Director of Procurement (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools•Weslaco, TX

1d•$108,100 - $128,600

About The Position

Director of Procurement Mission: The Director of Procurement leads the organization's procurement and contract management function, ensuring the compliant, efficient, and customer-centered acquisition of goods and services across a multi-region educational organization. This role is responsible for setting procurement strategy , strengthening internal controls, improving systems and workflows, and developing a high-performing team that supports schools and central teams with excellence. The Director of Procurement serves as the organization's lead expert on purchasing, contracting, vendor governance, and procurement compliance. This leader partners closely with Finance, Accounting, Accounts Payable, school-based leaders, and other stakeholders to improve service, reduce risk, and ensure procurement practices align with organizational priorities and applicable local, state, and federal requirements. Supervisory Responsibilities: This role leads the Procurement and Contracts team and supervises approximately 5 direct reports and 22 skip-level team members. Location: This is a full-time position based in Texas, with preference given to candidates who live in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Permian Basin (Midland/Odessa), Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tarrant County (Fort Worth), or who are willing to relocate. Travel Expectations: Up to 10% travel may be required for leadership meetings, trainings , conferences, and organizational events.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business , Finance, Accounting, Management, or a related field.
7+ years of progressive experience in procurement, purchasing, contracts, or a related function.
3+ years of people leadership experience, including managing professional staff.
Experience leading procurement operations in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment.
Experience improving processes, implementing controls, and driving operational consistency.
Experience partnering cross-functionally with Finance, Accounting, Accounts Payable, and operational stakeholders.
Strong understanding of procurement compliance, contract administration, vendor management, and internal controls
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to drive decisions.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Business Administration , Public Administration, Accountancy, or a related field.
Experience in K-12 education, charter schools, school districts, government, or another highly regulated environment.
Experience with public-sector or grant-funded procurement requirements.
Familiarity with Texas procurement requirements, TEA guidance, EDGAR, and FASRG.
Experience with ERP or purchasing workflow systems, including Tyler Munis or similar platforms.
Professional procurement certification.

Responsibilities

Lead the organization's procurement and contract management function, including purchasing operations, vendor governance, and procurement service delivery.
Establish clear priorities, service standards, and performance expectations for the procurement team.
Oversee the end-to-end requisition, purchase order, and contract review process to ensure timely, accurate, and policy-aligned execution.
Strengthen procurement policies, controls, and workflows to improve efficiency, transparency, and audit readiness.
Ensure procurement activities comply with applicable policies and regulations, including grant requirements and other state and federal guidelines.
Oversee vendor onboarding and vendor record maintenance, ensuring required documentation is complete, accurate, and properly retained.
Partner with Finance, Accounting, and Accounts Payable to support vendor tax reporting, documentation quality, and related control processes.
Monitor key operational metrics, identify root causes of delays or errors, and lead continuous improvement efforts.
Reduce rejected requisitions, incomplete submissions, after-the-fact purchases, and aged procurement items.
Serve as a trusted advisor to school and departmental leaders on purchasing requirements, contracting pathways, and procurement best practices.
Develop tools, training, and guidance that help internal stakeholders navigate procurement requirements successfully.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of procurement professionals while building a culture of accountability, collaboration, and strong customer service.