Purchasing Director

Colorado Community College System (CCCS); Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 96,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) seeks a Purchasing Director to lead systemwide purchasing, serving as the primary liaison between the State Purchasing Office and CCCS college purchasing offices, ensuring alignment and efficiency across the system.

You will oversee procurement for all goods and services, coordinate contract processing, and act as the procurement risk management officer, in partnership with the legal department.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and experience.
• Minimum three years of purchasing management experience in state/local government or higher education.
• Experience with procurement policy and compliance.
• Strong communication and analytical abilities.

Responsibilities

• Administer purchasing processes for the System Office and ensure compliance with state rules.
• Conduct system-wide solicitations and coordinate cooperative procurements.
• Provide training on procurement requirements to System Office staff.
• Guide college managers on contracts and vendor agreements.
• Review and approve purchase orders and develop contracts upon request.
• Advise on policy changes reflecting state codes and internal controls.
• Engage in statewide procurement activities and SPCO meetings.
• Monitor procurement risk in collaboration with legal.

Skills

CPPO/CPPB certification

Policy writing

Policy development

Leadership

Negotiation

Contract management

Risk management

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Analytical skills

Communication skills

CORE system knowledge

Colorado procurement rules

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

CORE system

Procurement software

Job description

Salary Range: $96,000 - $105,600

Job Summary

As the Purchasing Director, you will lead and guide purchasing at the individual Colorado Community College System (CCCS) colleges, serving as the primary liaison between the State Purchasing Office and the CCCS college purchasing offices, ensuring alignment and efficiency systemwide. You will provide purchasing oversight for CCCS and purchasing management for all goods and services on behalf of the System Office. In this role you will also coordinate contract processing and serve as the procurement risk management officer, in conjunction with the legal department.

Competencies/KSAs

• Certificate of CPM, CPPO or CPPB from NIGP or NAPM preferred but not required at time of hire.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, including the ability to perform complicated and detailed analysis.
• Practiced in writing and implementing policy and procedures.
• Leadership skills.
• Negotiation skills.
• High-level understanding of contract management.
• High-level understanding of risk management programs.
• Ability to manage complex projects.
• Exceptional acumen in interpreting federal and state regulations, contractual agreements and obligations, and legal documentation
• Self-motivated with strong, proven analytical and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and eagerness to continuously learn.
• Ability to quickly absorb technical concepts and communicate effectively with non-technical and technical audiences, verbally and in writing.
• Experience with the State accounting system (CORE) and knowledge of State of Colorado Fiscal Rules and Colorado Procurement Code preferred but not required.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Act as the Senior Authority to administer the purchasing processes for the System Office by providing expert opinions and direction to employees, and by assuring that the System Office is in compliance with all State Fiscal Rules and Procurement Code.
• Conduct solicitations for the System Office and coordinate cooperative solicitations for system-wide use.
• Provide training and guidance to System Office staff on procurement requirements and processes.
• Provide training for new procurement staff systemwide. Provide guidance and direction to college managers who are developing contracts, and vendor agreements Advise and consult with college management on concerns regarding contract issues that could have a fiscal impact on the college.
• Evaluate policies and procedures system-wide to develop and maintain current procedures that reflect appropriate guidance, including State Procurement Code, State Fiscal Rules, State of Colorado Revised Statutes, and Commercial Card (P-Card and Travel Card) Policies, Rules, and Requirements. These policies should be designed considering appropriate internal controls and segregation of duties.
• Maintain involvement in statewide procurement activities such as the State Procurement and Contracts Office (SPCO) bi-annual Procurement Advisory Council (PAC) meetings, monthly Statewide Purchasing Director calls, and other activities that may be planned by the SPCO.
• Review, process, and approve purchase orders.
• Develop/Compose contracts upon request. Negotiate with businesses on behalf of the college when needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. A combination of education and relevant experience, in addition to that required for the position, will substitute for the degree.
• Must have minimum of three years of progressively responsible purchasing management experience in state or local government and/or higher education.

College Advertising Details

The Colorado Community College System is the state’s largest provider of higher education and workforce training, consisting of 13 colleges and over 35 locations across the state, educating approximately 130,000 postsecondary students annually. In addition, we train more than 4,000 Coloradans each year through customized employer training programs and coordinate delivery of career and technical education (CTE) programs to over 165,000 K-12 learners annually. Our mission is to provide accessible, responsive learning environments where students can achieve their educational, professional and personal goals in an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity and innovation. We are an organization that encourages individuals to bring their whole selves to work.

Additional Information/Benefits

Work Location/Travel Expectations:

• CCCS offices at 9101 E Lowry Blvd., Denver, CO 80230.
• May occasionally be asked to attend a Controller or Business Officer meeting when topics are relevant or training is required. Some overnight stays are required to attend conferences or trainings within the state or outside the state, usually 2 to 3 per year.
• Alternative work arrangements, including flexible schedules and hybrid-remote work may be available. All work must be completed in the state of Colorado.

Note: per the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, an applicant may redact information from their resume, cover letter, and/or transcripts that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. If your position requires us to review an official transcript, without redacting, we will request one as part of our conditional offer process. In order to evaluate work experience against established requirements for positions, we are still requesting dates of service (month and year) for positions in the applicant’s work history.

Department contact: Nikki Cimino: [e-mail]

Hiring Pay Rate

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to internal equity and directly applicable experience, education, and training.