Chief Procurement Officer

CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS SYSTEM OFFICE

 

The University of Massachusetts System Office seeks a dynamic, strategic and innovative leader with demonstrated success leading strategic sourcing, category management, and procure-to-pay processes to join the administrative and financial leadership team in this newly created position of Chief Procurement Officer. This is a unique and compelling opportunity to be part of a transformational change: building upon the University System’s success in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of its operation to shape and lead its first Board-sanctioned Shared Services Center, the Unified Procurement Services Team (UPST), to serve the University System Office and each of its five campuses. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Treasurer, the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) will lead a team of procurement, operations, accounts payable and travel services, and customer service professionals.

 

The Chief Procurement Officer and the UPST will provide sustained leadership and operational services to leverage the University’s $1.2 billion in annual spend in support of the University’s mission of affordable excellence in teaching, research, and public service. The CPO will work with key stakeholders throughout the University System and beyond to develop and implement policies, strategies, and best practices that deliver and measure results.

 

The CPO will establish and maintain strong senior leadership level relationships across the University System, the to communicate and obtain support of strategic procurement initiatives which provide long term value, increase efficiency and effectiveness, and reduce costs. The CPO will lead the development of Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators to ensure that customer service, procurement value, and cost savings goals are met or exceeded. This new organization is planned to go live in January 2020 and be fully operational in June 2020.   

 

CANDIDATE PROFILE & QUALIFICATIONS

The selected candidate will demonstrate evidence of many of the following qualities:

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience;
  • Ten years of progressively responsible procurement management, strategic sourcing, vendor management and supply chain industry experience within a complex organization, preferably within a shared services environment;
  • Ten years of progressive team management experience; ability to build high performing teams and build an environment of continuous learning and process improvement;
  • Demonstrated experience creating and leading a large-scale multiple site procurement services function that includes procurement, accounts payable, card management and travel and expense;
  • Demonstrated leadership qualities, strong communication and analytical skills;
  • Experience in developing and communicating compelling business cases, supported with data and metrics to generate consensus for key initiatives;
  • Proven strategic and critical thinking skills as well as an ability to execute operationally;
  • Strong ability to create and build collaborative teams;
  • Excellent analytical skills and quantitative approach to decision making;
  • Extensive procurement and strategic sourcing experience and knowledge of procurement best practices; and
  • Experience successfully implementing and managing enterprise wide eProcurement technology.

 

Preferred qualifications include:

  • Master's degree or appropriate professional certifications and professional association affiliations (NAEP, ISM, NASPO);
  • Broad depth of knowledge in higher education procurement and supply management and/or public sector finance, budgeting, and administration; research procurement knowledge, sole sourcing;
  • Awareness and understanding of supply chain industry trends and best practices, business strategies, market dynamics, and supplier capabilities;
  • Experience in collective bargaining environments with multiple labor unions;
  • Proactive, creative, and innovative;
  • Exceptional leadership skills that are demonstrated by achieving desired results through others, while building effective internal customer relationships;
  • Skillful at aggregating spend in a complex and decentralized organization. Understands how to navigate and lead in an opt-in culture;
  • Exceptional negotiation skills and the ability to coach and develop others to do the same;
  • Superb written and oral communications and organizational skills; executive presence that inspires confidence and trust;
  • Ability to work in a team environment and delegate appropriately;
  • Skills in all procurement process disciplines including spend category/commodity management, negotiation, supplier selection, supplier value management, e-Procurement, requisition to payment, and travel; and
  • Demonstrated project management leadership and ability to meet deadlines as established in milestone plans.

 

CONTACT

Beth Schaefer, Andy Evans, and Josyanne Roche of Koya Leadership Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express your interest in this role please submit your materials here. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

 

For a full position profile, please click here.

 

Please take a moment to complete the document attached here. As a Government contractor, the University is obligated and committed to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified women and minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with a disability.

 

The University of Massachusetts System Office is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, Title IX employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age over 40, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, or other protected class.

 

As part of that obligation and commitment, the University collects and reports aggregate statistics on the sex, ethnicity, race, protected veteran status, and disability status of its applicants. No reported data will identify any individual.

 

ABOUT KOYA LEADERSHIP PARTNERS

Koya Leadership Partners is a national retained executive search and human capital consulting firm that works exclusively with mission-driven organizations, institutions of higher education and social enterprises. We deliver measurable results, finding exceptionally talented people who truly fit the unique culture of our client organizations and ensuring that organizations have the resources and strategies to support them. For more information, visit www.koyapartners.com.