Kitchen Equipment Program Manager at Wonders in New York, NY

Job description

• As the Kitchen Equipment Program Manager, you will own the kitchen equipment procurement pipeline for Wonder's new store openings, ensuring every site's equipment order moves accurately and on schedule from locked design through purchase order issuance, warehousing, and invoice close-out. You will be the primary point of accountability for quotes, equipment orders, equipment installations, and punch lists across the kitchen equipment program — the first call when something needs an answer, and the person who knows exactly where every site sits in the pipeline.
• In this role, you will review and approve contractor quotes against locked back-of-house drawings and any applicable design bulletins, route approved quotes through our quote management software for contract submittal, and hold the line on purchase order timing so equipment lead times are fully protected. You will manage bulk and program-level purchases — ovens, fryers, clamshells, custom stainless steel, etc. — track equipment through contractor warehousing, and review invoices for accuracy before they're paid. You'll coordinate directly with our kitchen equipment installers, equipment vendors, and internal partners across contracts, construction, and project management, and you'll keep our program trackers accurate and current.
• The ideal candidate is exceptionally detail-oriented, comfortable owning hard deadlines under real schedule pressure, and proactive about flagging risk before it becomes a missed date. This is an opportunity to run a fast-moving, high-visibility piece of Wonder's new store opening pipeline, with direct exposure to design, construction, and vendor management, and a clear, measurable impact on whether stores open on time.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve kitchen equipment installer quotes for each new store opening against the locked back-of-house drawing and any applicable design bulletins, and route approved quotes to contracts and project management for submittal.
• Own purchase order timing for the bulk kitchen equipment order, confirming quotes are approved early enough to protect equipment lead times and hold the installation date.
• Manage bulk and program-level equipment purchases, coordinating with manufacturers, vendors, and installers on pricing, specifications, and delivery.
• Track equipment through installer warehousing and flag sites where equipment is arriving early, late, or sitting longer than intended.
• Review vendor and installer invoices for accuracy against approved quotes and purchase orders before they're processed.
• Serve as the first point of contact for questions on quotes, equipment orders, equipment installations, and punch lists, escalating internally when needed.
• Maintain accurate, current data in the program trackers and equipment tag number library, including quote status, purchase order numbers, drawing revisions, and key milestone dates.
• Attend recurring coordination calls with kitchen equipment installers and vendors, tracking quoting status, estimated installation dates, and other equipment milestones across all open sites.
• Support punch list tracking through to closure with the field team and installers ahead of turnover to Operations.
• Communicate promptly and clearly on any issue that could impact a site's opening or turnover date, and escalate to vendor leadership when responses stall.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, supply chain management, business, or a related technical field — or equivalent professional experience.
• 5 years of experience in a related field.
• Experience in procurement, purchasing, or contract administration, ideally in construction, food service equipment, or another equipment-heavy industrial environment.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, kitchen layout plans, and equipment specifications well enough to check a quote against a locked design.
• Comfort managing purchase order timelines and quote approval workflows, including multi-step internal review and approval chains.
• High proficiency with Google Suite (Gmail, Sheets, Docs, Slides).
• Experience maintaining data in a shared tracker or database, with a track record of accuracy and consistency.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to track many concurrently moving sites without losing the thread on any one of them.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, comfortable holding vendors and contractors accountable to deadlines.
• Experience with drawing markup tools and/or quote management or procurement software.
• Previous experience in kitchen equipment, food service equipment, or restaurant/retail construction procurement.
• High proficiency with Google App Scripts and creating custom programs to accomplish automation tasks.
• Experience with Bluebeam Revu, Monday.com (construction project tracking),
• Experience directly managing vendor or contractor relationships, including escalation when a partner isn't responsive.
• Familiarity with Revit or AutoCAD is a plus, though not required for this role.

Skills

Preferred

• Familiarity with Revit or AutoCAD

Benefits

• The benefits applicable to this role include a competitive compensation package with equity and a 401(k). We also offer a choice of medical, dental, and vision plans, company paid short and long term disability coverage, paid time off including flexible time off for exempt employees, paid vacation for non-exempt employees, and paid sick leave in compliance with applicable law in addition to paid parental leave, discounted meals and exclusive perks across the Wonder family of brands.
• Eligibility, effective dates, and available plan options vary by employment classification and location. To learn more about benefits for this role, visit our Careers page here.
• New York Base Salary: $108,000-$114,500.
• Wonder uses geographic-specific salary structures, which means the salary offered may vary depending on where the job is located. The final salary offer will take into account various factors, such as the candidate's skills, education, training, credentials, and experience.