Category Manager
True Food Kitchen
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Posted on Jul 26, 2025
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:
Supports the procurement of key products and services across our restaurant locations. Owns specific beverage, packaging, or operational categories, working closely with culinary, operations, and vendor partners to ensure we source high-quality, cost-effective, and consistent products that meet our brand standards. This is a key role that blends sourcing, supplier management, and cross-functional collaboration to drive operational excellence and deliver a great guest experience. This position would be Monday-Friday, three of those days being in person at our True Central headquarters located in Scottsdale on Raintree Drive.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead the development and execution of category strategies for assigned areas (e.g., packaging, smallware's, chemicals, indirect spending, and others as assigned).
- Identify and evaluate suppliers, lead negotiations, and manage contracts to ensure optimal cost, quality, and service levels.
- Collaborate with culinary and operations teams to support menu development, seasonal rollouts, and new restaurant openings.
- Monitor category performance, analyze spend and market trends, and provide recommendations for cost savings and process improvements.
- Ensure compliance with food safety, sustainability, and sourcing standards.
- Manage supplier relationships, holding partners accountable to performance metrics and service expectations.
- Support inventory management, demand planning, and product transitions to minimize disruption to restaurant operations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, or related field (CPSM, CSCP, or MBA is a plus).
- 3+ years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or category management—ideally within a multi-unit restaurant or hospitality organization.
- Strong understanding of food and restaurant supply chains, including perishable product management and vendor compliance.
- Excellent negotiation, analytical, and project management skills.
- Proficient in procurement systems (e.g., Crunchtime, ArrowStream, R365, Coupa) and Excel.
- Comfortable working cross-functionally with chefs, operators, finance, and distribution partners.
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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