Senior Buyer

umgc; Adelphi (MD); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) in Adelphi, MD seeks a Senior Buyer to lead strategic procurement for high-value acquisitions, negotiate complex contracts, and mentor junior buyers. The role emphasizes independence, policy interpretation, and collaboration with leadership, suppliers, and internal customers.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in business or related field and at least five years of procurement experience, including higher education or public-sector

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, Supply Chain Management, or related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible procurement experience, including complex/high-value procurements.
• Experience in state/local procurement or higher education is a plus.
• Strong customer service skills with internal/external customers.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 and related tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement strategy and execution for complex, high-value acquisitions.
• Manage purchase orders, change orders, and contract lifecycle tracking in Workday or similar systems.
• Negotiate complex terms, pricing, and risk allocation with vendors and legal teams.
• Provide guidance on procurement policy and regulatory compliance to departments.
• Lead cross-functional sourcing teams for enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Present procurement analyses and audit responses to senior leadership.

Skills

Procurement regulations

Strategic sourcing

Stakeholder management

Contract negotiation

Analytical skills

Executive communication

Leadership/mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

Job description

Senior Buyer

Procurement

Exempt Regular 3.1

Location: Adelphi, MD

Under administrative direction, the Senior Buyer serves as a subject-matter expert and functional lead for the organization's most complex, high-value, or high-risk procurements, including, but not limited to all levels of formal competitive sealed bidding, complex service including professional and managed service contracts, strategic sourcing, and contract negotiation initiatives. The Senior Buyer operates with a high degree of independence, shapes procurement strategy, and may formally lead or mentor a team of Buyers.

The Senior Buyer exercises broad independent judgment on complex, precedent-setting, or sensitive procurements, interprets and helps develop procurement policy, and represents the procurement function to leadership, internal customers, suppliers, auditors, and external agencies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Independently leads procurement strategy and execution for the organization's most complex, highest-value, or highest-risk acquisitions, including the use of competitive sealed bids or proposals, leading evaluation teams and negotiating contracts.
• Responsible for completing purchase orders, change orders, contract modifications, amendments, and contract lifecycle tracking within Workday or related systems.
• Negotiate complex contract terms, pricing structures, and risk-allocation provisions with vendors, legal counsel, and other stakeholders.
• Provide technical and policy guidance and advice to client departments, interpret procurement regulations and advise departments on complex or ambiguous procurement matters.
• Develop and recommend improvements to procurement policies, procedures, and systems, and may lead process-improvement or strategic-sourcing initiatives.
• Manage vendor relationships at a strategic level, including performance management, contract renewals, and dispute resolution for major suppliers.
• Lead or coordinate cross-functional sourcing teams for enterprise-wide or multi-department procurement initiatives.
• Prepare and present complex procurement analyses, board/committee materials, and audit responses to senior leadership.
• Ensure compliance with required policies and procedures.
• Leads procurement strategy and execution in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.
• Perform all other duties as assigned and as needed.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of procurement statutes/regulations, public-sector/higher education purchasing practices, including but not limited to, competitive sealed proposals, and contract negotiation.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, high-value sourcing initiatives from strategy through execution.
• Skill in managing a variety of stakeholders across various department positions and suppliers.
• Analytical skills in researching new contract vehicles, including evaluation and negotiation of terms and conditions.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, including persuasive speaking and influence without authority, and ability to create executive summaries and agenda items.
• Sound, independent judgment on ambiguous, sensitive, or precedent-setting procurement matters.
• Ability to lead through sustained ambiguity and competing demands, keeping team output and vendor commitments on track under pressure.

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• Experience: Five years of progressively responsible procurement experience, including demonstrated success at the Buyer II level or equivalent, with a track record of managing complex or high-value procurements
• Experience in state and local procurement, and in higher education is a plus.
• Exceptional customer service skills with both internal and external customers.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects effectively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365.

Preferred Experience Requirements:

• Excellent analytical and communication skills, and proven ability to manage a high-volume workload with strong prioritization, setting and managing stakeholder expectations.
• Procurement experience in higher education, K-12, or public-sector environments, including applicable bidding, cooperative/consortium purchasing (e.g., E&I, Sourcewell, NASPO ValuePoint), and compliance regulations.
• Experience sourcing enterprise software, software as a service, and cloud infrastructure, including EULA/SLA negotiation, software licensing models, and data security/privacy/accessibility requirements (SOC 2, DPAs, WCAG, Section 508, ADA)
• Experience sourcing across diverse categories including Marketing, Communications, Facilities, Academic and Instructional Services, Legal, HR, Government Relations, and Institutional Advancement.
• Skilled in complex contract negotiation and redlining, including pricing, renewal/termination terms, liability, indemnification, and total cost of owne