Director of Procurement and Payment Services

Colorado School of Mines • Colorado Springs, CO

26d • $135,000 - $145,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Engineering a world of possibilities The Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing talent, knowledge and solutions to service industry and benefit society. Mines has a strong reputation and celebrates high rankings due to its STEM-focused education and research results. The Office of Finance, Administration and Operations (FA&O) provides critical support to the mission and forward-thinking strategic initiatives while managing $325 million in operating activity, stewarding $1 billion in assets, and supporting 1400 faculty and staff. The office of Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) is within FA&O and provides oversight for the institution’s entire "procure-to-pay" lifecycle. This role is responsible for ensuring that the acquisition of goods and services, accounts payable functions, travel reimbursements, and expense card programs are conducted efficiently, transparently, and in strict compliance with state and federal regulations and institutional policies. The Director of PPS will provide strategic leadership to the procurement, contracting, accounts payable, and expense management teams. The Director of PPS manages a team of approximately 15 professional and classified employees. They are responsible for ensuring sound financial business processes and internal controls. This position will provide strategic leadership in the acquisition of goods and services for the institution and will represent PPS in a wide range of activities, committees, and meetings. The Director will collaborate and interact with many internal and external constituencies including campus administration and academic departments, other higher education institutions, governmental agencies, and the public. The Director of PPS will implement and maintain systems and subsequent enhancements to financial and administrative systems, along with maintaining data integrity of the University financial system. This position can be hybrid in Colorado but requires a majority of time with on-campus presence. Colorado School of Mines provides dedicated professional development and training. Onboarding for this position includes training on policies and procedures, and technical training opportunities for systems and technology required for this role.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in procurement and contracting, or financial operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership/supervisory role.
• Exceptional analytical and communication skills.
• Ability to advance the university’s strategic procurement goals while delivering compliant, efficient, and customer-focused solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to drive change within a large, complex organization while maintaining high service standards and meeting strict reporting deadlines.
• Proactive, collaborative approach with the ability to work effectively across diverse groups to resolve complex and unique challenges.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree (Juris Doctorate, Certified Public Accountant, Masters Business Administration or Master’s Public Administration)
• Professional certifications such as Certified Public Procurement Officer, Certified Professional Public Buyer, or Certified Public Manager
• Experience with e-procurement platforms
• Experience implementing "P2P" (Procure-to-Pay) technologies

Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership and customer service excellence
• Policy, compliance, and training
• Team leadership and development
• Functional oversight
• Procurement & Contract Management
• Accounts Payable & Expense Management
• System, Report and Data Management

Benefits

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass
• All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center.
• We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director