Assistant Director, Procurement - Strategic Operations

James Madison University • Harrisonburg, VA

6d • $78,000 - $86,520

About The Position

The Assistant Director, Procurement - Strategic Operations serves as a senior
Procurement leader, shaping and advancing the university’s procurement
strategies. This leader will assist in planning and directing contract
administration practices, contract compliance activities, contract file reviews,
standardizing procurement processes, FOIA responses, detailed analysis and
reporting, Oracle Procurement/Supplier & Contract Administration Modules
functional/business oversight, small business initiatives (inclusive of
compliance with state laws), economic development, and other technology and
business operational activities that align with JMU's mission and financial
stewardship priorities. The Assistant Director will also develop/maintain,
facilitate and/or provide oversight to internal campus procurement
policy/procedure and systems training and external communication and outreach
activities. The Assistant Director of Strategic Operations will be expected to
support value-driven purchasing solutions in alignment with the Rules Governing
Procurement of Goods, Services, Insurance and Construction by Public
Institutions of Higher Education of the Commonwealth of Virginia and other
pertinent Virginia regulations, and will be expected to be assigned a commodity
area and/or conduct procurements/contracting activities on an as assigned basis.
This position will provide back-up to the Director of Procurement Services and
the Assistant Director of Sourcing and Contracting as needed. The position will
support technical writing, manual/policy updates, and standard operating
procedures across the department. This position will work closely with
departments, vendors, and state agencies to foster ethical, efficient, and
customer-focused procurement practices.

Requirements

• Progressive leadership experience, preferably in public sector or higher education.
• Significant progressive experience in contract administration, procurement/ERP system administration, procurement Lead/Supervisor/Manager positions in public facing or government entities.
• Designation as a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Virginia Contracting Officer (VCO), Virginia Construction Contracting Officer (VCCO), Certified Procurement Manager (CPM), Certified University Procurement Officer (CUPO), or other similar certifications and experience to reflect a high knowledge of Public Procurement Law and Ethics.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws and regulations related to higher education procurement.
• Familiarity with eVA (Virginia's electronic procurement system) or comparable ERP/Procurement systems.
• Demonstrated experience and high level of technical expertise with Procurement systems inclusive of testing, rollouts, and end user training creation.
• Experience working with small business initiatives and outreach activities.
• Demonstrated strong leadership and team building skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated analytical, problem solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with management and administration.
• Commitment to engaging with a broad range of suppliers.
• Demonstrated experience establishing best practice policies and procedures, manuals and internal desktop processes.
• Excellent judgement and ability to discern levels of risk and benefit, specifically related to procurement policies/procedures and contract compliance activities.
• Demonstrated integrity in managing complex relationships and confidential information.
• Experience with contract negotiations and administration across a breath of commodities, ideally in a higher education setting.
• Data or financial analysis skills.
• Proven proactive and action based leadership to solve problems and implement customer focused initiatives.

Nice To Haves

• Substantial professional experience in public procurement.
• Thorough understanding of the Governing Rules for Higher Education.
• Demonstrated knowledge in multiple skill areas: Contract Administration, Procurement Systems, Procurement Training/Development,
• Small Business Initiatives, Economic Development, Law/Policy Interpretation, Auditing, Contracting of Goods and Services.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of professionals (Contract Administrators, Business Analyst, Office & SWaM Reporting Manager, Administrative Assistant) inclusive of vision setting, policy and procedure development/refinement, daily leadership, allocation of resources across responsibilities, procurement/commodity assignments, performance evaluations, coaching.
• Provide oversight and guidance to ensure that all university purchases, contract files, small business initiatives, and systems are made/maintained according to Guidelines by the Commonwealth of Virginia and University Policy.
• Oversee lifecycle of contract administration to ensure adherence to university policy, state and federal regulations, and audit standards.
• Lead compliance monitoring activities and proactively support Contract Administrators to mitigate institutional risk. Interpret and implement regulatory changes affecting public procurement, ensuring timely policy updates and stakeholder communications. Position will develop, implement and conduct internal compliance reviews on Sourcing and Contracting projects and conduct internal assessments to ensure readiness for state audits and efficiency reviews.
• Provide oversight/guidance for procurement system activities, including system configuration, security protocols, workflow management, and campus/supplier training initiatives. Collaborate with staff (Procurement Business Analyst and/or Contract Module Administrators), and Oracle ERP Application Manager and as appropriate to ensure optimization of system integrations, reporting capabilities, and automation initiatives, while also ensuring continuity of services.
• Champion small business initiatives that advance institutional commitment to inclusive procurement and economic impact. Ensure regulatory compliance related to small, women-owned, minority-owned, and service-disabled veteran business participation as required by Virginia Law. Foster partnerships with small business suppliers and support economic development initiatives aligned with university and regional priorities. Represent the university in supplier engagement forums and outreach activities. Provide leadership and oversight to Office & SWaM Reporting Manager related to state required SWaM reporting and VASCUPP SDAC Committee participation responsibilities.
• Represent Procurement Services on a variety of internal committees as well as representing James Madison University through state and national organizations.
• Develop, maintain and facilitate training, education and outreach to university departments and suppliers.
• Provide oversight to state/university reporting and data analysis needs as applicable to SWaM, contract administration, financial and other general reporting activities.

Benefits

• Generous Leave: Enjoy paid vacation, sick leave, parental leave, community service leave, and 19 paid holidays annually.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access high-quality health insurance options that fit your needs.
• Retirement Options: Plan for your future with retirement benefits through the Virginia Retirement System.
• Employee Well-Being: Our Balanced Dukes program promotes wellness and work-life integration through resources, events, and support.
• Tuition Waiver Program: Advance your education with our tuition waiver program for undergraduate and graduate courses taken at JMU.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees