Produce Procurement Manager

Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains produce specifications.
• Evaluates growing and distribution capabilities of current and prospective produce and potato suppliers.
• Maintains and strengthens supplier relationships.
• Leads North American potato negotiations for new crop cycles throughout the year.
• Manages produce freight costs from growers to distribution.
• Produces weekly updates on current and forecasted produce market conditions.
• Conducts supplier site visits with Five Guys produce growers and distributors.
• Communicates market conditions and pricing changes to the field through weekly Patty Press updates.
• Oversees daily product incidents in FoodLogiQ and ensures closure within five days, including monitoring and reporting trends that may affect store-level produce quality.
• Maintains accurate FoodLogiQ profiles for produce suppliers and packers, including contacts, locations, audits, and required documentation.
• Manages Arrow Stream inventory for potato and produce items across Five Guys distribution centers in the U.S. and Canada.
• Issues annual RFPs to identify potential suppliers for key produce items, including potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, and onions.
• Provides budget projections for key produce items and tracks actuals against budget to support leadership and Finance with COGS analysis.
• Partners with the Logistics Manager to unbundle freight and overage costs.
• Applies knowledge of food safety standards and regulations to support compliance.
• Travels to produce and potato growing regions and distributor locations to periodically review production and verify Five Guys specifications.
• Travels to Five Guys store locations to support produce quality concerns or questions.
• Assists franchisees with produce quality questions and concerns.
• Attends key produce industry events to maintain supplier relationships and identify potential new suppliers.
• Builds and maintains professional relationships with growers, distributors, suppliers, franchisees, and internal stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, business, supply chain, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Five to seven years of category management or equivalent experience, including supplier management and pricing experience, preferred. Foodservice or food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Five or more years of experience sourcing and negotiating contracts for potatoes, including Idaho potatoes and other North American growing regions such as PEI and Washington, preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to read, write, and comprehend complex instructions and correspondence.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Good business math skills.
• Pragmatic analyzing skills, organizational skills, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to manage multiple ongoing projects.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, Outlook, and other appropriate software within the organization.

Physical Demands

• Primarily office-based with prolonged periods of sitting, using a computer, telephone, and standard office equipment.
• Occasional standing, walking, reaching, grasping, and handling objects.
• Occasional lifting or moving of supplies, materials, or freight up to 50 pounds.
• Travel may be required based on business needs, typically ranging from 20% to 40% during certain periods.