Procurement Manager

Johnson C. Smith University; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, is seeking a Procurement Manager to lead all purchasing activities in compliance with state and federal laws and university policies.

This in-person role reports to the Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting, with a dotted line to the CFO. The position focuses on driving supplier performance, negotiating contracts, and maintaining procurement systems across campus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with 3 years of procurement experience.
• Experience developing procurement procedures and providing excellent customer service.
• Background in compliance with state and federal laws.

Responsibilities

• Drive quality, delivery, supplier management, and pricing improvements to meet organizational goals.
• Perform day-to-day procurement operations and ensure PO processing aligns with policies.
• Set up new vendors and verify suspension/disbarment via sam.gov.
• Review requisitions to generate POs and distribute purchase orders to suppliers.
• Develop relationships with suppliers for strategic partnerships with key vendors.
• Negotiate pricing and contracts to minimize costs with suppliers/vendors.
• Manage RFQs, RFPs, and IFBs; assist customers with scope of work and specifications.
• Maintain up-to-date vendor files including contracts and disbarment verification.
• Review capital asset purchases (>$5,000) before issuing PO and capture in Fixed Assets.
• Maintain Colleague Fixed Assets module for additions/removals.
• Review travel authorizations and reimbursements for policy compliance.
• Conduct market research on conditions and supplier capabilities.
• Assist in testing functionality and training materials university-wide on procurement tools and systems.
• Oversee training for staff on procurement policies, options, bidding, and contract administration.
• Assist in development and maintenance of the University’s procurement website.

Skills

Vendor management

Negotiation

Market research

Procurement procedures

Customer service

Staff training

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Colleague Fixed Assets

Job description

This position is fully in-person (not remote or hybrid). The Procurement Manager oversees all procurement activities in compliance with State and Federal laws and University policies. This role ensures efficient purchasing operations, manages vendor relationships, enforces procurement policies, and supports strategic sourcing initiatives. The Procurement Manager will report to the Director of Accounting and Financial reporting, with a dotted line to the Chief Financial Officer.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• The Purchasing Manager will be responsible for driving quality, delivery, supplier management, and pricing improvements to meet the goals of the organization and the needs of the customers.
• The Purchasing Manager performs day-to-day procurement operations, ensuring efficient processing of purchase orders and ensuring that all purchasing activities align policies and procedures, and procurement best practices.
• Setup new vendors in system and ensure system are appropriately maintained and updated, including verification (and documentation) of federal suspension or disbarred status via sam.gov.
• Review departmental requisitions to generate purchase orders and distribute purchaseorders to suppliers.
• Develops relationships with suppliers to enable the organization to build strategic partnerships with key suppliers
• Negotiates pricing and contracts with new and incumbent suppliers/vendors. Works effectively with suppliers/vendors to help minimize costs.
• Identifies the appropriate method of solicitation and creates, executes and manages Request for Quotations (RFQs), Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Invitation for Bids (IFBs). Assist customers in writing scope of work/specifications, submits purchase orders
• Responsible for maintaining up to date vendor files (i.e. contract, solicitation, disbarment verification).
• Review requisitions for purchases of capital assets (i.e., items of $5,000 or more) prior to issuing the PO to ensure the activity is captured in Colleague Fixed Assets.
• Maintain the Colleague Fixed Assets module to ensure addition, removals, etc. are appropriately captured.
• Review travel authorizations and travel reimbursements to ensure compliance with University’s policies and procedures.
• Assess, identify/evaluate options for resolution(s) if applicable as it pertains to procuring products/services.
• Perform market research to understand conditions, availability of products/services, supplier capability(s), and other pertinent data to determine an efficient/effective method to procure products/services.
• Assist in testing functionality (i.e. departmental/campus wide) and upgrades in systems, including the development of materials and presentations to train staff and faculty university-wide related to procurement functionality, tools and systems.
• Oversee training and instruction to personnel throughout the University community to provide direction as it relates to procurement policies and procedures, e.g. procurement options, best purchasing methods, bidding requirements, ethical requirements, appropriate product/service/vendor evaluation, lease vs. buy decisions, contract administration and problem resolution.
• Assist in development and maintenance of University’s procurement website.

ADDITIONAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Develops personal annual objectives and goals in concert with departmental and university goals
• Develops action plans, standard work, and countermeasures as needed to support the metrics and KPI's and responsible for reporting on all assigned metrics and KPI's
• Communicates effectively and works closely with departments
• Performs other related duties as required.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

This position requires a Bachelor Degree and 3 years of related professional experience including development of procurement procedures, methods or activities related to the responsibilities of this position, and demonstrated experience in providing excellent customer service.

Finalists for this position are subject to a background check. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history and identity check.