CULINARY IMPLEMENTATION MANAGER (HYBRID-CHARLOTTE, NC)

About the role

Foodbuy is the industry leader in procurement and supply chain solutions, a subsidiary of Compass Group PLC (the 6th largest company in the world) with an entrepreneurial feel. We source products and services for Hospitality, Restaurant, Healthcare, Education, Entertainment, and Gaming clients, supporting Compass Group, the world’s largest contract food and support services provider. Our mission is to help customers run their businesses more easily and cost‑effectively.

The Category Development Culinary Implementation Manager leverages insights & data from finance, category development and sourcing to support the Culinary Implementation team’s goals of confirming accuracy & stakeholder alignment and facilitating implementation of sector and category strategies. The role focuses on analyzing product specifications and purchasing data, documenting feedback throughout the project lifecycle, and communicating insights to stakeholders such as Sector Culinary Vice Presidents, Foodbuy Category Development & Sourcing departments, and Directors & Vice Presidents of Account Management. By prioritizing product quality & value, integrating Foodbuy and sector goals, and ensuring timely & accurate implementation, the manager supports our organizational recipe for development success. Position located in Charlotte, NC.

Responsibilities

• Develop and initiate action plans to improve customer compliance to purchasing programs and support conversion priorities
• Lead dialogue amongst Category Development Managers, Sourcing Managers, and the Account Management teams, working across stakeholders to achieve operational goals and deliver on purchasing initiatives
• Lead Steps 2/5 in all Sourcing projects with data analytics, validating business needs and specifications, confirming product quality and attributes
• Lead customers in establishing and executing strategic purchasing initiatives to drive compliance and purchasing revenues through MOG management
• Coordinate internal & external product cuttings and showcases including full product analysis and detailed documentation of results
• Integrate documentation into internal systems to ensure ease of reference in the future
• Coordinate samples and gather feedback from customers working directly with manufacturers
• Coordinate nutritional/specification analysis to validate compliance with key wellness initiatives

Qualifications

• Preferred candidate has earned a Bachelor’s or Culinary Degree with a minimum of 3 years food service experience
• Exercise organizational skills, supporting multiple project tasks within timelines
• Interpersonal communication, written & verbal, keeping all teams on task & delivering on project management timelines
• Strong professional presentation and interpersonal skills combined with good verbal and written communication skills
• Energy to operate at pace in a rapidly changing environment and manage multiple agendas
• Networking skills: ability to collaborate with multiple work groups
• Proficiency with MS Office suite including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Maintain and contribute to the development of the Compass/ Foodbuy brand by representing the company in a professional and positive manner

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD&D
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off