Syracuse University's Campus Dining operation is one of the largest and most dynamic auxiliary services on campus - serving thousands of students, faculty, and staff across multiple dining units every single day. We're looking for an experienced Food Service Purchasing Manager to sit at the center of it all.
This isn't a back-office purchasing role. You'll be the primary driver of procurement strategy for our entire Campus Dining operation - managing food and supply purchasing, building vendor relationships, keeping inventory moving efficiently, and making sure our dining teams have exactly what they need to serve our community at the highest level. You'll work directly with Campus Dining leadership, our Executive Chefs, and our external buying cooperative to make smart, timely purchasing decisions that impact quality and cost of goods across the board.
If you've built your career in food service purchasing, whether in university dining, large-scale hospitality, foodservice distribution, or a high-volume food and beverage operation, and you're looking for a role with institutional stability, meaningful scope, and a team that values what you bring, we'd love for you to apply.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in supply chain management or culinary arts and 5 years of experience operating in a high-volume food service operation.
- Considerable experience in food production is necessary.
- ServSafe and AllerTrain certification necessary upon hire.
Skills and Knowledge
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- Experience managing purchasing in a high-volume food service environment - university or institutional dining, hotel or resort food and beverage, large-scale catering, foodservice distribution, or a comparable operation
- Strong working knowledge of inventory management and procurement systems; FoodPro experience is a significant plus, but candidates with experience in comparable ERP or inventory platforms (Birchstreet, Compeat, CBORD, Eagle, HIMPACT, SAP, or similar)
- Demonstrated experience applying JIT (Just-in-Time) and Economies of Scale purchasing principles
- A track record of building vendor relationships, negotiating effectively, and managing supply issues with confidence
- Strong analytical skills - comfortable reviewing purchasing data, tracking cost of goods, identifying trends, and making decisions based on what the numbers tell you
- Excellent communication and organizational skills; this role is highly cross-functional and relationship-driven
- ServSafe and AllerTrain certification required - while these certifications are required, they do not need to be in hand at the time of application. Strong candidates who do not currently hold these certifications will be expected to obtain them upon hire
Responsibilities
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Manage end-to-end food and supply purchasing for Syracuse University Campus Dining, including purchase order processing, vendor coordination, and receiving documentation
- Determine inventory needs and delivery schedules based on current stock levels, storage capacity, projected usage, and menu demands
- Use FoodPro ERP (or comparable inventory management system) to maintain accurate inventory, track turnover, and support purchasing decisions - we'll invest in getting you up to speed on FoodPro if you're coming from a comparable system
- Serve as the primary point of contact for our external buying cooperative vendor, Campus Dining leadership, and Executive Chefs
- Build and maintain strong vendor relationships; negotiate pricing and contracts; resolve quality and supply issues quickly and effectively
- Collaborate with partner institutions to maximize buying volume and drive cost-effective sourcing strategies
- Monitor and analyze market trends to make informed, proactive purchasing decisions
- Identify supply chain gaps, research alternative vendors, and implement strategies to protect against shortfalls
- Inspect products for compliance with specifications and food safety code requirements
- Ensure full compliance with state and federal food regulatory standards and University purchasing policies
- Prepare bids, purchase orders, and all required vendor documentation including nutritional information, food safety certifications, insurance, and conflict-of-interest forms
- Support quality assurance and inventory control across warehouse, logistics, and food service locations
- Align product purchasing with menu planning to maximize quality, control cost of goods, and drive continuous improvement
Physical Requirements
Not Applicable
Tools/Equipment
Not Applicable
Application Instructions
In addition to completing an online application, please attach a resume and cover letter.