Vice President - Supply Chain

Basic Job Concept Positively impact people! At Foster, we believe work should be meaningful, fun, and full of opportunity to grow. As VP of Supply Chain, you will lead with passion for food and people, forging the smartest, leanest supply chain that connects people and food faster, fresher, with fewer links and less waste.

Who You Are You are a driven, collaborative leader who lives our core values every day:

• Trust – You build lasting relationships with transparency and integrity.
• Innovation – You challenge the status quo and find creative ways to eliminate waste.
• Simplicity – You cut complexity and make the right path the easy path.
• Precision – You deliver exact results, every time, without compromise.

You love the fast-paced world of perishable food distribution. You thrive on turning data into decisions, vendors into partners, and teams into high-performing units. You’re a change agent who leads by example, celebrates wins, and isn’t afraid to take smart risks to keep Foster ahead of the curve.

What You’ll Do

• Build, coach, and empower a high-energy supply chain team that consistently exceeds expectations.
• Design and execute supply-chain strategies that hit corporate margin targets, achieve 98%+ fill rates, maintain optimal inventory levels (5-7% of monthly sales for perishables), and drive sustainable profitability.
• Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, shaping strategic planning, profit goals, budgeting, and long-term growth.
• Own end-to-end onboarding of new products and customers: item creation, demand forecasting, pricing models, margin assurance, and inventory planning.
• Engineer customer-specific supply chains, lead contract negotiations, unlock cost efficiencies, and implement risk mitigation strategies to minimize disruptions.
• Deliver flexible pricing structures that fuel new customer acquisition and deepen existing partnerships.
• Champion quality control, food-safety standards (including FDA/USDA compliance), traceability, and sustainability from farm to fork.
• Optimize freight spend and logistics across local pick-ups, backhauls, West Coast mixers, Florida runs, straight loads, LTL, and third-party providers.
• Ensure every PO, bill-down, vendor credit, incentive, and accrual is accurate, auditable, and margin-protective.
• Cultivate strategic vendor and customer relationships that strengthen our brand, ensure supply reliability, and open new doors.
• Stay ahead of market trends, seasonality, global supply shifts, and commodity fluctuations to bring first-to-market advantage.
• Partner with Sales & Marketing to launch new product lines, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and drive category growth.
• Identify, vet, and onboard innovative vendors that align with our values, quality standards, and sustainability goals.
• Deliver industry-leading on-time delivery (97%+), quality performance, and inventory turns for locally sourced and globally supplied products.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging data analytics, ERP systems (e.g., Produce Pro), and technology to enhance efficiency and reduce shrink.
• Develop and monitor key performance metrics, including supplier scorecards, cost savings, and risk management frameworks.
• Have fun, celebrate successes, and make Foster an even better place to work every day!

What You’ll Bring to the Table

• Deep passion for people, food, and building something extraordinary.
• 10+ years of progressive supply-chain leadership in perishable food distribution or related field (e.g., produce, dairy, proteins).
• Proven track record of hitting margin, fill-rate, inventory turn, and efficiency targets in a high-SKU, fast-turn environment.
• Strong analytical horsepower: forecasting, cost modeling, data-driven decision making, and proficiency with ERP/WMS systems.
• Expertise in demand planning, inventory optimization, logistics management, and global sourcing for perishables.
• Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field preferred; Bachelor’s required.
• Exceptional relationship-building and negotiation skills with vendors, customers, and internal teams.
• Experience ensuring compliance with food safety regulations (FDA, USDA) and sustainability practices.
• Unwavering commitment to Trust, Innovation, Simplicity, and Precision.
• A contagious energy that makes work feel like a mission, not just a job.

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Employment remains at-will.