Customer Engagement Specialist - Procurement

The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia; Charlottesville, Virginia, Evanston Township (VA, MN, IL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic team at a leading university as a Customer Engagement Specialist, where you will foster strong relationships and enhance stakeholder experiences. This role is pivotal in bridging procurement services with the university community, ensuring alignment and satisfaction through effective communication and proactive outreach. You'll advocate for stakeholder interests and support training initiatives, all while contributing to impactful change in a collaborative environment. If you're passionate about service excellence and driving meaningful engagement, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

University benefits

Collaborative work environment

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in stakeholder engagement or outreach.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the main point of contact for stakeholders and resolve procurement issues.
• Conduct proactive outreach to understand needs and provide updates.

Skills

Stakeholder Engagement

Communication Skills

Problem-Solving

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration

Bachelor's Degree in Communications

Tools

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software

Procurement Systems (e.g., Workday, Jaggaer)

Job description

Be a Champion for Stakeholder Success at UVA!

Are you passionate about building strong relationships, advocating for customers, and driving impactful change? Join the University of Virginia's Procurement Services team as a Customer Engagement Specialistwhere you'llplay a key role in shaping the stakeholder experience across Grounds. Help us foster collaboration, champion innovation, and deliver service excellence at one of the nation's top public universities.

Position Summary:

The Customer Engagement Specialist acts as a strategic liaison between the University of Virginia's Procurement Services department and the broader UVA Grounds community. This role is essential to aligning Procurement operations with evolving needs of stakeholders, thereby enhancing both operational efficiency and overall satisfaction. This role is responsible for building strong relationships, proactively addressing concerns, and driving meaningful engagement through clear communication and targeted outreach. In addition to championing the stakeholder experience, this role identifies training needs, supports change management initiatives, and advocates for interests of the UVA Grounds community throughout the procurement process.

Key Responsibilities:

Customer Interaction and Outreach:

• Serve as the main point of contact for stakeholders, addressing inquiries and resolving procurement-related issues in a timely and professional manner.

• Conduct proactive outreach to Groundsto understand needs, provide updates, and ensure alignment with procurement initiatives.

• Represent Procurement Services at events, workshops, and meetings to build relationships and foster trust with stakeholders.

Engagement and Advocacy:

• Act as the voice of stakeholders within Procurement, communicating needs, concerns, and feedback to leadership and operational teams.

• Promote transparency, trust, and collaboration between Procurement Services and stakeholders.

• Facilitate feedback loops to ensure continuous improvement in customer satisfaction and engagement.

Collaboration with Training Team:

• Partner with the Training team to identify gaps in knowledge and recommend resources or programs to support stakeholders.

• Support the design, promotion, and delivery of training sessions that address recurring challenges and support Grounds' success.

• Ensure training initiatives align with Procurement Services' goals and address recurring challenges effectively.

Change Facilitation and Communication:

• Support change management initiatives related to new procurement processes, tools, and systems.

• Partner with Procurement teams to implement change management strategies for new or updated processes and systems.

• Communicate changes effectively to stakeholders through targeted outreach and clear messaging.

• Actively gather feedback during and after implementation to assess adoption, identify challenges, and suggest improvements.

Customer Experience and Problem Resolution:

• Monitor and analyze stakeholder feedback to identify recurring issues or areas for improvement.

• Collaborate with Procurement and cross-functional teams to resolve complex stakeholder concerns and implement systemic improvements.

• Develop solutions to enhance stakeholder experience and prevent future issues.

• Provide input on systemic improvements based on recurring stakeholder issues or process inefficiencies.

Strategic Collaboration and Insights:

• Bring stakeholder insights and trends to Procurement leadership to inform decision-making and strategic planning.

• Participate in cross-departmental efforts to enhance Procurement Services and ensure they meet stakeholder needs.

• Provide regular updates on engagement activities and feedback to inform decision-making and strategy development.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Communications, or a related field is required. Experience may be considered in lieu of a bachelor's degree.

• Minimum of 2 years of experience. 5 years of experience preferred in stakeholder engagement, outreach, or a similar role, ideally within a university procurement, or large decentralized environment.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a stakeholder-focused mindset.

• Demonstrated expertise in problem-solving skills with a focus on driving continuous improvement.

• Ability to handle multiple priorities and foster collaboration across diverse groups.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with procurement systems and processes is preferred (e.g., Workday, Jaggaer, PaymentWorks).

• Experience collaborating with training teams or coordinating outreach programs.

• Proficiency in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and other communication tools.

• Knowledge of change management principles and practices.

Why Join Us?

• Shape the future of Procurement Services at the University by building strong connections across the Grounds community.

• Work in a collaborative environment that values innovation, continuous improvement, and stakeholder-centric solutions.

• Be part of impactful initiatives that align with the University's mission and create lasting value for the Grounds community.

Anticipated Hiring Range: Commensurate with qualifications ($65,000 - $75,000 per year) and eligible for University benefits.

There is an in-office expectation of 3 days per week.

This position will remain open until filled. This is an exempt level, benefited position. The University will perform background checks on all hires (if required) prior to employment. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. For this role, the University will not sponsor or consider candidates requiring sponsorship for employment visas now or in the future. For questions about the position or the application process, please contact Daniel Strong, Senior Recruiter at [e-mail].

Please apply through the University job board, Careers at UVA, and search for R0072094.

Please submit a resume and a cover letter to be considered for this position, applications that do not contain both pieces of information will not receive full consideration.

Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching 'Find Jobs' or through their 'Jobs Hub'. Applicants must complete an application online with the following documents:a resume and cover letter.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education: Bachelor's Degree required.

Experience: 2 years related experience.

Licensure: None required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physicians Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experience. We are equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, and family medical or genetic information.