Director of Procurement

BEST CONSIDERATION DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: August 11, 2024

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Director of Procurement is responsible for overseeing the procurement and sourcing functions within the University System of Maryland Office’s (USMO) Shared Service Procurement Center (SSPC) and its participating member institutions. This role plays a critical part in ensuring efficient and cost-effective procurement processes, compliance with State of Maryland and University System of Maryland (USM) policies and regulations, and strategic vendor management.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Leadership:

• Directs and leads the implementation, management, and deployment of consistent departmental procurement and sourcing activities.
• Plans, develops, directs, and implements complex procurement strategies through the establishment of short/long-range objectives, change management, performance goals, and metrics for each spend category.
• Directs and executes procurement-related improvement programs/initiatives that enable better customer service, new technologies, or improved processes for SSPC users.
• Represents the SSPC in strategic meetings with its stakeholders across the USM.
• Leads the growth efforts of SSPC with other USM institutions strategically and selectively.

Procurement Operations Oversight:

• Develops mechanisms to track procurement results and deliver year-over-year savings, improved supplier quality/service, and improved economics for users of the SSPC.
• Develops and manages the operating budget for the SSPC.
• Participates in the purchasing of goods, services, and equipment involving executive review and oversight required by various SSPC users/University departments.
• Ensures compliance with procurement policies, legal requirements, and ethical standards.
• Supports the escalation of vendor performance challenges and addresses major issues/disputes.

Sourcing Support:

• Assists the Strategic Sourcing Manager in conducting complex negotiations with key suppliers that require a detailed strategic plan and that have a direct correlation with Corporate operational needs and/or goals.
• Assures proper analysis and application of internal and external industry-specific research information to determine SSPC direction in designated categories and reasons for pricing increases/decreases.
• Reviews and approves the SSPC Sourcing Manager’s approach and methodology for sourcing, category management, and applying best practices.

Staff Development & Training:

• Supports the talent development of inter-departmental team members and the overall development of cross-functional teams.
• Conducts training sessions for negotiations, financial reviews, business analytics and general management.
• Establishes and trains staff on methodologies for change management, contract reviews and inventory control.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Education Level/Certifications:

• Undergraduate degree in accounting/finance, supply chain management, mathematics/statistics, economics, business administration or from accredited college or university.

Required Experience:

• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible, related experience in procurement/supply chain management. Successful multi-year track record in a supply chain organization (ideally with relevant academic experience, and experience working in supplies, equipment, and services categories)
• Five (5) years of direct staff management, including performance management.
• Strong financial background with experience working with multiple functional areas in a state, or non-profit setting.
• Project management experience, with success in achieving key milestones and timely completion in a complex and demanding environment.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to develop and evaluate business cases for decisions, and suppliers’ financial stability, risk, and competitive attributes.
• Ability to work with individuals at all levels of an organization in an effective manner.
• Strong team building and team management skills. Ability to establish goals for self and team. 
• Knowledgeable of management requirements for multiple, complex procurements while meeting deadlines established in milestone plans. Able to utilize supply market intelligence with expertise in delegating large, complex workloads to staff, and tracking their progress.
• Skillful in conducting effective negotiations for complex and difficult contracts and contract modifications and claims, with the ability to maintain the proper degree of business equity when dealing with private industry and in seeking University management approvals. Capabilities for dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration, litigation, and other remediations. 
• In‐depth knowledge of various types of contracts, methods of contracting, source selection methods and appropriate sourcing strategies.
• Proven track record of successfully building high functioning supply chain teams.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferred Education Level/Certifications:

• Advanced degree such as a MS/MA, MBA, or JD.
• Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM or C.P.M.)
• Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO)
• Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB)
• Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM)

Preferred Experience:

• Fifteen (15+) years of progressively responsible, related experience in higher-education or State of Maryland procurement/supply chain management.  Successful multi-year track record in leading a procurement organization with relevant University experience (e.g. experience working within a shared service function and with categories such as professional services, lab and equipment, food and beverage, facilities management, and travel categories).
• Seven (7+) years of direct, staff management including performance management.
• State of Maryland and/or University of Maryland procurement experience.
• Source-to-contract-to procure process management experience working in academic, research, or public sector organizations.

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Working knowledge of Workday Enterprise Management software or other enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.

ANNUAL SALARY:

$140,000-$170,000 

Benefits

• Paid Leave: 22 days of annual leave, 15 days of sick & safe leave, 15 holidays, 3 personal leave days, 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Health Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with flexible spending accounts.
• Retirement Plans: Mandatory and supplemental options with major providers like Fidelity and TIAA.
• Life Insurance: Optional term life and AD&D benefits through MetLife.
• Tuition Benefits: Tuition remission for employees and their families.
• Training & Development: Free professional development conferences and unlimited LinkedIn Learning access.
• Credit Union Access: Membership eligibility for SECU, Maryland’s largest credit union.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Free counseling, legal, financial, and work-life support services.

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