Procurement Strategist

SUMMARY

In support of the university’s mission and objectives, the Procurement Strategist serves as the university’s strategic sourcing and spend management resource, responsible for optimizing procurement expenditures and driving value through data-informed purchasing strategies. This role leads campus-wide spend analysis, vendor consolidation efforts, contract negotiations, and preferred supplier initiatives to improve purchasing efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen supplier relationships. The Procurement Strategist provides oversight of institutional spending trends, develops procurement policies and standards, and delivers reporting that supports transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of university resources.

Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Management & Contract Negotiation

Leads the sourcing, evaluation, and selection of vendors for goods and services across campus.
Provides strategic oversight of the contract lifecycle, including contract negotiations, renewal strategies, vendor performance evaluations, and risk mitigation activities. Manages the full contract lifecycle, including executions, renewals, and performance evaluations.
Develops and implements sourcing strategies aligned with university financial goals.
Establishes and maintains strong vendor relationships and performance standards to evaluate ongoing service and delivery.
Identifies opportunities for vendor consolidation, supplier standardization, and preferred vendor agreements that improve purchasing efficiency and reduce costs.
Monitors contract expenditures and recurring vendor invoices to ensure alignment with contractual terms, budget expectations, and procurement objectives; identify variances, billing issues, and opportunities for cost containment.

Campus Spend Management & Financial Oversight

Maintains visibility and controls over campus-wide procurement spend.
Evaluates purchasing trends and procurement spend data to identify sourcing opportunities, vendor optimization strategies, and cost-saving initiatives.
Analyzes Purchasing Card (P-Card) transaction data to identify high-spend categories, repetitive purchasing patterns, and opportunities for strategic sourcing or contracted purchasing arrangements.
Develops and enforces procurement policies related to spending thresholds and approvals.
Partners with Finance and department leaders to align purchasing with budget objectives.
Measures, validates, and reports savings achieved through sourcing initiatives, contract negotiations, vendor consolidation efforts, and procurement optimization activities.
Provides regular reporting and recommendations regarding procurement performance, spending trends, supplier utilization, and savings initiatives.

Procurement Operations Support & Backup Functions

Serves as backup support for Procurement Specialist functions, including P-Card program oversight and transactional procurement activities, during absences or peak workload periods.
Assists with procurement workflows, approvals, and issue resolutions to ensure continuity of operations.
Supports special procurement projects and initiatives assigned.

Process Improvement & Compliance

Evaluates procurement processes and implements improvements to increase efficiency and compliance.
Supports contract lifecycle management, including renewals and compliance tracking.
Ensures adherence to institutional policies, audit requirements, and regulatory standards.
Develops training materials and provides guidance to departments on procurement best practices.