Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Catering Procurement Analyst

🎯 Role Definition

The Catering Procurement Analyst is responsible for executing strategic and tactical procurement activities that support catering, events, and foodservice operations. This role focuses on supplier selection and management, cost and spend analysis, contract administration, and cross-functional collaboration with culinary, operations, and finance teams to ensure timely delivery of high-quality food and beverage products and services at the best total cost. The ideal candidate blends strong analytical capability with operational experience in foodservice procurement, vendor relationship management, and compliance with food safety and regulatory standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Procurement Coordinator (Foodservice / Hospitality)
Sourcing Specialist / Buyer (Food & Beverage)
Catering Operations Coordinator / Assistant

Advancement To:

Senior Procurement Analyst (Catering or Foodservice)
Category Manager – Food & Beverage
Procurement Manager / Strategic Sourcing Manager (Hospitality)
Supply Chain Manager (Foodservice)

Lateral Moves:

Supplier Relationship Manager (Vendor Management)
Menu Development Analyst / Culinary Supply Planner
Contract and Compliance Analyst (Food Safety & Regulatory)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead end-to-end sourcing and procurement activities for catering and event-related goods and services, including creating and managing RFPs, RFQs, and bids to secure competitive pricing and favorable contract terms.
Conduct detailed spend and cost analysis using historical data, market benchmarking, and supplier quotes to identify savings opportunities and recommend category strategies that reduce food and service cost per cover.
Negotiate supplier contracts, master service agreements, and pricing schedules with a focus on total cost of ownership, service levels, delivery windows, and penalties for non-performance.
Develop and maintain supplier scorecards and performance KPIs (on-time delivery, fill rate, quality rejects, invoice accuracy) to drive continuous improvement and accountability across the supplier base.
Manage vendor selection and onboarding processes including qualification checks, insurance and compliance verification, food safety certifications (e.g., HACCP), and site or supplier audits when required.
Partner with culinary leadership and event operations to translate menu requirements and forecasted demand into accurate procurement plans, ensuring availability, quality, and cost control for seasonal menus and special events.
Oversee purchase order creation, change control, and PO reconciliation processes in the ERP system (e.g., SAP Ariba, Oracle Procurement Cloud) to maintain accurate procurement records and spend visibility.
Perform inventory analysis and collaborate with inventory control teams to optimize par levels, minimize spoilage and waste, and balance service readiness with cost efficiency for high-turn items.
Monitor market trends, commodity pricing, and supply chain disruptions (seasonality, transportation, trade policy) to proactively update sourcing strategies and mitigate supplier risk.
Execute cost modeling and scenario analysis (price vs. volume, contract term vs. flexibility) to inform procurement decisions and support budgeting and forecasting cycles.
Build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships with Finance, Legal, Operations, Purchasing, and Culinary to ensure alignment on contract terms, budgets, and compliance standards.
Drive supplier consolidation and strategic vendor partnerships where appropriate to maximize economies of scale, standardize specifications, and negotiate volume discounts or rebates.
Manage and resolve supplier performance issues, escalations, and non-conformance events; recommend corrective action plans and, where needed, execute supplier transitions or de-listings.
Prepare and present monthly procurement dashboards, savings reports, and executive summaries for stakeholders highlighting realized and forecasted cost avoidance, contract coverage, and supplier health.
Maintain accurate master data for suppliers, items, price lists, and contract terms in procurement and inventory systems to ensure clean reporting and effective automation of procurement workflows.
Lead small-source category projects (e.g., beverage program changes, disposables rationalization, linen supplier sourcing) from business case development through implementation and benefits realization.
Ensure procurement processes and suppliers comply with regulatory requirements, corporate sustainability goals (waste reduction, responsibly sourced ingredients), and any applicable food safety or labeling standards.
Support tactical purchasing during peak event periods, acting as a buyer to expedite orders, resolve delivery issues, and secure alternative supply to avoid service disruptions.
Coordinate with Accounts Payable to reconcile supplier invoices, resolve price/quantity discrepancies, and support timely supplier payments while enforcing payment terms negotiated in contracts.
Document procurement policies, preferred supplier lists, standard operating procedures, and procurement change logs to support audit readiness and continuous process improvement.
Drive supplier innovation initiatives by soliciting product and packaging improvements that reduce cost, improve serviceability in event environments, or enhance sustainability credentials.
Train and mentor junior procurement staff and event buyers on sourcing best practices, contract compliance, and ERP purchasing workflows to raise capability across the procurement team.
Participate in cross-functional project teams for new venue openings, menu launches, and strategic initiatives to ensure procurement readiness, supplier capacity, and contract coverage.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory spend analysis for special projects, executive reporting, and procurement transformation initiatives.
Contribute to the organization's procurement strategy and roadmap by sharing category insights, supplier market intelligence, and suggested technology improvements.
Collaborate with business units to translate operational needs into procurement requirements, specification documents, and sourcing timelines.
Participate in sprint planning and agile procurement ceremonies for projects that involve procurement technology, catalog management, or process automation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, Power Query) for spend analysis and cost modeling.
Experience with procurement / ERP platforms such as SAP Ariba, Oracle Procurement Cloud, Coupa, or PeopleSoft.
Familiarity with e-sourcing tools and RFP/RFQ management platforms.
Strong knowledge of foodservice sourcing categories (proteins, produce, dairy, dry goods, disposables, beverage) and commodity pricing drivers.
Contract drafting and negotiation skills, including basic legal/commercial terms (SLA, warranty, indemnity, termination).
Spend analytics and reporting experience; comfort with BI tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Looker.
Experience with supplier performance management, scorecard design, and corrective action implementation.
Understanding of inventory management principles (par setting, FIFO/LIFO, spoilage management) and demand forecasting techniques.
Familiarity with food safety regulations and supplier certifications (HACCP, SQF, BRC) and experience coordinating supplier audits.
AP and purchasing reconciliation experience; PO-to-invoice matching and dispute resolution.
Costing and margin analysis experience relevant to menu engineering and event pricing.
Knowledge of sustainability sourcing practices (responsible sourcing, packaging reduction, local sourcing programs).

Soft Skills

Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills to manage suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Excellent written and verbal communication for RFPs, contract correspondence, and executive reporting.
Strategic thinking with a results-oriented mindset and ability to influence cross-functional decision-making.
Analytical curiosity and problem-solving skills to translate data into actionable procurement strategies.
High attention to detail and process discipline to minimize contractual and financial risk.
Project management skills with the ability to manage multiple sourcing projects and priorities concurrently.
Adaptability and resilience in high-volume event-driven environments.
Collaboration and stakeholder management across culinary, operations, finance, and legal teams.
Time management and organizational skills to meet tight sourcing timelines for events and seasonal menus.
Ethical judgment and integrity in supplier interactions, compliance, and conflict-of-interest situations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, Food Science, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree plus professional procurement certification (CPSM, C.P.M., CPP) or advanced degree (MBA) with concentration in Supply Chain, Procurement, or Hospitality Management.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Hospitality / Hotel & Restaurant Management
Business Administration / Finance
Culinary Arts / Food Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–6 years of procurement or sourcing experience, preferably within catering, foodservice, hospitality, or retail food supply chains.

Preferred:

3–5 years specifically in catering procurement, food & beverage sourcing, or hospitality buying.
Demonstrated track record of delivering cost savings, negotiating supplier contracts, managing vendor performance, and using ERP procurement tools.