Chief Procurement Officer

This position provides strategic oversight and leadership for the Accounts Payable, Procurement & Contracting Services, and Warehouse and Distribution areas at the University of Arizona. The role directs and designs the entire purchasing and payment life cycle, leveraging the latest tools and practices in Procure2Pay, artificial intelligence, robotic process automation, and agile workflow, as well as leveraged buying and negotiation, organizational design, training, campus partnerships, technologies, and cultural innovations.

When you join our team, you will be part of a smart, driven team that thrives on solving complex problems. This position manages personnel, data, and processes associated with a newly established Finance & Budget Division. Critical reporting and analysis processes include, but are not limited to: Procurement and Payment process redesign and automation, Procurement and Payment Policy setting, the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, and the sale, distribution, and warehousing of products.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Strategic Leadership and Management:

• Provide high-level direction and strategic planning for the university's Accounts Payable, Procurement, and Warehouse and Distribution functions, ensuring units departments are aligned with institutional goals and objectives.
• Lead and manage a large, diverse team through direct and indirect supervision, ensuring high performance, professional development, and operational excellence.
• Develop and implement comprehensive policies, procedures, and best practices that support the efficient and compliant execution of accounts payable and procurement activities.
• Oversee the university's procurement and payment functions, including vendor management, contract negotiation, strategic sourcing, and disbursement operations, ensuring adherence to state, federal, and university regulations.
• Ensure financial integrity and transparency in all transactions, overseeing the management of budgets, forecasts, financial reconciliations, and reporting for both departments.

Business Process Optimization:

• Lead the design, planning, and execution of procurement optimization initiatives to achieve operational excellence, transformational change, and cost savings.
• Conduct comprehensive analysis of procurement and disbursement workflows, identifying critical inefficiencies, eliminating bottlenecks, and implementing solutions that align with institutional goals and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the implementation of advanced technologies and process improvements to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service delivery within procurement and accounts payable functions.
• Serve as the university's authority on procurement, vendor relationships, and accounts payable, ensuring best practices in contract management, competitive bidding, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Oversee the university's compliance with procurement laws, tax regulations, and reporting requirements, including 1099/1042 reporting and international vendor payments.

Communication

• Act as a key advisor to university leadership, offering strategic insights on procurement strategies, financial disbursements, and risk mitigation to optimize institutional resources.
• Develops and communicates plans, ideas, requirements, concepts, logical models, and goals to technical and non-technical data owners, users, and project team members.
• Ensures sound systems of financial internal controls for all University processes, policies, and procedures to ensure the protection of University assets, while facilitating successful execution of the university's missions.
• Represent the university in high-level negotiations and partnerships with suppliers, contractors, and service providers, ensuring maximum value and service to the institution.

• Ad hoc duties as required to ensure the Procurement, Accounts Payable, and Delivery & Warehousing teams are successful in meeting our goals and objectives.
• Direct the continuous development and efficient administration of University procurement and payment operations, ensuring optimal process design and execution.
• Ensure the university's adherence to all applicable state and federal procurement laws, as well as Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) procurement codes, maintaining the highest standards of compliance and ethical practice.
• Actively participate in university-wide committees and working groups, contributing to institutional strategy while managing departmental budgets and workforce planning.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of university enterprise systems and related business principles and processes.
• Ability to work in an environment driven by team goals and expectations more than individual ones.
• Industry leading knowledge in procurement and payment life cycle, processes, and technologies.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to establish rapport with and gain trust of others and to establish cooperative working relationships with a diverse Office staff and campus community.
• Ability to work under deadlines and adapt to changes with minimum notice.
• Ability to prioritize various critical tasks assigned and to negotiate deadlines to meet the overall goals of the Division.
• Ability to be creative, supportive, and thoughtful in problem-solving, considering the diverse and occasionally conflicting needs and perspectives of the campus community and the institution.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
• Minimum of 11 years of related work experience, including 7 years of managerial experience in a large complex organization, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Experience leading multiple teams, projects, programs, or functions is required.
• Certified/Chartered Procurement Manger (CPM), Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) or the ability to obtain one or both within 12 months of hire.

• Master's preferred.
  
• Certified Procure to Pay Process Owner (CP2P)