Purchasing Manger

Purchasing Manager, $80-$90 K + Bonus + Benefits

Are you Relentless in the pursuit of excellence? Maybe even a little Rebellious (especially when it comes to food)? Do you believe teamwork is the secret ingredient to achieving greatness? Do you want to be part of a TRIBE of people who stand together, operate with purpose, and WIN… then Velvet Taco is the place for you!

The Perks

• 10% Bonus potential of base salary paid annually
• Competitive Salary
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits after 30 days
• Employer Paid Dental and Vision Benefits (employee only)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
• Company Paid Vision and Dental
• 3 weeks PTO
• Commuter & Parking Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program - Stand Together Fund
• Company Paid STD, LTD, and Life Insurance
• 401(K) Plan
• Casual Work Attire
• Free TACOS!
• Oh, and if you're inclined to get a Velvet Taco tattoo, our CEO will pay for it

The Job

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for category management and leading procurement initiatives across the Velvet Taco system. This includes supplier qualifications, price negotiation, landed cost analysis, and contract management. This role also leads strategic sourcing efforts to drive cost savings while ensuring quality and supply continuity. The Purchasing Manager will oversee more than $50MM in annual spend and support cross-functional initiatives across operations, marketing, culinary, and finance. This position reports to the Director of Purchasing.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Lead sourcing initiatives, including RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs, to evaluate and award supplier partnerships
• Identify and execute cost savings opportunities without compromising product quality
• Conduct landed cost analysis and build models to compare sourcing scenarios
• Qualify, select, and support the onboarding of new supplier partners
• Monitor industry trends, commodity markets, and macroeconomic indicators to guide sourcing strategies
• Serve as the internal expert on cost structures, supplier capabilities, and procurement best practices
• Provide business case support and rationale for all sourcing recommendations
• Conduct regular supplier business reviews to evaluate spend, performance, and innovation opportunities
• Participate in S&OP planning and align supplier production with demand forecasts,

particularly the WTF (weekly taco feature)

• Build strong relationships with key supplier contacts and internal stakeholders
• Develop and negotiate service level agreements and other contractual terms
• Manage contract lifecycles, ensuring compliance and timely renewals
• Mitigate supply risk by identifying and testing alternate sources of supply
• Support the rollout of new tools and processes that enhance sourcing efficiency
• Leverage historical data and usage trends to inform procurement timing and strategies
• Communicate sourcing decisions and impacts to internal stakeholders
• Adhere to and support our inventory management system (Crunchtime)
• Partner with Legal, R&D, QA, and Operations to drive innovation and alignment
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned to support business needs

The Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in procurement, contract management, or strategic sourcing
• Experience sourcing perishable or food products
• Foodservice, QSR, or Fast Casual industry experience strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of contract negotiation, including pricing, food safety, and technical terms
• Experience leading competitive bid processes (RFx)
• Knowledge of commodity markets and cost structures
• Ability to assess currency impacts and macroeconomic trends
• Proficiency in strategic sourcing tools and techniques
• Advanced Excel skills and proficiency in the MS Office Suite
• Strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Crunchtime experience is a plus
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Finance, Business, or related field preferred