Sr. Manager Sourcing - Proteins
Location: Nashville, TN (Hybrid)
Schedule: Monday-Wednesday in office | Thursday-Friday remote
Industry: Restaurant / Foodservice (Required)
Position Overview
Our client is seeking a highly strategic and results-driven Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing - Proteins to lead sourcing initiatives across critical food categories, including Beef, Chicken/Poultry, Pork, Fresh Produce, and Frozen Produce. This individual will be responsible for developing and executing category strategies, managing supplier relationships, mitigating commodity risk, and driving value across a national restaurant operation.
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in protein procurement within a restaurant, QSR, casual dining, or foodservice environment and has demonstrated success leading sourcing teams and developing talent. This role will serve as a key business partner to Operations, Culinary, Quality Assurance, Finance, and Distribution teams to ensure uninterrupted supply, cost optimization, and product quality.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Category Management
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies for:
- Beef
- Chicken/Poultry
- Pork
- Fresh Produce
- Frozen Produce
- Manage supplier selection, RFPs, contract negotiations, and supplier performance programs.
- Drive cost savings and margin improvement initiatives while maintaining quality and service standards.
- Monitor commodity markets and provide insights on pricing, availability, and market trends.
- Develop short- and long-term procurement strategies to mitigate supply disruptions and market volatility.
- Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and inflation planning for assigned categories.
Supplier Relationship Management
- Build and maintain executive-level relationships with key suppliers and strategic partners.
- Establish supplier scorecards and KPIs related to quality, service, cost, and innovation.
- Identify opportunities to improve supplier performance, continuity, and product availability.
- Lead contract negotiations and commercial agreements to secure favorable pricing and terms.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner closely with Culinary, Marketing, Operations, Quality Assurance, and Finance teams.
- Support product innovation, menu changes, promotional initiatives, and new product launches.
- Collaborate with distribution partners to ensure service levels and inventory targets are achieved.
- Provide category expertise and market intelligence to senior leadership.
Risk Management & Continuous Improvement
- Develop risk mitigation strategies related to commodity volatility, supply continuity, and capacity constraints.
- Evaluate alternative suppliers and sourcing models to improve flexibility and resilience.
- Implement process improvements, sourcing best practices, and procurement governance initiatives.
- Utilize data and analytics to drive strategic decision-making and identify savings opportunities.
Leadership & Team Management
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of sourcing and procurement professionals.
- Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and professional development plans.
- Foster a high-performance culture centered around collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Mentor team members and build succession plans for critical roles.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Food Science, or related field.
- 5+ years of progressive sourcing, procurement, or category management experience.
- 2+ years of direct people leadership experience required.
- Restaurant, QSR, casual dining, foodservice, or hospitality industry experience required.
- Proven experience managing protein categories including:
- Beef
- Chicken/Poultry
- Pork
- Experience sourcing fresh and frozen produce.
- Strong contract negotiation and supplier relationship management experience.
- Demonstrated success managing significant spend and delivering measurable cost savings.
- Experience working with commodity-driven categories and risk management strategies.
- Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting a national or multi-site restaurant organization.
- Knowledge of USDA regulations, food safety standards, and supplier quality programs.
- Experience with ERP and procurement systems (SAP, Oracle, Coupa, Ariba, etc.).
- Strong understanding of food supply chains, distribution networks, and commodity markets.
FAQs
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