Supply Chain Manager

About Us LFR Chicken LLC is the franchisor of the Lee’s Famous Recipe® Chicken brand. Lee’s is a regionally focused, quick service restaurant chain founded in 1966 specializing in fresh, never‑frozen chicken, home‑style sides and biscuits. Today, there are 130 Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken locations in 12 U.S. states and in Canada that are all individually owned and operated. With a new ownership group and leadership team in place, the brand has reinvented itself and is now well underway developing and executing an aggressive growth plan to propel the brand into the future. Working as a member of Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken corporate team feels like managing a legacy brand and joining a startup company all at the same time. Role Description The Supply Chain Manager is a full‑time role in LFR Chicken Procurement, responsible for managing the brand’s supply chain activities, including sourcing, contracting and category management. This critical position also supports the quality‑control function in LFR R&D/Product Development and works closely with operations, accounting and marketing. The role offers flexibility to work remote or from the following office locations: Corporate Home Office (Florida scenic panhandle area) Earth City, MO (Regional Office – St. Louis, MO area) New Carlisle, OH (Regional Office – Dayton, Ohio area) Key duties include, but are not limited to: Manage procurement activities supporting Lee’s brand, analyzing business needs, marketplace data and competitive landscape to identify potential savings, drive operational efficiencies and support growth. Develop robust category strategies, execute sourcing events (RFPs), negotiate, implement contracts, pricing programs and service‑level agreements. Deliver lowest achievable product cost while ensuring continuity of supply and product safety across assigned categories, meeting or exceeding brand specs. Build and maintain productive relationships with key strategic manufacturers, distributors and service providers. Monitor and measure contract compliance, identify improvement opportunities, and develop action plans to enhance program effectiveness. Maintain and manage the existing supply‑chain technology applications from corporate network to user level, ensuring efficiency of procurement applications and information systems. Maintain active negotiated supplier pricing agreements and input pricing files into distributor’s and Arrowstream contract‑management applications. Own FSIM day‑to‑day operation, manage roster of unit‑based users and supplier contacts, rectify distributor pricing errors and close out price‑discrepancy credits. Provide ongoing support to Lee’s store management, resolving service‑related or product issues with distributors and manufacturers. Support quality‑control process by collecting relevant data and communicating with stakeholders; coordinate with suppliers and internal stakeholders for problem identification, analysis and resolution. Collaborate with R&D, Operations and Marketing on product innovation, optimization, new product launches and limited‑time offers. Assist in developing and testing new products for promotions, menu additions and profitability. Handle routine administrative duties such as addressing unit management and supplier inquiries, incoming calls and requests for information. Perform other related duties as required. Qualifications Foodservice, hospitality and restaurant industry knowledge and experience preferred but not essential. Preferred 3–5 years in supply chain, distribution, logistics, customer service or related field. Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain management, accounting, finance or equivalent work experience in hospitality supply chain or foodservice management. Knowledge and systems proficiency with ERP, Power BI, Arrowstream or i‑Trade preferred; intermediate technical skills in Microsoft Office. Demonstrated ability to lead and execute formal structured RFP processes, up to selection, contract award and program implementation. Working knowledge of food, supplies and equipment used in restaurant/foodservice; understanding of operational aspects of a restaurant operation. Ability to multi‑task, thrive in fast‑paced environment, meet deadlines and communicate across all levels; effective written and oral communication skills. Problem‑solving and critical‑thinking abilities with high attention to detail and organizational skills. Experience Our ideal candidate would have at least 3 years of relevant experience and the ability to manage multiple priorities. Required proficiency with the Microsoft suite and experience with purchasing/supply‑chain software preferred, but not a necessity. The position requires a high degree of professionalism including the ability to handle sensitive information with integrity and confidentiality. Additional Information The corporate main office is located in Shalimar, FL, part of the scenic Florida Panhandle area. Regional offices are also operated in the St. Louis area (Earth City, MO) and Dayton area (New Carlisle, OH). Office hours are 8:30 am – 4:30 pm CDT Monday through Friday. As workload or special projects require, additional availability may be required. This is a salaried, non‑exempt position with compensation $90,000–$110,000 depending on experience. Benefits include paid time off, paid holidays, health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) matching and other life and disability insurance offerings. #J-18808-Ljbffr