Purchasing Coordinator

Description

As our Purchasing Coordinator, you’ll play an essential part in ensuring our kitchens have the ingredients and supplies they need to serve healthy, delicious meals to students and families every day. You’ll support our Purchasing Supervisor, partner with Ops teams across NorCal & SoCal, and work closely with supplier partners to keep our purchasing workflow accurate, timely, and dialed in.

This is the perfect role for someone dependable, detail-oriented, thrives in fast-paced environments, and enjoys being the glue that holds day-to-day operations together.

What You’ll Do

• You’ll support the daily flow of purchasing activities and make sure the right items get to the right place at the right time. Your day-to-day will include:

• Create and maintain purchase orders in our ERP system and supplier portals, accuracy is your superpower.

• Monitor supply issues and jump in to assist with shortages, substitutions, and delivery follow-ups.

• Support vendor communication by tracking performance, escalating issues, and ensuring action items get closed.

• Conduct basic cost checks and variance reviews, making sure system data stays clean and correct.

• Collaborate with warehouse and production teams to support accurate inventory levels and smooth material flow.

• Maintain updated vendor, item, and pricing data inside ERP and internal tools.

• Help resolve routine three-way match issues (PO, receipt, invoice) in partnership with Finance.

• Champion food safety, GMPs, and compliance in all purchasing activities.

• Support new product setups, item transitions, and supplier readiness tasks as we roll out new menu items.

• Participate in process improvement efforts and help implement simple enhancements that boost team efficiency.

• Provide general support to the Purchasing Supervisor and cross-functional teams, you’re a team player who loves helping things run better.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred.

• 1–3 years in purchasing, supply chain, inventory, or a related operational role.

• Experience using an ERP system (preferred).

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel.

• Detail-oriented with excellent accuracy and follow-through.

• Able to manage priorities and stay organized in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

• Reliable, proactive, and eager to learn and grow.

• This is a hybrid role, requiring four days per week in the office and one day working remotely.

Salary Range: $22.50 - $30 p/h

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.