Manager, Strategic Sourcing

SLAM Supply Leadership Administration & ManagementSpartanburg, SC | Full-Time | 20–30% TravelSLAM is seeking a Manager, Strategic Sourcing – Produce to lead sourcing strategy for fresh and frozen produce, potatoes, and other assigned food categories.This role is responsible for creating measurable value for SLAM members through continuity of supply, product quality, food safety, total delivered cost, supplier performance, innovation, and risk mitigation. The Manager will lead category strategy, sourcing, contracting, supplier relationships, and cross-functional initiatives with Operations, Culinary, Marketing, Quality Assurance, Distribution, Finance, and other stakeholders.Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain multi-year sourcing strategies for fresh and frozen produce, potatoes, and other assigned food categories.
• Lead sourcing events, supplier negotiations, and contracting with growers, processors, manufacturers, and distributors.
• Deliver productivity, cost savings, cost avoidance, and inflation mitigation while protecting product quality and availability.
• Monitor crop cycles, weather, growing regions, yields, seasonality, storage, freight, and other market drivers.
• Develop contingency and continuity plans to mitigate supply disruption.
• Build and manage relationships with growers, processors, manufacturers, and distributors.
• Manage supplier performance across food safety, quality, specifications, fill rate, shelf life, service, cost, and execution.
• Partner with Culinary, Quality Assurance, Operations, Marketing, and Distribution on specifications, menu development, product transitions, and commercialization.
• Develop and implement the produce distribution model in partnership with the Distribution team.
• Align forecasts, promotions, inventory targets, order patterns, and replenishment plans to reduce shortages, shrink, excess inventory, and obsolete inventory.
• Analyze crop reports, market benchmarks, supplier data, freight economics, and cost models to develop sourcing recommendations, risk assessments, and business cases.
• Mentor procurement staff and support disciplined category management and continuous improvement.Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Agriculture, Food Science, Finance, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in procurement, sourcing, category management, or supply chain leadership.
• Fresh produce sourcing or category-management experience is required.
• Experience with frozen produce, potatoes, dairy, dry mixes, or seasonings is strongly preferred.
• Foodservice, restaurant, retail grocery, food manufacturing, or distribution experience preferred.
• Demonstrated success negotiating agreements and managing strategic suppliers.
• Strong analytical, market-analysis, financial modeling, presentation, and communication skills.
• Working knowledge of seasonality, specifications, shelf life, traceability, cold-chain requirements, and produce distribution economics.Core CompetenciesCategory Strategy | Produce Market Knowledge | Negotiation | Cost Modeling & Analysis | Grower & Supplier Management | Food Safety & Supply Risk | Cross-Functional Influence | Decision Making | Continuous Improvement | LeadershipTravelThis position is primarily office-based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with periodic travel to farms, growing regions, supplier and manufacturing locations, distribution centers, member meetings, and industry conferences. Travel may increase during sourcing events, crop transitions, supplier qualification, or supply disruptions.