Purchasing / Procurement Officer

Kariton Philippines Cafe Inc.; Las Piñas; On-site; PHP 400,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Kariton Philippines Cafe Inc. is seeking a hands-on Procurement Officer to own end-to-end purchasing for our commissary, stores, and mobile operations across Metro Manila.

You will source ingredients and supplies, negotiate with local and international suppliers, manage packaging inventory, track landed costs, and ensure timely deliveries while optimizing costs and reducing stockouts. This is a practical, field-facing role requiring strong negotiation, meticulous inventory control, and clear

Qualifications

• 2-4+ years in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain.
• Negotiation skills; able to source new suppliers.
• Inventory and reorder cycle management.
• Proficient with basic tech: spreadsheets, email, trackers.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong organization and follow-through.
• Good English and Filipino communication.

Responsibilities

• Source and order commissary supplies, ingredients, and consumables.
• Onboard suppliers and negotiate prices, terms, and MOQs.
• Coordinate with marketing for collaboration suppliers and quotes.
• Benchmark prices and manage supplier relationships.
• Own inventory of packaging and consumables and monitor stock.
• Plan orders considering lead times, holidays, and demand spikes.
• Track stock movement and perform counts.
• Manage procurement budget and documentation.
• Prepare simple stock and spending reports.

Skills

Procurement experience

Negotiation skills

Inventory management

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

English/Filipino communication

Tools

Spreadsheets (Google Sheets/Excel)

Job description

About Kariton

Kariton is a Filipino-inspired artisanal gelato brand born in Melbourne, Australia in 2020 and now rapidly expanding across Metro Manila, with branches in Molito Alabang, SM Aura BGC, and Salcedo Village, Makati. Named after the humble pushcart of the sorbeteros, Kariton reimagines nostalgic Filipino flavors - ube, turon, champorado, buko pandan - into small-batch gelato crafted with fine-dining discipline.

As we grow our store network, commissary, and mobile operations, we need a sharp, hands-on Procurement Officer to keep everything supplied, stocked, and on budget.

About the Role

The Procurement Officer owns purchasing end-to-end for Kariton: sourcing ingredients and supplies for the commissary, finding and negotiating with suppliers (local and international), managing packaging and consumables inventory, and making sure every store and truck has exactly what it needs - never too little, never too much.

This is a hands-on role, not a desk-only one. You’ll be calling suppliers, comparing quotes, checking deliveries, counting stock, and chasing down the best price for everything from ube to paper cups. You notice when a spoon order is 500 pieces short and when a supplier quietly raised their price by 3%.

Key Responsibilities

Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Source and order all commissary supplies: ingredients, raw materials, and production consumables
• Identify, contact, and onboard new suppliers; build and maintain a reliable supplier database. Negotiate prices, payment terms, delivery schedules, and minimum order quantities to get the best value
• Coordinate with marketing team on collaboration suppliers (local farms, specialty producers, brand partners) - handle sourcing, quotations, and ordering for approved collaborations
• Regularly benchmark supplier prices and quality; recommend switches when better options exist
• Manage supplier relationships day-to-day: follow up on orders, resolve delivery issues, handle returns and quality complaints

Packaging, Consumables & Imports

• Own inventory of packaging and consumables: cups, spoons, lids, tubs, napkins, bags, and other store supplies
• Monitor stock levels and reorder points so stores never run out - and never overstock
• Manage orders from China and other international suppliers: sourcing, quotations, lead times, shipping, customs coordination, and landed cost tracking
• Plan orders well ahead of lead times, factoring in shipping delays, holidays (e.g., Chinese New Year factory closures), and demand spikes

Stock Management for Stores & Trucks

• Ensure correct stock allocation and delivery to every branch and truck on schedule
• Track stock movement between commissary, stores, and trucks; investigate and resolve discrepancies
• Conduct and coordinate regular stock counts; keep inventory records accurate at all times
• Coordinate with store and commissary teams to forecast needs based on sales trends and seasonality

Budget & Cost Management

• Manage the procurement budget; track spending against it and flag overruns early
• Keep organized records of all purchase orders, quotations, invoices, and delivery receipts
• Monitor cost per item and cost trends; report savings opportunities and price increases to management
• Support the accounting team with clean, complete documentation for every purchase

Systems & Reporting

• Use basic technology confidently: spreadsheets (Google Sheets/Excel), email, messaging apps, and inventory or ordering tools
• Maintain trackers for orders, stock levels, supplier contacts, and budgets
• Prepare simple, clear reports on stock status, spending, and supplier performance

Qualifications

Must-haves

• 2-4+ years of experience in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain - ideally in F&B, food manufacturing, or retail
• Proven negotiation skills and experience sourcing new suppliers from scratch
• Experience managing inventory and reorder cycles for consumables or ingredients
• Comfortable with basic technology: spreadsheets, email, and digital trackers
• Exceptional attention to detail - you catch wrong quantities, price changes, and missing deliveries before they become problems
• Strong organization and follow-through; nothing falls through the cracks
• Good communication skills in English and Filipino for dealing with local and international suppliers

Nice-to-haves

• Experience importing from China or other overseas suppliers (Alibaba/1688 sourcing, freight forwarders, customs brokerage)
• Experience supporting a commissary or central kitchen serving multiple branches
• Familiarity with inventory systems or POS-linked stock tools
• Existing network of F&B suppliers in the Philippines
• Driver’s license (for supplier visits and spot checks)

What Success Looks Like (First 6-12 Months)

• Zero stockouts of critical items across all stores, trucks, and the commissary
• A complete, organized supplier database with at least two vetted options per key item
• Measurable cost savings from renegotiated prices or better suppliers
• China/import orders arriving on time with accurate landed costs - no last-minute rush shipments
• Clean, up-to-date trackers and documentation that anyone in the team can rely on