Senior Procurement and Contracts Manager

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin is seeking a Senior Procurement and Contracts Manager for the School of Computing. This 40-hour/week exempt role oversees purchasing, vendor negotiations, and the full contract lifecycle to support teaching and research.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree and 5+ years in procurement leadership, with strong IT/software purchasing experience. Position is on UT Main Campus in Austin.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least 5 years of experience as a team lead or staff supervisor.
• Five years of purchasing/procurement experience.
• Experience with IT and software purchases and contracts including knowledge of software contracting processes and issues.
• Experience drafting and negotiating procurement contracts.
• Demonstrated success with creating, implementing, and revising procurement or other business processes and documentation.
• Experience advising and directing others on procurement rules and procedures.
• Ability to implement effective procurement and contracting solutions that meet relevant procurement laws and University policy.
• Excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Direct the full portfolio of procurement and contracts for the School of Computing. Create, review, and approve purchase orders and business contracts. Apply sound purchasing judgment to evaluate vendor proposals, pricing, and terms, partnering with IT staff to translate technical requirements into purchasing decisions.
• Lead the development of procurement processes to support the School's teaching and research mission and new initiatives, monitoring changes to purchasing rules, and proposing new processes.
• Recruit, manage, train, and evaluate the Purchasing/Receiving team, including student employees. Cross-train staff to respond quickly to changing needs.
• Manage the full contract lifecycle: drafting, reviewing, amending, negotiating terms, and resolving issues. Serve as liaison with Procurement/Business Contracts and with vendors.
• Advise School leadership, faculty, and staff on procurement policy. Create and upkeep purchasing system, guidelines, SOPs, FAQs, and forms for purchasing, agreements, and receiving.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

5+ years leadership

5 years purchasing experience

IT/software purchasing

contract drafting/negotiation

procurement policy advising

excellent communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

None

Job description

Job Posting Title:

Senior Procurement and Contracts Manager

Hiring Department:

School of Computing

Position Open To:

All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

General Notes

This position will support the university's new School of Computing, which includes 3 strong departments and more than9,000students across all programs. This places UT among the most significant intellectual hubs for computer science, information, andstatisticsand data science research and education anywhere in the world.The School of Computing has a close relationship with Austin's thriving tech culture and works at the forefront of fields spanning artificial intelligence, robotics and quantum computing; data science, statistics and scientific discovery; cybersecurity and trustworthy computing; and human-centered technology, information, and the societal impacts of computing.TheSchoolis seekingaProcurement and ContractsManagerto lead the purchasing team and functions.

Purpose

Lead procurement and contracting for the School of Computing, directing the purchasing team, processes, decisions, vendor negotiations, and the full contract lifecycle in support of theSchool'steaching and research mission, while ensuring compliance with State, University, and Board of Regents rules.

Responsibilities

• Direct the full portfolio of procurement and contracts for the School of Computing. Create, review, and approve purchase orders and business contracts. Apply soundpurchasingjudgment to evaluate vendor proposals, pricing, and terms, partnering with IT staff to translate technical requirements intopurchasingdecisions. Provideexpertiseon software and subscriptionpurchasingto ensure access to tools and systems critical to the work of the School of Computing. Ensure new equipment is properly tagged and added to inventory at acquisition in coordination with the IT team.

• Lead the development of procurement processes to support theSchool'steaching and research mission and new initiatives, thinking strategically and proactively. Monitor changes to UT System, University, and State of Texas purchasing rules, and proactively propose new processes to respond to these changes. Work with faculty, IT, and Finance and Administration to balance stakeholder interests, mediate conflicts, and implement effective solutions. Work with the Accounting team to ensure purchasing processes flow with financial accounting and reconciliation.

• Recruit, manage, train, and evaluate the Purchasing/Receiving team, including student employees.Cross-trainstaff torespond quickly to changing needs. Assign and prioritize work in line with theSchool'sgoals and milestones.

• Manage the full contract lifecycle: drafting, reviewing, amending, negotiating terms, and resolving issues. Serve as the School's primary liaison withUniversityoffices such as Procurement and Business Contracts and with vendors, including onboarding. Resolve contractual and vendor questions or disputes, looping in IT for technical questions. Work with other university offices toidentifyand resolve roadblocks and barriers while ensuring compliance with State and Federal law, Board of Regents Rules, and university policy and procedures.

• Advise School leadership, faculty, and staff on procurement policy. Own the creation and upkeep of theSchool'spurchasing system, guidelines, SOPs, FAQs, and forms forpurchasing, agreements, and receiving; delegate drafting as needed, but ensure materials exist, stay current, and are shared. Coordinate the team's response and communication to faculty, staff, and students whenpurchasingrules or processes change.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelorsdegree andat least 5 years of experience as a team lead orstaffsupervisor.
• Five yearsofpurchasing/procurementexperience.
• ExperiencewithIT and software purchases and contractsincluding knowledge of software contracting processes and issues.
• Experience drafting and negotiating procurement contracts.
• Demonstrated success with creating, implementing, and revising procurement or other business processes and documentation.
• Experience advisingand directingothers on procurement rules and procedures.
• Ability to implement effective procurement and contracting solutions that meet relevant procurement laws and University policy.
• Excellent communication skills.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted asappropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading a purchasing team and managing a purchasingfunctionend to end.
• Extensive knowledgeofand experience with IT and softwarepurchasing.
• Experience with procurement and contracting in a government or higher education setting.
• Ability to build consensus and resolve differences between stakeholders.
• Proficient with UTAustinspecific systems/software.
• State of Texas Purchasing/Contract Development (CTCD) certified.

Salary Range

$80,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and to be notified and provide resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.