Local Purchasing Intern – Greg Christian Catering

Greg Christian, Chicago’s Conscious Caterer™, is on a mission to nourish with inventive, natural and organic cuisine that will have an impact on the health of the population and a deep regard for the preservation and protection of our planet. Greg Christian Catering and Events seeks out the finest natural and organic ingredients from local farmers, who nurture their treasures with a deep regard for the earth. Get Me Greg’s Online Catering seeks to change the way offices eat for their meetings by providing organic and hormone-free food items as well as bio-degradable disposable flatware. Greg Christian Catering is looking for a full-time, local purchasing intern to join their staff.

Objectives and General Purpose of Position:
Manage day-to-day procurement at Greg Christian Catering for all items including food, beverages, disposables, office supplies, cleaning supplies, etc. Develop written procurement policy for Greg Christian Catering incorporating local, natural, organic, and conventional policies. Reporting to Greg Christian, founder and owner, and Carlos Magallanes, Chef at Greg Christian Catering. This position is currently unpaid.

Responsibilities:
• Develop written policy for local food, organic, natural and conventional food procurement. Develop instructions and procedures for overall procurement work specific to Greg Christian Catering.
• Manages the food supply in order to maintain the highest levels of quality, efficiency, cost effectiveness, and environmental responsibility.
• Maintain daily records of goods ordered and received in database. Prepare and process purchase orders for sales. Check shipments upon receipt.
• Control purchasing budgets.
• Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them in order to determine product availability and terms of sale. Negotiate prices and grant contracts while also evaluating suppliers on price, quality, service support, availability, reliability, selection, etc.
• Review contracts in order to assess compatibility with Greg Christian CSR and Environmental Sustainability policies. Ensures compliance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations.
• Prepare monthly/weekly reports for Greg Christian and Alan Smetana covering current usage, updates on pricing, and other information as needed.
• Develop relationships with farmers, purchasing managers, and company owners. Attend professional meetings, trade shows, farmer meetings, and conferences as appropriate; meet with external organizations to ensure cooperative efforts are enhanced and available resources are utilized.
• Maintain awareness of local food procurement mission. Develop new programs to increase ways in which GCC can source local. Assist Greg Christian on creating new ways to enhance environmentally-sound procurement.

Professional Skills and Qualifications:
• Skill in database organization and budgetary analysis.
• Ability to communicate supply objectives clearly.
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communications skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects.
• Results-oriented, team player who takes initiative. Must be a self-starter, highly motivated, ethical and hard worker who has the ability productively under pressure.
• Ability to prioritize information and understand issues that could affect GCC.
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively within a corporate structure, while also having the ability to communicate with social service personnel in an effective manner.
• Proficient in MS Excel, Access, Office Suite

Time Commitment: Full-time.

To apply: Send resume and cover letter to Jill Zenoff, Green Initiatives and Local Purchasing, Greg Christian Catering at jill@gregchristian-catering.com.

Intern, Corporate Social Sustainability & Purchasing – Greg Christian Catering

Purpose of Position:
The Intern will assist Greg Christian, Founder/Owner in administering programs in Corporate Social Policy and Environmental-Sustainability at Greg Christian Catering. The intern will also assist Carlos Magallanes, Chef, in purchasing for Greg Christian Catering. This position is currently unpaid.

Responsibilities for Corporate Social Policy:
• Develop CSR & Environmental section of the GCC employee handbook.
• Manage and update GCC Food Miles database and online map. Assist Website Designer in adding information on GCC website.
• Work with Carlos Magallanes and Ken Dunn of the Resource Center in order to finalize policies and practices for the zero-waste kitchen.
• Provide communication support for outreach and marketing related to corporate social responsibility. Coordinate and participate in public relations activities to include the production of a website, brochures, newsletters, press releases, ads and fliers, and other promotional materials.
• Develop and implement activities including conferences, workshops, public events and other programs related to CSR/Sustainability at GCC.

Responsibilities for Procurement:
• Develop written policy for local food, organic, natural and conventional food procurement. Develop instructions and procedures for overall procurement work specific to Greg Christian Catering.
• Maintain daily records of goods ordered and received in database. Prepare and process purchase orders for sales. Check shipments upon receipt.
• Control purchasing budgets.
• Locate vendors of materials, equipment or supplies, and interview them in order to determine product availability and terms of sale. Negotiate prices and grant contracts while also evaluating suppliers on price, quality, service support, availability, reliability, selection, etc.
• Develop relationships with farmers, purchasing managers, and company owners. Attend professional meetings, trade shows, farmer meetings, and conferences as appropriate; meet with external organizations to ensure cooperative efforts are enhanced and available resources are utilized.

Professional Skills and Qualifications:
• Experience in the natural foods and organic field. Passion for Sustainability issues like Natural food/Organics and Local Food and Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communications skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects. Database management skills – preferably background in purchasing.
• Ability to prioritize information and understand issues that could affect GCC.

Time Commitment: Full-time.

To apply: Send resume and cover letter to Jill Zenoff, Purchasing Intern, Greg Christian Catering at jill@gregchristian-catering.com.