VP of Procurement

First Student, Inc.; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

First Student, Inc. is seeking a senior procurement leader to drive North America operations across three operating companies with over $2B in annual expenditures.

The role partners with company Presidents and CFOs to implement strategic sourcing, supplier development, and cost containment initiatives. The ideal candidate will manage supplier relationships, establish performance metrics, and align procurement with stakeholder needs while traveling up to 20% as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in business, supply chain, or related field.
• 10+ years of procurement/purchasing leadership experience.
• Experience leading sourcing for multiple operating companies.
• Strong knowledge of supply chain policies and supplier development.
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills.
• Willingness to travel 10–20% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Presidents and CFOs to establish strategic procurement initiatives.
• Develop and execute procurement strategies to control expenses and support growth.
• Develop and maintain supplier relationships and world-class supply chain.
• Lead all aspects of procurement, supplier development, and strategy execution.
• Set supply chain metrics and drive procurement goals.
• Ensure procurement team supports key stakeholders and delivers excellent service.
• Plan and direct supply chain policies, objectives, and initiatives.
• Aim for cost avoidance and reduction objectives.
• Perform other duties as needed for NA operating companies.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relationship management

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The individual will be responsible for, but not limited to, leading all facets of the North America Operations procurement requirements spanning 3 operating companies and $2B+ in expenditures annually.

Major Responsibilities

• Partner with operating company Presidents and CFO's in establishing strategic procurement initiatives that support the respective North America business entities goals and objectives.
• Establishing and executing Procurement strategies that support operating company expense control initiatives as well as supporting business growth within the company.
• Develop/Maintain supplier relationships and strategies leading to a world-class supply chain (cost, delivery and quality).
• Lead/Administer all aspects of procurement, supplier development, sourcing, collaboration, management, and execution of strategies within the department.
• Set supply chain metrics, goals and rewards to properly lead the procurement organization in executing strategic plans.
• Ensuring the Procurement Team is supportive of all key stakeholder requirements (other Shared Service organizations, Operations, suppliers, etc.) in providing exemplary customer service.
• Plans and directs all aspects of the system's supply chain policies, objectives, and initiatives.
• Responsible for achieving supply and service cost avoidance, containment and reduction objectives.
• Performs other duties as requested, in support of the North America operating companies.

Minimum Experience or Skills Required

• Bachelor's degree.
• 10+ Years of Procurement / Purchasing Leadership and Management experience, preferably within the transportation industry.
• Proven track record of effectively leading sourcing and procurement organizational activities in support of multiple operating companies yielding tangible business results.
• Experienced procurement professional with strong knowledge and expertise in multiple commodity sourcing facets with expert knowledge of policies, procedures and systems in leading a large scale procurement organization.
• Strategic ability to develop high impact sourcing strategies. Exhibits thought leadership.
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written including public speaking and presentations.
• Flexible self-starter willing to adjust to an environment with ever-changing priorities.
• In depth knowledge of key supply chain / logistics processes & current best practices.
• Strong leadership abilities both from a Procurement and Program Management perspective to ensure department and company success on varied responsibilities.
• Expectation of 10-20% travel both domestically and internationally (as required).

Language Requirement
This role requires English proficiency. Federal, state, and local requirements, including U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, require training, safety communications, company policies, employment documents, and other job-related communications be conducted in English.

First for a reason:

At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.

In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law. Philadelphia's Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance Poster is at this link or upon request https://www.phila.gov/media/20210423160847/Fair-Chance-Hiring-law-poster.pdf