Assistant Director of Global Procurement

Wildlife Conservation Society; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in New York seeks an Assistant Director of Global Procurement to lead procurement operations across a decentralized global footprint. You will shape sourcing, contracting, vendor management, and logistics, ensuring compliant processes and strong controls while supporting conservation programs worldwide.

You will manage a hybrid team from New York and regional offices, drive policy alignment, and implement best practices in contract lifecycle management,

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive procurement experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in finance or related field; advanced degree or certification preferred.
• Proficient in contract negotiations and lifecycle management.
• Experience with SAP and ERP systems.
• Experience in nonprofit sector and grants management preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee procurement professionals and teams in regions and countries through a matrixed structure.
• Supervise the New York headquartered global procurement team to successfully deliver required programmatic supplies to local country offices, coordinating with field logisticians and managing transportation providers.
• Develop and implement processes to operationalize WCS procurement policies, adapting procedures as needed for regional or country contexts.
• Drive improvements to financial and procurement workflows, streamlining and standardizing processes across regions, and provide guidance on system solutions and their rollout strategy.
• Oversee the execution of high-value or high-risk procurements and serve as a decisionmaker for procurement policy exceptions.
• Systematize and maintain the global vendor subset and preferred supplier lists, guiding regional and country teams on supplier selection.
• Guide regional and local contracting processes, including the use of standard contract templates, and provide guidance on key terms and negotiation strategies; serve as a key liaison with the Office of General Counsel and support negotiation of major agreements.
• Establish best practices for contract management, including lifecycle tracking, renewal and expiration calendars, monitoring of SLAs, and overall vendor compliance.
• Oversee key vendor relationships, monitoring industry trends, supply chain dynamics, and logistical developments to inform and guide procurement decisions Draft global inventory and asset management processes where needed.
• Develop and deliver global procurement training materials and sessions, conduct onboarding of new procurement staff, create and maintain dashboards and reports, and in partnership with Global Finance, incorporate procurement review into scheduled internal audits.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Strategic sourcing

Vendor management

Contract negotiations

Cross-functional leadership

Supply chain

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance or related field

Advanced degree or professional certification

Tools

SAP

ERP systems

Job description

Job Description

Position: Assistant Director of Global Procurement
Reports to: Vice President of Global Finance with functional reporting line to Purchasing Director
Location: New York
Department: Global Finance
Scope: Global Conservation
Position Type: Full Time

About Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We are the only organization that combines on-the-ground field conservation programs in more than 55 countries with the world's largest network of urban wildlife parks, based in New York City.
WCS's five wildlife parks, led by our flagship Bronx Zoo, have educated and inspired over 425 million visitors since 1899. Each year, WCS welcomes about 3.5 million visitors to the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium, opening people's eyes to the wonders of the natural world, while setting the gold standard for animal care and well-being.
WCS has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results at scale. Our scientists, veterinarians, and conservation experts have helped recover bison, tigers, gorillas, whales, coral reefs, and more. In the past century, we have helped governments create more than 430 protected areas around the world on land and sea, and we currently work with national governments and local communities to manage and monitor several hundred protected areas.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Global Procurement and Contract Oversight provides strategic leadership and oversight of procurement and contracting across WCS Global's conservation operations. This is a unique opportunity for an accomplished procurement professional to bring global expertise to a mission-driven organization operating across diverse countries, regions, and operating environments. The Assistant Director will play a role in shaping global procurement, strengthening controls and compliance, improving systems and processes, and ensuring that teams have the resources and guidance they need to support conservation programs around the world. Working closely with Global Finance, Purchasing, Legal, regional leadership, and country teams, the Assistant Director will provide both strategic direction and hands-on leadership across sourcing, contracting, vendor management, logistics, and procurement operations. The position reports to the Vice President of Global Finance with a functional reporting line to the WCS Purchasing Director. The role establishes standards, ensures compliance, drives efficiencies, and maintains oversight of regional and country procurement professionals through a matrixed reporting structure. The position balances strategic sourcing, risk management, and operational execution across a highly decentralized operating environment. The individual leads global procurement and contract management across WCS's conservation portfolio.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee procurement professionals and teams in regions and countries through a matrixed structure
• Supervise the New York headquartered global procurement team to successfully deliver required programmatic supplies to local country offices, coordinating with field logisticians and managing transportation providers
• Develop and implement processes to operationalize WCS procurement policies, adapting procedures as needed for regional or country contexts.
• Drive improvements to financial and procurement workflows, streamlining and standardizing processes across regions, and provide guidance on system solutions and their rollout strategy.
• Oversee the execution of high-value or high-risk procurements and serve as a decisionmaker for procurement policy exceptions.
• Systematize and maintain the global vendor subset and preferred supplier lists, guiding regional and country teams on supplier selection
• Guide regional and local contracting processes, including the use of standard contract templates, and provide guidance on key terms and negotiation strategies; serve as a key liaison with the Office of General Counsel and support negotiation of major agreements.
• Establish best practices for contract management, including lifecycle tracking, renewal and expiration calendars, monitoring of SLAs, and overall vendor compliance.
• Oversee key vendor relationships, monitoring industry trends, supply chain dynamics, and logistical developments to inform and guide procurement decisions Draft global inventory and asset management processes where needed.
• Develop and deliver global procurement training materials and sessions, conduct onboarding of new procurement staff, create and maintain dashboards and reports, and in partnership with Global Finance, incorporate procurement review into scheduled internal audits.

Qualification Requirements

To be considered, applicants must submit a résumé and cover letter with their application. The successful candidate will be an experienced procurement leader who combines strategic thinking with the ability to operate effectively in complex, decentralized international environments. You are comfortable establishing standards and controls while recognizing that successful global operations require flexibility, collaboration, and an understanding of local contexts.

You will have:

• 10+ years of progressive Procurement experience is preferred
• Bachelor’s degree is required in a Finance related field, advanced degree or professional certification is desired
• Proficient in contract negotiations and lifecycle management
• Experience in U.S. export controls and a working knowledge of international logistics is preferred
• Experience in a non-profit setting and experience with grants management and associated donor requirements and accounting is preferred
• Proven ability to lead and be accountable for procurement and contract operations globally, making final operational and policy decisions.
• Experience with an ERP is required. SAP is preferred
• The position is based at the Bronx Zoo with a hybrid remote form home schedule. There will be travel required as part of the role up to 30% of the time.

Equal Employment Opportunity Disclaimer

WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and engaging in a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and looking for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on gender, race/ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, caste, genetic information or any other covered status or characteristic protected by laws and regulations/and similar categories.
It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that we do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based upon a person's membership in one of these protected categories in areas such as recruitment, selection, job assignment, supervision, training, promotions, promotions, job grading, transfers, termination, compensation, benefits, educational opportunities, WCS sponsored recreational activities and facilities. The organization complies with the spirit and intent of relevant local laws and WCS's employment policies.
Note that the salary offer will reflect the selected candidate’s individual experiences, skills and qualifications, internal equity, work location and country of work.

Salary Range

$150,000-$170,000