Manager of Procurement & Payables

Research Foundation of The City University of New York•New York, NY

About The Position

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY. Primary Location: RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF C.U.N.Y. Bargaining Unit: No SUMMARY: The Manager of Procurement and Accounts Payable is a senior managerial role, reporting to the Assistant Director of Procurement and Accounts Payable of the Research Foundation of the City University of New York (RFCUNY). The incumbent will be a part of the departmental leadership team implementing the procurement strategy, policies, procedures, business processes, systems and will exercise substantial independent judgement in the fulfillment of duties and responsibilities assigned. The incumbent will have a high level of financial and operational responsibility and will lead a team of procurement professionals, manage assigned staff and their performance, supplier relationships, and ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and policies. The incumbent will be responsible for overseeing the full procurement cycle, from requisition initiation to invoice payment, for assigned group of accounts, internal customers, business processes, will ensure timely and accurate processing of procurement and accounts payable transactions, and will contribute to organization’s customer service excellence and overall financial performance. The Department processes approximately 75,000 transactions for the total business volume of approximately $200M in non-payroll accounts payable and procurement annually for the sponsored programs of the City University of New York and has 25 staff members.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, supply chain management, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in procurement and financial management, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
Strong positive customer relationship skills.
Strong negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship management skills.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Proven ability to lead and mentor a team in a high-volume, high-pace environment
Knowledge of procurement best practices, technologies, and trends.
Proficiency in procurement software and ERP systems.
Experience or proven ability to develop complex data analysis and reports.
Strategic thinking
Negotiation
Customer focus
Data analysis
Problem-solving
Leadership
Communication
Personnel management
Advanced level Excel skills.
Risk Management
Ability to work well under pressure
Able to oversee and manage high volume accounts payable processing

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred
Experience with research or sponsored programs administration in a large higher education organization preferred.
Workday or other complex ERP or corporate financial and procurement systems experience a plus.
Professional certifications are highly desired.
Experience with international procurement and logistics is a plus.
Legal experience with independent contractor agreements a plus

Responsibilities

Procurement and Accounts Payable Operations and Compliance: • Oversee, manage, execute the procurement and accounts payable process and transactions from requisition to payment, including but not limited to, Purchase Orders, Procurement Contracts, Procurement Cards, invoice payments, travel and business expense reimbursements, stipend and miscellaneous payments, for assigned group of accounts or customers.
Directly responsible for ensuring that the incumbent’s team meets RFCUNY’s, sponsor’s transaction processing timelines, deadlines, milestones, KPI’s.
Resolve complex procurement and accounts payable cases.
Provide policy, process and transaction guidance and support to staff, customers, and stakeholders.
Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, policies, and procedures and sponsors’ requirements.
Manage procurement budgets, control costs and processing times.
Regularly review and reconcile open transactions and variances.
Assist the Director and Assistant Director with the implementation of a comprehensive procurement strategy and policies aligned with the company's overall business objectives.
Develop and execute large scale procurement projects, including RFPs, RFQs, and contract negotiations.
Systems and Data Analytics: • Utilize RFCUNY’s systems and available software (including but not limited to Excel) to develop, run, analyze procurement, accounts payable, expense and any other relevant reports, create databases and other analytical tools.
Analyze, configure business processes in RFCUNY’s systems, in collaboration with other departments.
Analyze metrics, KPI’s and reports, identify outliers, issues and root causes
Recommend changes, upgrades and contribute to systems and process efficiency improvements and optimization of procurement and accounts payable practices.
Supplier and Customer Relationship Management: • Build and maintain strong relationships with customers – Principal Investigators, Grants Officers, researchers at CUNY; peers within RFCUNY; and key suppliers.
As assigned by Director or Assistant Director, negotiate favorable contracts and agreements with suppliers.
Team Leadership and Development: • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing procurement and accounts payable team.
Set clear performance expectations and provide regular feedback.
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: • Collaborate with other departments, such as Grants & Contracts, Finance, Legal, HR, to ensure alignment of policies, practices, systems and efficiency.
Provide procurement expertise and support to internal stakeholders.
Participate in cross-functional projects and initiatives.
Risk Management: • Identify, assess, and mitigate business risks.
Ensure business continuity in the event of external disruptions.
Other: • Perform other tasks as assigned.