Purchasing Manager

Purchasing Manager – Local \& International Procurement

Industry: Bakery, Pastry \& Food Production \| Location: Kuwait

The Bakery is seeking an experienced Purchasing Manager to manage local and international procurement, strengthen supplier relationships, optimize costs, and ensure the timely availability of quality materials for our bakery, pastry, confectionery, and food production operations.

Key Responsibilities

- Manage local and international purchasing of food ingredients, packaging, printed materials, cleaning supplies, equipment, and spare parts.

- Develop supplier relationships, source alternatives, negotiate prices and payment terms, and establish framework agreements or price-lock arrangements for key commodities such as butter, chocolate, and flour.

- Analyze purchasing costs, freight, import expenses, and currency risks to identify measurable savings without compromising quality.

- Ensure materials meet approved specifications in coordination with Quality, Warehouse, and Production teams; follow up on rejected deliveries and supplier corrective actions.

- Verify applicable halal certificates and ingredient documentation, including animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin and relevant flavorings; obtain allergen declarations and product specifications where applicable.

- Monitor expiry dates, shelf life, stock levels, consumption, and lead times to reduce waste, prevent shortages, and plan ahead for seasonal demand and long-lead items such as printed packaging.

- Coordinate international shipments and import documentation, and follow up on applicable requirements, inspections, product validity, and regulatory matters with Kuwait’s Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) and other relevant authorities.

- Maintain accurate supplier records, item specifications, price lists, purchase orders, and purchasing reports using the company’s ERP system and Excel.

Requirements

- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Administration, or a related field.

- Minimum 5–7 years of purchasing experience, including relevant supervisory or managerial responsibility.

- Proven experience in F\&B, preferably bakery, pastry, confectionery, or food manufacturing.

- Strong supplier network, negotiation, cost analysis, and cost-reduction skills.

- Practical knowledge of food ingredients, packaging, supplier quality requirements, halal documentation, and food import procedures.

- Proficiency in ERP systems and Microsoft Excel.

- Good English communication skills; Arabic is an advantage.

- Valid Kuwait residency and eligibility to work in Kuwait.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Cost savings, supplier quality and delivery performance, stock availability, expiry and waste reduction, purchasing accuracy, and compliance with approved procedures.

Interested candidates may submit their CV, highlighting relevant F\&B procurement experience and measurable cost-saving achievements.

Work Location: In person