Distribution Manager

REAL FOOD for REAL LIFE

At True Food Kitchen, we believe in the power of whole, real food. We partner with each of our growers, ranchers and producers so that every ingredient meets our TRUE standards. That means better food for our guests and the planet. By crafting "Real Food for Real Life" we embody our purpose: empowering more people to eat real food.

WHAT YOU WOULD DO:

The Distribution Manager ensures the timely and efficient movement of goods to True Food Kitchen restaurants by acting as the primary liaison between restaurant operations, distribution centers, and internal stakeholders. This role is responsible for inventory management, supplier coordinator, process improvement, and reporting, ensuring seamless procurement and distribution of food, non-alcoholic beverages, disposables, and other essential supplies. This position would be Monday-Friday, three of those days being in person at our True Central headquarters located in Scottsdale on Raintree Drive.

Supply Chain & Inventory Management

• Develop/maintain positive relationships with all distribution partners with a focus on continuous improvement and efficiency
• Measure compliance with all distribution partners ensuring mutual KPI and contractual commitments are met
• Obtain accurate forecasts from Finance and Procurement to ensure proper distributor stock levels for all specified materials.
• Track and monitor distributor inventory to prevent stock shortages and take proactive steps to address potential supply gaps.
• Resolve daily urgent issues on behalf of TFK stores, finding resolutions that balance the needs of the company with the requirements of our Vendor and Distribution partners.
• Manage depletion of discontinued items by aligning supplier inventory and distributor stock with restaurant usage to reduce waste and financial exposure.
• Facilitate the rollout of new menu items and seasonal offerings by ensuring smooth ingredient procurement and communication with stakeholders.
• Maintain multiple up-to-date and accurate order guides for all restaurants.
• Place electronic purchase orders from selected suppliers for direct store delivery
• Support invoice reconciliation as needed
• Stakeholder Communication & Relationship Management
• Act as the primary contact for purchasing-related inquiries, ensuring clear and timely communication between internal teams and external suppliers.
• Work closely with Procurement, Culinary, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Regional Chefs, and Restaurant Managers to align purchasing strategies with business needs.
• Collaborate with external distributors, suppliers, and logistics partners to optimize supply chain efficiency.
• Conduct regular business reviews with key distributors, ensuring alignment on key performance metrics.

Reporting & Analytics

• Develop and maintain key reports to drive informed purchasing decisions, including:
• Dead Stock Tracking with depletion macro
• Lead Time Reporting (inbound and outbound)
• Track ownership and financial liability of inventory across items and distribution centers (DCs).
• Seasonal Trend Forecasting using historical data
• Inventory Status Reports (on-hand, on-order, reorder points, weekly usage)
• Distributor and Restaurant performance metrics against established KPI
• Process Improvement & Documentation
• Establish and maintain standardized processes for (but not limited to):
  
  
  
  • Non-Distributor Grocery Sourcing Procedures
  • Office supplies
  • SPO item ordering
  • Out-of-Stock Response Protocols (including root cause analysis)
  • Procurement to Purchasing workflow lifecycle.
  • Direct to store purchase orders through Distribution team
  • Implement substitution lists approved by Culinary and enforce brand standards for stock shortages.
  • Maintain up-to-date contact lists and organization charts for the distribution network.
  
  
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• At least 5 years direct experience in Food Service distribution.
• Effective communication skills across all levels of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking and risk mitigation skills within a supply chain environment.
• Strong relationship-building skills foster trust, transparency, and accountability.
• Proficiency in Excel, data analytics, and procurement software preferred.

WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO:

• Competitive Compensation Package with quarterly bonus
• Health and Wellness Benefits (medical, dental, eye & more)
• FSA options for childcare assistance
• Pet Insurance for your fur babies
• Gym membership discount
• Pre-paid legal support
• 401K and TRUE Matching
• Work-life balance including flexible PTO
• Dining discounts
• Additional perks and discounts through Perkspot

If you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need! We believe strongly in creating supportive environments where our colleagues can succeed. As such, True Food Kitchen is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics under federal, state or local law.

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