Procurement Specialist

Gator Chef Restaurant Equipment & Kitchen Supplies; Lisle (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

PTO and paid holidays

401(k) with company match

Direct exposure to business leadership

Job summary

Gator Chef Restaurant Equipment & Kitchen Supplies in Lisle, IL is seeking a sharp Procurement Specialist (Buyer) to own purchasing across our catalog—heavy equipment, tabletop, and disposables. This on-site role emphasizes strategic sourcing, supplier partnerships, and cost-saving focus to impact the bottom line.

You will optimize inventory, negotiate terms, and collaborate with Inside Sales and Operations to meet project timelines and customer needs.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2+ years of hands-on purchasing, buying, or supply chain inventory experience.
• Background in commercial equipment, restaurant supplies, wholesale, or B2B industrial distribution is a major plus.
• Proactive follow-through on open issues, cost-saving efforts, and resolving issues without continuous oversight.
• Strong attention to detail to catch discrepancies that affect margins and costs.
• Analytical and resourceful with understanding of COGS and data-driven buying decisions.
• Growth mindset and eagerness to master the product catalog and procurement skills.
• Proficiency with ERP/purchasing software and Microsoft Excel, plus clear written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Full-Catalog Purchasing & Inventory Optimization: Manage POs across heavy equipment, kitchen supplies, tabletop goods, and disposables, balancing lead times and stock to optimize in-stock levels and costs.
• Margin & Landed-Cost Scrutiny: Review vendor price sheets, freight thresholds, bulk discounts, and payment terms to reduce landed costs and improve margins.
• Vendor Accountability & Negotiation: Build and maintain partnerships with manufacturers and distributors; ensure lead times, fill rates, and price guarantees.
• Invoice & Receiving Reconciliation: Detect errors early; coordinate with Receiving and AP to resolve variances, freight claims, and backorders.
• Cross-Department Support: Collaborate with Inside Sales and Customer Operations to source specialty items and provide accurate fulfillment timelines.
• Process & Workflow Improvement: Streamline replenishment workflows and explore alternate sourcing during shortages.

Skills

Grit & Tenacity

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Learning mindset

Communication skills

Problem solving

Tools

ERP/purchasing software

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Gator Chef is a premier commercial kitchen equipment and restaurant supply dealer serving foodservice operators locally and nationwide. In our industry, profitability and exceptional customer satisfaction start at the buying desk. Every margin point protected, freight cost optimized, and inventory turn accelerated directly drives our success. We run a fast-paced, high-volume operation where proactive thinkers are empowered to make an immediate, measurable impact.

The Opportunity

About Gator Chef

Gator Chef is a premier commercial kitchen equipment and restaurant supply dealer serving foodservice operators locally and nationwide. In our industry, profitability and exceptional customer satisfaction start at the buying desk. Every margin point protected, freight cost optimized, and inventory turn accelerated directly drives our success. We run a fast-paced, high-volume operation where proactive thinkers are empowered to make an immediate, measurable impact.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a sharp, detail-obsessed, and driven Procurement Specialist (Buyer) to join our team on-site at our Lisle, IL headquarters.

In this role, you will take operational ownership of purchasing across our entire catalog—spanning heavy commercial equipment, tabletop and smallwares, kitchen supplies, and disposables. This is not an automated, order-entry job; it is a high-leverage position built for an out-of-the-box thinker who understands that smart procurement directly impacts the company’s bottom line.

If you bring genuine grit, an appetite to learn the intricacies of thousands of foodservice products, and the tenacity to hunt down cost savings and supply chain efficiencies, this seat is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Full-Catalog Purchasing & Inventory Optimization: Manage purchase orders across all categories—heavy equipment, kitchen supplies, tabletop goods, and disposables—balancing lead times, safety stocks, and sales velocity to maintain strong in-stock levels while minimizing carrying costs.
• Margin & Landed-Cost Scrutiny: Analyze vendor price sheets, freight thresholds, bulk discounts, and payment terms to drive lower landed costs and maximize profit margins on everyday stock and non-standard orders.
• Vendor Accountability & Negotiation: Build and maintain strong partnerships with equipment manufacturers, smallwares distributors, and factory rep groups. Hold vendors accountable for published lead times, fill rates, return authorizations, and price guarantees.
• Invoice & Receiving Reconciliation: Catch errors before they cost the company. Partner with Receiving and Accounts Payable to swiftly resolve PO variances, damaged freight claims, price mismatches, and backorders.
• Cross-Department Support: Collaborate closely with Inside Sales and Customer Operations to source specialty items, secure competitive vendor quotes for large-scale projects, and provide accurate, realistic fulfillment timelines.
• Process & Workflow Improvement: Continuously refine replenishment workflows, improve PO execution speed, identify alternate sourcing avenues during supply shortages, and eliminate operational friction.

Qualifications & Competencies

• Experience: Minimum of 2+ years of hands-on purchasing, buying, or supply chain inventory experience. Prior background in commercial equipment, restaurant supplies, wholesale, or B2B industrial distribution is a major plus.
• Grit & Tenacity: You proactively follow through on open issues, dig into logistics snags, challenge unwarranted price increases, and see problems through to the finish line without needing continuous oversight.
• Laser-Focused Attention to Detail: You catch small discrepancies—like an off-by-one SKU, an incorrect freight fee, or a 1% price variance—that make the difference between a profitable deal and a lost margin.
• Analytical & Resourceful: You understand basic cost-of-goods-sold (COGS) dynamics, enjoy working through data to spot buying trends, and can solve supply bottlenecks creatively.
• Eagerness to Learn: You have a growth mindset and want to master our product catalog, build deep industry expertise, and expand your procurement skill set.
• Software & Communication Skills: Strong proficiency with ERP/purchasing software and Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, lookups, and reporting), alongside clear, professional written and verbal communication.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Direct exposure to business leadership with long-term career growth potential