Associate Purchasing Agent

At Panda, we all share a common mission: "Deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives." We invest in our people because great people run great operations that will exceed our guests' expectations. Talk to any of our associates and you will experience a culture dedicated to its mission and our five fundamental values- Proactive, Respect/Win-Win, Growth, Great Operations, and Giving.

Panda Restaurant Group includes the original Panda Inn fine dining restaurants, Panda Express, our Gourmet Chinese food concept served in a fast casual environment, and Hibachi San, our Japanese grill concept. The family owned and operated company is still run by founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng.

Panda offers competitive benefits and rewarding opportunities, from entry-level positions to management. We have restaurant positions available nationwide and support center positions in Rosemead, CA. Come join the nation's largest and fastest growing Asian restaurant company.

Job Description

The Associate Purchasing Agent is responsible for assisting SCM in achieving optimal arrangements related to purchasing food and non-food items.  This position assists in the selection, evaluation, and negotiation with suppliers for food and non-food items.

Responsibilities

• Assists in identifying and evaluating suppliers for food and non-food items and follows up in the execution of contracts. Coordinates with Logistics to bring product(s) into distribution centers.
• Assists in evaluating potential suppliers and current or new products.  Works in coordination with FSQA or other related departments concerning the viability of their product and/or acceptability of their manufacturing facility. 
• Maintains a strong professional relationship between suppliers and the company.  Communicates with suppliers concerning all aspects of the partnership, including PRG philosophy and growth plans, and aligns suppliers with Panda to support company growth. 
• Supports cross-functional projects with departments such as FSQA, Product Development, Marketing, Operations Innovation and Engineering, and Operations related to product specifications, quality inquiries, product recall, testing new products, and phasing in products within distribution.
• Assists with global sourcing of food and non-food items for international expansion.  Coordinates sample evaluation, label compliance, and other related international administrative duties.  
• Assists Purchasing Agents with analytics, reporting, documentation, and handling special/regional sourcing requests.Assists with soliciting sponsorships and providing food and non-food items for company-sponsored events.