UCFS feeds thousands of students every day across dozens of fraternity and sorority chapter houses at major universities — a supply chain unlike any other in foodservice. Our chefs are our internal customers, each house is a unique endpoint, and getting the right products to the right kitchen at the right price is what makes the entire operation work. At Upper Crust, we believe great work happens when people feel trusted, supported, and engaged. We offer flexibility and autonomy because we hire people who take ownership. If you're a self-starter who thrives in a collaborative environment and wants to make a real impact at a growing company, we'd love to hear from you.
The Supply Chain Manager owns sourcing, vendor strategy, and purchasing execution across the company. You'll lead the procurement team, run our most important vendor relationships (Sysco, US Foods, regional partners), and build the systems that scale as we add houses and universities. You'll also shape how we think about inventory visibility, order guide discipline, and distribution coordination across a geographically distributed footprint.
This role partners closely with Operations and Finance to drive cost discipline while preserving the flexibility and creativity for chefs that define the UCFS experience.
What Success Looks Like
- Chefs and managers have what they need — consistently, without friction
- Supply chain is viewed as a proactive partner to Operations — not a bottleneck
- Vendor performance is strong and issues are resolved quickly
- Food and supply costs are controlled and predictable across regions
What You'll Own
Team Leadership (People First)
- Lead, coach, and develop the procurement team (coordinators, analysts)
- Build a team that is responsive, solutions-oriented, and deeply aligned to field needs
- Reinforce our standards: no surprises, strong communication, and follow-through
Vendor Partnerships (Service + Accountability)
- Own relationships with key vendors including US Foods, Sysco, and regional/local suppliers
- Resolve delivery issues quickly to protect the house experience
- Negotiate pricing, service levels, and contract terms aligned to UCFS scale
- Hold vendors accountable for execution (fill rates, substitutions, quality, delivery)
- Identify and onboard new vendors where they improve cost, quality, or service
- Lead UCFS participation in GPO programs to maximize buying power
New House & Account Setup
- Own procurement setup for all new accounts: vendor onboarding, account creation, initial order guide build, opening orders, and launch support
- Ensure a clean, organized handoff to Operations post-opening
Data & Real-Time Insight
- Analyze purchasing trends to identify cost drivers and opportunities
- Partner with Finance and Operations to investigate and resolve food cost variances
- Help develop more real-time visibility into purchasing behavior (orders, invoices, spend)
- Step in when data signals issues (over-ordering, menu misalignment, vendor gaps)