Category Manager, Direct Food Procurement

Category Manager, Procurement

Coppell, TX

What does it mean to be a BrinkerHead? It means creating moments that make everyone feel special — whether you’re supporting our restaurants, celebrating wins with your team, or sparking ideas that keep Guests coming back. We play like a team, take pride in our culture, and know that life’s too short not to work happy.

At Brinker’s Restaurant Support Center (RSC), every role fuels the success of our brands — Chili’s® Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy® — and directly impacts Team Members and Guests. From bold ideas to everyday support, we help create a fun atmosphere, great food and drinks, and the kind of hospitality that keeps everyone coming back. Here, you’ll discover opportunities for career growth, belonging, wellbeing, and plenty of chances to work hard and have fun.

Brinker International is an equal opportunity employer. We’re proud to provide a welcoming, respectful environment where everyone can thrive.

Job Summary

This position is responsible for supporting Brinker team members and operations in strategic sourcing activities for multiple food categories; with the goal of achieving cost management to include cost reductions, while maintaining/improving product quality and supplier service levels.

What You’ll Do

- This position will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations for their categories including project management, roll outs, tests, sourcing new items, and solving issues surrounding the designated categories.  

- Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, culinary, and operations is critical.

- Negotiate agreements with buy-in from stakeholders ensuring Brinker receives best in class pricing and service, leveraging terms and conditions, volumes where appropriate, across a portfolio of suppliers.

- Provide on-going communication to business stakeholders, project teams, and suppliers. 

- Foster positive relationships with supplier base and internal stakeholders.

- Continually monitoring all economic indicators for commodities within area of responsibility.

What You Bring to the Team

- Bachelor degree; equivalent business school training; or the equivalent in skill and training.

- 3 to 5 years food purchasing experience. Restaurant or hospitality industry preferred. 

- Strategic Management

- Ability to develop distinctive strategies to achieve competitive advantage; translate broad strategies into specific objectives and action plans; align the organization to support strategic priorities. 

- Communication Skills: excellent verbal, written and oral capabilities to deal independently with internal customers and external resources.

 - Interpersonal Skills: ability to build effective organizational relationships inside and outside the department; ability to inspire trust via open, candid relationships, fair treatment and behavior consistent with expressed beliefs and commitments

Why Brinker 

At Brinker, we believe life is short, so work happy! That means creating an environment where you can grow your career, feel a sense of belonging and wellbeing, and have fun along the way.

Here’s how we make that real for our BrinkerHeads at the RSC:

• Flexibility that fits your life: Hybrid schedules with weekly flex days to work from home.
• Benefits that support you: Competitive package with medical, dental, and vision coverage; life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; 401(k) with company match; Employee Assistance Program with counseling, financial, legal, and life resources; and Best You EDU, offering education programs and tuition reimbursement.
• Enjoy our brands: Generous dining discounts at Chili’s® Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy®.
• Rewards for your impact: Annual bonus eligibility for every RSC Team Member.
• Wellbeing at work: On-site gym and fitness classes like yoga and boot camp.
• A culture worth celebrating: From company-wide events to a casual, collaborative atmosphere, you’ll find plenty of ways to connect, work hard, and play hard.

Check our Careers page and LinkedIn for more exciting opportunities!