• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Building: Studebaker
• Salary Range: $85,000 - $90,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, Services, Software & Consultant Agreements, the Senior Category Manager is responsible for the sourcing, review, negotiation, and administration of goods and services to meet the University's business needs through third-party agreements.

Responsibilities

Strategic:

• Leads the review and negotiation, and in some cases, the development of agreements in support of collaborations and joint ventures undertaken by the University;
• Works in close partnership with the Office of the General Counsel, Risk Management, and University leadership;
• Works with the Director and University colleagues on the effective incorporation of new terms and conditions in University contracts to support evolving compliance requirements;
• Negotiates agreements, (i.e. terms, scope, service level agreements, etc.);
• Assists and advises University departments in obtaining the best total value considering quality, service, and cost on a timely basis;
• Develops effective working relationships with suppliers to negotiate the best possible value, ensure the quality of services (and some goods) purchased, and fully meet the needs of end users.
• Identifies sourcing opportunities for conversion from non-standard agreements to either Master Contracts or University-wide Purchasing Agreements (UwPA's) based on analysis of University spending data;
• Coordinates with schools and departments to effectively promote and manage University-wide Agreements;
• Participates in the development, implementation, and promotion of the use of University agreement templates.

Transactional:

• Responsible for the collection, review, and approval of documentation that provides compliance and completeness of University Purchase Order requirements and prepares for review by Procurement management;
• Tracks the status of all agreements in the process;
• Ensures that, in conjunction with the customer the Scope of Work and contract Terms & Conditions are complete and accurate;
• Interacts with the offices of Risk Management and the Office of the General Counsel to ensure full compliance of all related transactions with University purchasing policies as well as federal and other applicable regulations;
• Facilitates, reviews, and tracks customer and/or supplier requests for waivers relative to University accepted standard terms and conditions;
• Reviews and manages consultant/contract queues relative to outstanding customer requests and escalates as required;
• Reviews and manages expected and/or agreed deadlines and prioritizes accordingly;
• Develops, negotiates, awards, and administers contracts, purchase orders, and change orders that take maximum advantage of the University's spending leverage;
• Processes Purchase Requisitions/Change Orders/Contracts of up to $100,000 utilizing Purchasing systems and convert them to appropriate Purchase Orders.

Training, Communications, and Education:

• Assists the Director, Service Agreements in the ongoing development and refinement of related materials supporting the contracting process (i.e. user guides, on-site training, forms, etc.);
• Conducts education, communication, and training activities to promote increased competency within the University community;
• Represents the Purchasing Department at customer and supplier meetings;
• Assists in the ongoing development and refinement of the Purchasing website relative to contracting initiatives;
• Participation in the development of training and web-based documentation relative to contracts and consulting-type agreements.

Performs other related duties and special projects, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required. A minimum of four years of related purchasing experience is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in a related contract management area and with automated purchasing systems.
• Experience with ERP implementation especially Oracle/PeopleSoft, preferred.

Other Requirements

• Experience with the development and review of varied contracts is also required with a specific understanding of software, SAAS, and other license-related agreements.
• Must have a general understanding of the laws, rules, and regulations related to UCC as well as Uniform Guidance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Access, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with Jaggaer, or other e-marketplace.
• A demonstrated ability to prepare reports, summaries, and analyses and present findings and recommendations.
• The ability to collect and analyze data and evaluate information.
• Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational and problem-solving skills, and have the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Must be able to effectively manage high transaction volumes on a sustained basis.
• Must be a self-starter and capable of operating with minimal supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal are essential to support both internal and external customer requirements.
• Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in written communication, as well as, active listening skills,
• The ability to work closely and effectively with a diverse group of University administrators, characterized by strong consensus-building and relationship-building skills, is essential.
• Must be able to negotiate issues and resolve problems both independently and collaboratively.
• In addition, the successful candidate must be able to work well with all levels of management, student groups, and faculty on both the academic and medical sides of the Columbia organization.
• The incumbent, must possess demonstrate patience, be a self-starter, manage varying projects and duties concurrently, and be flexible solve problems and next steps, with sound judgment.
• Must have a passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality.