Director of Strategic Sourcing

Primary Work Location:

Westborough, MA; Hybrid work schedule

Job Summary:

The Director of Strategic Sourcing reports directly to the Deputy Chief Procurement Officer and ensures that available funds are spent efficiently and effectively in compliance with University policies and procedures, Commonwealth of Massachusetts regulations, and other funding agency requirements and delivers services at the highest level to clients that focus on quality, productivity, and cost in an environment that fosters employee engagement, supports continuous improvement, manages risk, and ensures compliance with all policies and regulations. The Director develops strategies that result in best-in-class strategic sourcing practices and supplier relationships and is instrumental in assisting the supplier community with their acquisition requirements and facilitating solicitation documentation that best positions the University to maximize available spending.

Management responsibility includes the Strategic Sourcing, Contract, and Category Management units.

The position is expected to directly supervise a team of Sourcing, Category management, and Contracting personnel. In addition, the Director will work with the UPST leadership to be responsive and proactively plan for and address the needs of the UPST user community while delivering effective and efficient services.

Essential Functions:

• Manages and leads strategic sourcing, contracts, and category management units.
• Manages solicitations for the UPST, acting as consultant, leading the development of complex bid specifications, evaluation criteria, analysis of responses, negotiation of terms and development of contracts for departments.
• Develops and manages Procurement Spend Analytics, including the development of reporting requirements that provide metric and benchmarking information. Utilize knowledge of financial and procurement system technology to maintain and oversee new and existing statistical and analytical reports on usage by department to locate variances and to establish viable purchase contracts. Analyze data to solve difficult problems.
• Reviews and approves requisitions with the UPST procurement program to ensure compliance to policy and State and Federal regulations.
• Interprets and utilizes available contracts, evaluating contracts to determine value to the UPST and provides direction on usage.
• Reviews contracts and negotiates with vendors to mitigate risk, enhance value to the UPST, and to be in compliance with State and Federal regulation.
• Establish and maintain a formal Supplier Diversity program. Acts as UPST representative for Supplier Diversity initiatives. Helps to identify opportunities and foster growth opportunities for supplier diversity, including but not limited to, minority women-owned, disadvantaged, and veteran-owned businesses.
• Interfaces with Deans, Department Chairs, User Committees and Senior Management to communicate procurement policies while effectively utilizing all forms of media, including electronic media.
• Develops, implements, and manages marketing/advertising/training strategies directed towards internal and external clients to improve the level of customer service provided. Provides training based upon developed strategies.
• Assists in the review of current policies and procedures, providing recommendations and supporting documentation on proposed changes that will ensure that the UPST is promoting best business practice and optimal level of service.
• Collaborates with governance groups, UMass community stakeholders, and other groups to understand procurement needs and develop sourcing and category management strategies.

Other Functions:

• Performs other duties as required

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience):

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
• 7 - 10 years of professional experience directly related to strategic sourcing, procurement and contract administration
• 5 years of successful management experience of professional-level staff
• Excellent written and oral communication and listening skills

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience):

• Master's degree in Business Administration or related field
• Professional experience in a higher education institution
• Current certification from the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) or Institute of Supply Management (ISM)
• Experience working in a shared services environment

Working Conditions:

• Typical office environment
• Must be able to travel occasionally to all UMass campuses and the Boston central office

Additional Details:

Salary commensurate with experience up to $190,000