Purchasing Officer

SAIT's School of Hospitality and Tourism stands among the world's leading hospitality schools — CEOWORLD Magazine named us #1 in Canada and #14 globally in 2026. Renowned for our innovative curriculum, strong industry partnerships and unparalleled approach to applied learning, serving up excellence is what we do best.

The Opportunity

• Job classification: A5005 - Purchasing Officer
• Salary range: $60,000-$72,000. Placement within the range is typically based upon a review of skills, experience, and internal equity.
• Hours per week: 40
• Paid leave: 3 weeks vacation per year

Position End Date: December 18, 2026

Deadline to apply: 11:59PM on July 26, 2026

The Purchasing Officer is responsible for the procurement of food, beverages, operational supplies, and related products that support Hospitality & Tourism academic programming, retail outlets, catering, events, and other departmental operations. This role oversees daily purchasing activities, supplier relationships, inventory optimization, sourcing initiatives, cost control, and procurement compliance. The successful candidate will ensure continuity of supply while contributing to operational efficiency and excellence across the department.

This position is primarily office-based and requires regular movement between office, warehouse, receiving, and hospitality operations areas. The role involves accurate data entry and analysis, frequent interaction with suppliers and stakeholders, and occasional lifting and handling of inventory, supplies, or equipment up to 50 lbs. The successful candidate must be able to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and excellent customer service.

How you'll contribute

• Manage daily purchasing activities using Adaco, including creating and maintaining purchase orders and ensuring the timely procurement and delivery of food, beverages, operational supplies, equipment, and services required to support academic programming and operational needs.
• Forecast purchasing requirements based on curriculum schedules, menus, seasonal trends, events, consumption patterns, and operational activities. Monitor inventory levels, turnover, stockouts, spoilage, and inventory accuracy, while maintaining established minimum and maximum inventory levels.
• Develop and maintain effective supplier relationships, evaluate vendor performance, monitor supplier compliance, participate in RFQ, RFP, and RFI processes, support contract management activities, and maintain a competitive and reliable vendor portfolio.
• Analyze purchasing, inventory, and cost of goods data to identify cost-saving opportunities through supplier negotiations, volume purchasing, product substitutions, and process improvements. Support budgeting, spend analysis, and operational reporting requirements.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards, procurement policies, and supplier specifications. Collaborate closely with faculty, culinary teams, warehouse staff, finance, and leadership to support operational objectives and implement continuous improvements within procurement and warehouse operations.

What you bring

Minimum

• Diploma in Supply Chain Management or related field
• 3-5 years purchasing, procurement, inventory management, and other supply chain experiences
• Minimal prior experience working with an ERP/Inventory control software system (Adaco preferred)
• Equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered

Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a customer-focused approach.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Effective negotiation, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in computer applications, data analysis, and reporting.
• Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on process efficiency and operational excellence.