Procurement and Contracts Manager

Job Details

Position Code: 7852

DEPARTMENT/ADMINISTRATION: Office of Budget and Finance

POSITION: Administrative, Exempt (12 months), Full-time (40 Hours)

SALARY RANGE: $90,000-$100,000

HIRING RANGE: Anticipated hiring range is near or at the minimum of the classification, commensurate with candidate's education, experience, skills, and training.

INTRODUCTORY PERIOD: Twelve (12) Months

AVAILABLE: Immediately

POSTING DATE: April 1, 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open Until Filled, Apply Immediately.

Definition of Classification:

The Procurement & Contracts Manager is responsible for leading the University’s procurement and contracting activities as the institution’s primary procurement authority. This position oversees competitive sourcing, contract negotiation, supplier evaluation, policy development, procurement governance, and day‑to‑day procurement operations. The Manager ensures that all procurement and contracting activities comply with University policies, legal requirements, and regulatory standards.

The Manager will initially focus on implementing the University’s new procurement system and developing procurement policies and workflows, including requirements gathering, workflow design, documentation, and campus‑wide training. After implementation, the Manager will assume full responsibility for strategic sourcing, contract management, procurement operations, system administration, and campus support.

This position works collaboratively with the Controller, Accounts Payable, Legal, IT, and campus departments and serves as the University’s subject‑matter expert for procurement and contracting.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Procurement System Implementation & Administration

• Lead implementation of the University’s new procurement system, including requirements gathering, workflow design, testing, and go-live support.
• Develop and document procurement processes, approval workflows, and system procedures.
• Administer the procurement system after implementation, including configurations, vendor records, approval hierarchies, category structures, and punch-out catalogs.
• Monitor procurement workflow queues and ensure timely routing and processing of transactions.
• Collaborate with IT, Finance, and external vendors to troubleshoot issues, support system enhancements, and ensure system performance.
• Provide training, guidance, and ongoing support to campus users to ensure effective system adoption.

Procurement Operations & Transactional Support

• Manage end-to-end procurement transactions across multiple categories, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and policy compliance.
• Review and process purchase requests, ensuring appropriate documentation, approvals, and alignment with University policies.
• Assist departments with developing and processing purchase requests and provide procurement guidance.
• Maintain supplier, contract, and category master data in the ERP/procurement system.
• Support qualification and onboarding of new vendors in alignment with University standards.
• Resolve order discrepancies, defective goods, invoice issues, and delivery problems in coordination with Accounts Payable, vendors, and campus departments.
• Maintain and update punch-out catalogs, including item availability, pricing, supplier updates, and category alignment.

Strategic Procurement & Sourcing

• Conduct supplier searches, product evaluations, and market research to identify optimal sources based on price, quality, availability, and reliability.
• Administer RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs; evaluate supplier proposals, pricing, and market trends to ensure competitive, data-driven sourcing decisions.
• Negotiate contract terms, pricing, payment schedules, and delivery requirements with new and existing vendors.
• Contribute to long-term procurement strategy, including spend optimization, category management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives involving Finance, IT, Legal, and campus departments to strengthen procurement governance and operational efficiency.

Contract Management

• Oversee the full contract lifecycle, including intake, review, negotiation, execution, renewal tracking, amendments, and close-out for goods, services, and technology purchases.
• Collaborate with the Office of General Counsel on contract review and risk mitigation.
• Ensure contracts align with University policies, risk management practices, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain contract records and master data in the University’s ERP/procurement system and/or contract portal

Policy Development & Compliance

• Develop, document, and maintain procurement policies, procedures, and approval workflows.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with University policies, legal requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Interpret procurement policies and provide authoritative guidance to departments, senior leadership, and external partners.
• Promote supplier diversity and environmentally responsible purchasing practices

Vendor Management & Issue Resolution

• Develop and maintain strategic vendor relationships to support long-term value, service quality, and innovation.
• Monitor vendor performance using defined metrics and address underperformance.
• Resolve escalated issues related to orders, invoices, delivery, or vendor performance.
• Serve as a procurement resource to internal stakeholders and provide training or guidance as needed.

Data Analysis & Process Improvement

• Compile and analyze procurement data to support trend analysis, cost-savings initiatives, and supplier performance reporting.
• Recommend and implement procurement process enhancements that increase efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen internal controls

Leadership (Non-Supervisory)

• Provide procurement leadership and subject-matter expertise across the University.
• May provide direction to student workers or temporary staff, as needed.

Qualifications Guidelines:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Public Administration, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 3–5 years of progressively responsible procurement, purchasing, or sourcing experience.
• Experience in higher education, public sector, or a similarly regulated environment.
• Experience with competitive bidding processes (RFI/RFQ/RFP) and contract negotiation.
• Experience reviewing, drafting, and negotiating contracts under California law
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate pricing, proposals, and market trends.
• Excellent communication, customer service, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply procurement policies, regulations, and best practices.
• Proficiency with ERP or procurement systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred

• Certification such as CPPB, CPPO, CPSM, or CSCP.
• Experience developing procurement processes or building a procurement function.
• Knowledge of sustainable purchasing practices and supplier diversity programs