Director Medical Purchasing - CCHS

Job Summary: The Director Medical Purchasing ensures vendors, supplies, and services are secured for large multi-specialty ambulatory practices working directly with University Procurement and independently as applicable. Provides leadership to ensure the procurement revenue cycle structure is accurate, effective and efficient for electronic medical record measured supplies, drugs, and injectables. Oversees Purchasing Assistants and student workers providing daily guidance to ensure departmental goals are met. Ensures compliance with related policies/processes in accordance with insurance, state and federal guidelines, and drug and vaccine inventory management policies and procedures.

Additional Department Summary: Provides strategic and operational leadership for all purchasing, procurement, inventory management, and supply chain functions supporting the College of Community Health Sciences (CCHS), including University Medical Center clinical locations, the Student Health Center, and affiliated academic and clinical programs. Ensures medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, injectables, vaccines, equipment, and contracted services are sourced, procured, managed, and monitored in a manner that supports high-quality patient care, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.

Oversees daily purchasing operations and works collaboratively with University Procurement, clinical leadership, and enterprise departments, including finance, compliance, revenue cycle, pharmacy, and Health IT, to establish effective purchasing and inventory management processes. Develops and maintains systems and controls that support inventory accuracy, vendor accountability, contract compliance, cost containment, and operational consistency across multiple clinical sites. Ensures integration between purchasing operations, inventory management, electronic medical record (EMR) documentation, charge capture, and reimbursement processes. Monitors supply utilization, inventory consumption, billing activity, and reimbursement trends. Ensures purchased supplies, drugs, vaccines, and injectables are appropriately documented, charged, and billed to support revenue integrity and cost recovery.

Provides leadership and supervision for purchasing staff and student employees, establishes performance expectations and service standards, and ensures compliance with University policies, insurance requirements, and applicable state and federal regulations. Builds scalable purchasing infrastructure that supports organizational growth, operational excellence, and the evolving needs of a complex academic healthcare enterprise.

Required Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree and six (6) years of purchasing or finance-related experience; OR master's degree and four (4) years of purchasing or finance-related experience.

Additional Required Department Minimum Qualifications: Must have valid U.S. driver's license. Must be at least 19 years of age at time of hire and have an acceptable Motor Vehicle Report that is in compliance with University policies. Applicants under the age of 21 will have some driving restrictions.

Skills and Knowledge: Demonstrated expertise in directing purchasing operations, including inventory management and supply chain operations. Knowledge of regulatory and accreditation standards (HIPAA, CMS). Ability to manage critical turnaround times and meet delivery deadlines to ensure compliance with federal and state requirements. Ability to monitor quality control standards. Ability to analyze and interpret data. Ability to research and prepare comprehensive productivity reports. Knowledge of healthcare management principles, clinic philosophy, and related policies and procedures. Knowledge of medical terminology. Ability to work with and understand electronic medical records.

Ability to cope with stressful conditions. Ability to demonstrate a high degree of self-motivation and directional initiative. Skill in exercising judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making. Excellent analytical and interpersonal skills. Ability to function effectively in high-volume or stressful environments while demonstrating tact, adaptability, self-motivation, and professionalism. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor's degree or higher in purchasing, healthcare management, business administration, healthcare analytics, or related field. Experience in a leadership role at an ambulatory medical center. Seven (7) years of experience in healthcare administration and clinical operations management. Three (3) years of supervisory experience. Demonstrated expertise in directing medical purchasing operations. Expertise in working with medical supply and equipment vendors, pharmaceuticals, and medical service providers.

Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC's Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.

The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.

Organization

The University of Alabama embodies an academic community that demands excellence in teaching, research and service and provides an inclusive, nurturing environment for the discovery of knowledge and the development of well-rounded leaders. Founded in 1831 as Alabama's first public college and known as the Capstone of Higher Education, UA provides a premier undergraduate and graduate education built upon global engagement, high-quality scholarship, outstanding teaching, and diversity and inclusivity throughout the community.

Our Mission

The University of Alabama will advance the intellectual and social condition of the people of the state, the nation and the world through the creation, translation and dissemination of knowledge with an emphasis on quality programs in the areas of teaching, research and service.

Our Vision

The University of Alabama will be known as the university of choice for the best and brightest students in Alabama, and all students who seek exceptional educational opportunities. The University of Alabama will be a student-centered research university and an academic community united in its commitment to enhance the quality of life for all Alabamians and the citizens of the nation and the world.

Our Core Values

The University of Alabama is committed to:

• Undergraduate education that produces socially-conscious, ethical and well-rounded leaders who are grounded in their subject matter and capable of controlling their own destinies.
• Graduate education that is deeply vested in subject matter knowledge, professional content, research skills and creative activity.
• Public outreach and service that is held in the highest regard and fosters impactful public engagement to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Alabama, the nation and the world.
• Campus life that embodies collaboration, collegiality, respect and a culture of inclusivity.

Our Strategic Goals

• Provide a premier undergraduate and graduate education that offers a global perspective and is characterized by outstanding teaching, high-quality scholarship and distinctive curricular and co-curricular programs. Increase the University’s productivity and innovation in research, scholarship and creative activities that impact economic and societal development.
• Enrich our learning and work environment by providing an accepting, inclusive community that attracts and supports a diverse faculty, staff and student body.
• Provide opportunities and resources that facilitate work-life balance and enhance the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty and staff.