Senior Price Negotiator / Strategic Sourcing Manager- RDG

Job Type: Location Type: Not Specified

 

RDG introduces its first restaurant-concept brand, MILA, which offers guests a culinary journey through exquisite MediterrAsian cuisine, opened in January 2020 in Miami Beach. Combining genuine hospitality, fine dining, and a sophisticated nightlife atmosphere, MILA has quickly become a premier destination within Miami’s upscale social scene.

At RDG, we are a collective of individuals dedicated to excellence and the art of sensory engagement. We embrace the rhythms of life and are motivated by the thrill of adventure. Our core principles focus on providing customers with immersive experiences, organic design, and a refined culinary journey.

DREAM IT
MILA has exceeded expectations in its initial two years, achieving remarkable success despite pandemic-related challenges and securing the #5 spot in The Restaurant Business Top 100 ranking. Building on this success, RDG has expanded into new concepts, including AVA MediterrAegean in Winter Park, Florida, CASA NEOS on the Miami River, Claudie (opened Feb 2025), and MM, a Membership Community. Upcoming projects include AVA’s second location in Coconut Grove and Casa Neos Lounge (Fall 2025), Noora and HONŌ Japanese Steakhouse (Spring 2026).

BUILD IT
RDG’s distinguished brand portfolio and exclusive membership program aim to create a network of venues and experiences that offer a unique lifestyle to guests and members in Florida. Our goal is to establish RDG as a leader in the luxury restaurant industry in the United States.

GROW IT
RDG has demonstrated rapid growth and is poised for significant economic expansion globally. We are actively exploring national markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, and international markets including Paris, London, Dubai, and Mexico City for potential expansion opportunities.

Summary:

The Senior Price Negotiator / Strategic Sourcing Manager is responsible for developing and executing a centralized pricing and sourcing strategy across a multi-unit hospitality group. This role leads negotiations with national, regional, and local vendors to secure best-in-class pricing, rebates, and contract terms across food, liquor, beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, disposables, services, and operational expenses.

This position plays a critical role in driving margin improvement at scale while balancing quality, brand standards, operational practicality, and vendor reliability across multiple concepts and locations.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Scope of Responsibility

• Supports multiple restaurant brands and locations across varying service models
• Manages seven-figure to eight-figure annual spend
• Oversees preferred vendor programs and master supply agreements
• Acts as the primary commercial lead for vendor negotiations across the group

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation

• Lead group-wide negotiations for all major spend categories:
  • Food (protein, produce, dry goods, specialty imports)
  • Alcoholic beverages (liquor, beer, wine)
  • Non-alcoholic beverages
  • Disposables, packaging, smallwares, and janitorial supplies
  • Facilities, maintenance, utilities, pest control, and other services
• Structure master agreements, tiered pricing, rebates, and volume incentives.
• Leverage multi-unit scale to standardize SKUs and consolidate vendors where appropriate.
• Conduct formal RFPs and competitive bidding processes.

Cost Strategy & Margin Optimization

• Establish and manage group-wide cost targets and benchmarks.
• Analyze pricing trends, vendor increases, and market volatility.
• Partner with culinary and beverage leadership to:
  • Maintain brand integrity while optimizing costs
  • Approve substitutions or alternative sourcing strategies
• Support new concept development, openings, and expansions with pricing models and vendor onboarding.

Vendor Program & Relationship Management

• Build strategic partnerships with national and regional distributors.
• Monitor vendor compliance with pricing, service levels, and contract terms.
• Manage escalation and resolution of pricing discrepancies and service issues.
• Evaluate vendor performance across locations and recommend corrective actions or changes.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a key partner to:
  • Culinary leadership and beverage directors
  • Operations leadership and GMs
  • Finance, accounting, and inventory teams
• Align sourcing strategies with operational realities and brand standards.
• Ensure negotiated pricing is accurately implemented across all locations and systems.

Reporting, Controls & Governance

• Track and report savings, rebates, and cost avoidance at the group level.
• Maintain centralized documentation for contracts, pricing matrices, and vendor terms.
• Audit invoices and pricing compliance across units.
• Establish internal controls to ensure purchasing discipline and contract adherence.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• 5-10+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or vendor negotiations within:
  • Multi-unit restaurant groups
  • Hospitality management companies
  • Foodservice distribution or beverage procurement
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale vendor negotiations and contracts.
• Strong understanding of restaurant financials, including COGS, labor-adjacent costs, and operating expenses.
• Advanced Excel and financial analysis skills.
• Exceptional negotiation, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience negotiating alcohol pricing and working with national beverage distributors.
• Experience supporting multiple restaurant concepts with distinct brand standards.
• Familiarity with ERP, inventory, and purchasing platforms (e.g., MarketMan, BirchStreet, Coupa).
• Background in finance, supply chain, or contract law.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial judgment
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail
• Data-driven and results-oriented
• Comfortable operating at both executive and operational levels
• Strong ethical standards and vendor governance discipline

KPI Evaluations

• Group-wide reduction in food, beverage, and operating costs
• Year-over-year margin improvement by concept and location
• Vendor compliance and pricing accuracy
• Successful execution of RFPs and contract renewals
• Measurable savings tied to negotiated agreements

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Corporate Controller
• Works closely with: Culinary, Beverage, Operations and Finance