"Assistant Director, Purchasing and Contracts"

Assistant Director, Purchasing and Contracts

Company: North Carolina State University

Job Location:

Category: Business and Financial Services

Type: Full-Time

Join the Pack! A community with nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, and 30,000 students. NC State is one of the largest employers in North Carolina, offering a large range of career opportunities. Visit us at https://jobs.hr.ncsu.edu/.

Location: Raleigh, NC

Essential Job Duties:
The Assistant Director of Purchasing and Contracts serves as a strategic leader responsible for overseeing University Facilities' procurement operations, contract management, and billing processes. This position manages an annual transaction volume exceeding $150 million across approximately 11,000 transactions, ensuring financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.

This role provides high-level operational leadership, drives process improvement, and supports sound financial stewardship across Facilities. The Assistant Director partners with internal stakeholders and external vendors to ensure procurement activities align with departmental and university goals while upholding the highest standards of professionalism, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.

This is an exciting opportunity for a collaborative and detail-oriented leader who thrives in a dynamic environment and is passionate about operational excellence, compliance, and strategic financial management. Apply Today!

Key responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:

• Direct and manage University Facilities' procurement operations, staff, and vendor relationships.
• Oversee all purchasing transactions within Facilities and ensure timely closeouts of purchase orders and accurate forecasting of encumbrance drawdowns.
• Drive continuous process improvements and provide strategic recommendations to align procurement activities with departmental and university goals.
• Serve as a key operational decision-maker and provide insights that influence high-level financial strategy.
• Ensure compliance with state procurement laws, university policies, and best practices by monitoring transactions and contracts using institutional systems, including PeopleSoft, Wolf Reports, UNC-GA, OSBM, and SCO.
• Maintain audit readiness and serve as the primary contact for procurement-related audits and inquiries, while championing ethical, cost-effective purchasing practices and promoting transparency in financial reporting.
• Manage the full lifecycle of Facilities service contracts, including development, documentation, and annual renewals.
• Review and verify required contract documentation in all purchase requests.
• Resolve vendor issues and conduct professional correspondence to maintain strong third-party partnerships.
• Collaborate with campus departments to draft comprehensive service agreements aligned with operational needs.
• Oversee the invoicing process for all Facilities transactions, including high-value capital purchases, and enforce performance standards to ensure timely payments and minimize financial bottlenecks.
• Coordinate cost allocations and billing for facilities-supported and state-appropriated buildings, partnering with campus stakeholders to accurately determine and allocate expenses in compliance with University Purchasing policies.
• Develop and analyze financial reports to inform leadership decision-making and represent the University's financial position.
• Provide managerial support, training, and problem-solving leadership to the Facilities team while delivering exceptional customer service and communicating complex procurement standards effectively.

Other Work/Responsibilities:

• Other tasks and responsibilities may be assigned based on the needs of the organization and evolving priorities.

Minimum Experience/Education:

• Graduation from a four year college or university with a related degree to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Required Qualifications:

• Strong leadership and team-development skills with the ability to guide staff, resolve operational challenges, and drive continuous process improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex financial data, develop accurate forecasts, and communicate procurement standards to varied stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, computer, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expert abilities with Microsoft Excel, Word, and the Google Suite products.
• Knowledge of University financial systems, desired
• Knowledge of NCSU policies and regulations.

Required License or Certification:

• N/A