Freelance Food Purchasing Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Eataly is the world’s largest artisanal Italian food and beverage marketplace! Eataly is not a chain; each Eataly is different, with its own character and own theme – but all with the same aim... for our guests to:

• EAT authentic Italian food at our restaurants, cafés and to-go counters
• SHOP a selection of high-quality Italian, local and homemade products
• LEARN through our classes and our team’s product knowledge

Job Description:

The Purchasing Manager, Grocery is responsible for managing and executing grocery purchasing activities across Eataly’s North America retail and restaurant operations. This role owns and supports designated grocery categories and supplier relationships, ensuring product availability, competitive pricing, appropriate assortment, inventory efficiency, and alignment with Eataly’s quality and brand standards.

The Purchasing Manager works closely with the Senior Purchasing Manager, Grocery, Store Operations, Culinary, Grocery, Finance, Supply Chain, Warehouse, and Logistics teams to translate category strategy into effective purchasing and operational execution. This role has responsibility for analyzing category performance, making purchasing recommendations, managing vendor relationships, supporting price and promotional negotiations, and identifying opportunities to improve profitability and operational efficiency.

The Purchasing Manager also assists with team projects, warehouse inventory oversight, purchasing strategy and planning, new store openings, seasonal assortment planning, product launches, and other category initiatives while serving as a key point of contact for assigned vendors and internal stakeholders.

Reports to: Senior Purchasing Manager, Grocery

Responsibilities:

• Manages day-to-day purchasing activities for assigned grocery categories across Eataly’s retail and restaurant operations, ensuring appropriate product availability, assortment, pricing, and inventory levels.
• Owns and supports assigned vendor relationships, serving as a primary point of contact for pricing, product availability, lead times, delivery performance, quality concerns, and issue resolution.
• Assists with price negotiations with vendors, including reviewing cost changes, evaluating competitive pricing, and identifying opportunities to improve purchasing terms and margins.
• Assists with promotional negotiations with vendors, including promotional pricing, discounts, special offers, product features, and seasonal opportunities.
• Analyzes sales, purchasing, inventory, margin, and product performance data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities within assigned categories.
• Develops purchasing recommendations based on sales trends, historical performance, seasonality, inventory levels, lead times, and business needs.
• Supports category assortment strategy, including product selection, SKU rationalization, new product evaluation, seasonal planning, and product transitions.
• Conducts market research and competitive analysis to evaluate pricing, product trends, supplier opportunities, and category developments.
• Monitors inventory levels and purchasing patterns to maintain appropriate in-stock positions while minimizing overstock, spoilage, and unnecessary inventory investment.
• Assists with warehouse inventory oversight and purchasing strategy/planning, partnering with Warehouse, Supply Chain, and Logistics teams to identify inventory needs, purchasing opportunities, excess inventory, and product flow challenges.
• Partners with the Senior Purchasing Manager, Grocery to develop and execute category strategies, supplier initiatives, and margin improvement opportunities.
• Reviews vendor performance based on pricing, quality, service levels, fill rates, delivery reliability, and overall business partnership, escalating significant concerns when appropriate.
• Collaborates with Finance and Accounting to review purchasing data, pricing discrepancies, invoices, credits, budgets, margins, and other financial information impacting assigned categories.
• Works closely with Supply Chain, Warehouse, and Logistics teams to address product flow, delivery schedules, minimum order quantities, lead times, and distribution challenges.
• Partners with Store Directors, Grocery Managers, Culinary, Operations, and Marketing to align purchasing decisions with operational needs, promotions, seasonal initiatives, and customer demand.
• Works with Italian team buyers and suppliers, as appropriate, to identify new products and ensure alignment with Eataly’s quality, authenticity, and brand standards.
• Assists with project management for purchasing team initiatives, including coordinating timelines, tracking deliverables, communicating updates, and partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure projects are completed effectively.
• Supports new store openings by assisting with assortment planning, vendor coordination, product setup, purchasing schedules, initial orders, and inventory readiness.
• Coordinates new product launches, seasonal programs, promotional initiatives, and product transitions across applicable locations.
• Maintains accurate purchasing, pricing, vendor, and product information within internal systems and master data files.
• Monitors purchasing controls and processes to ensure compliance with company policies, financial requirements, and operational standards.
• Prepares category reporting, vendor reviews, purchasing analysis, and business presentations for the Senior Purchasing Manager and other stakeholders as needed.
• Identifies opportunities for cost savings, improved supplier performance, operational efficiencies, and category growth.
• Participates in vendor meetings, store visits, product tastings, trade shows, and other industry events to maintain market knowledge and identify new business opportunities.
• Provides guidance and support to Buyers and other purchasing team members on purchasing processes, vendor communication, product information, and category-related activities.
• Leads or participates in cross-functional projects related to procurement, category development, new store openings, process improvement, and business growth.
• Performs other duties and special projects related to purchasing, procurement, category management, and business operations as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 3–5 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, category management, buying, or a related field.
• Experience in grocery, foodservice, hospitality, retail, or food & beverage industries strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing vendor relationships and making purchasing or assortment recommendations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret sales, inventory, pricing, and margin data.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders at various levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to make independent decisions within established purchasing and category guidelines.
• Experience with inventory planning, forecasting, pricing analysis, and margin management preferred.
• Experience with ERP, purchasing, inventory management, or product management systems preferred.
• Knowledge of Italian, specialty, premium, and gourmet food products preferred.
• Ability to travel to stores, vendors, trade shows, and other business locations as needed.

Job Requirements:

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to exert well-paced mobility for up to 8 hours, including standing, walking, bending, and squatting.
• Availability to travel up to 15% of the time.

Salary Range: $90,000–$100,000

Benefits and Perks

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• 401K with match or RRSP
• Bonus program
• Free family meal daily
• Discounts at Eataly
• Classes on products and Italian cuisine
• Referral bonus program
• and more!

Eataly is an equal employment opportunity employer. It is the Company’s policy to not unlawfully discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic made unlawful to consider by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Eataly also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also Eataly’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws regarding consideration of unemployment status, salary history, credit/bankruptcy history and criminal background/conviction history in making hiring decisions.  If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation.

Eataly is an equal employment opportunity employer. It is the Company’s policy to not unlawfully discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic made unlawful to consider by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Eataly also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also Eataly’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws regarding consideration of unemployment status, salary history, credit/bankruptcy history and criminal background/conviction history in making hiring decisions.  If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation.