• Price Competitiveness: Regular benchmarking of purchasing prices against available market alternatives.
• Procurement Compliance: Adherence to purchasing procedures, approval requirements, and documentation standards.
• Issue Resolution: Timely resolution of supplier disputes, incorrect deliveries, and purchasing discrepancies.
• Reporting Accuracy: Accuracy and timely submission of purchasing reports and records.

6. General Responsibilities

The Purchasing Officer is expected to demonstrate professionalism, accountability, and integrity at all times while supporting the company's operational and financial objectives.

The Employee shall comply with all company policies, procedures, confidentiality obligations, and management instructions and shall perform any additional reasonable duties related to the position as required by the business.

Pay: AED5,000.00 - AED8,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person