About UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.
Job Summary
Under general direction of the Financial Budget/Finance Director for Student Affairs and Campus Life, the Assistant Director for Purchasing and Process Management provides leadership and support for procurement, contracts, property/inventory management, centralized purchasing, and related special projects for Student Affairs and Campus Life. Specific duties include, but are not limited to, the administration of the public bid process, approval of contracts for goods and services, contract compliance, training and monitoring of staff and student procurement activity within established protocols, and systems development designed to ensure efficient, effective centralized practices for the SACL division.
Essential Functions
Procurement
- Manages procurement and accounts payable processes for SACL units including reviewing and authorizing purchases, preparing purchasing justification statements, and sole source documentation.
- Maintains current knowledge of University and Procurement purchasing and account payable policies, procedures, documentation and forms as well as relevant State, University and Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium (MHEC) contracts and Massachusetts General Laws to include Chapter 149.
- Prepares bids, writes specifications as prescribed by state law and institutional mandate, analyzes and evaluates bid results, partner directly with University Counsel as needed and recommend award.
- Manages Bank Card, Travel, and BuyWays programs. Recommends, establishes, and documents purchasing methods, procedures and standards for these programs. Authorizes transactions to update user profiles, ensure compliance with campus standards, and conduct spot audits.
- Serves as primary liaison with Umass Unified Procurement Services Team (UPST) for all SACL Division purchasing related functions.
- Conducts statistical research and analysis of SACL divisional purchase; compiles and interprets statistical records and reports for a variety of audiences.
- Creates, nurtures, and enhances vendor relationships through communication, problem solving, documentation, and training.
Contracts
- Represents all SACL units in contract and software license negotiations; works with University Counsel, the UPST, and vendors to achieve desired results.
- Prepares and monitors small project contracts for trade labor, contracts for services, performance contracts, or related agreements; ensures contracts that include cloud-services and/or PCI components meet campus policy and adheres to all review processes. Signs contracts and agreements as an agent of the University of Massachusetts Amherst within established parameters.
- Interprets rules and regulations of the University and the State to assure that all contractual documents meet legal requirements. Assures compliance with contract language and administer contract changes as needed. Communicates contract obligations to all parties involved and manage disputes within contract constraints.
Centralized Processes
- Leads and designs SACL centralized processes including, but not limited to, vehicles, furniture, cellphones, product delivery, copyright management, trademark management, and any other regulated purchase.
- Streamlines business practices for all business units to create a more uniform pipeline of information between interested parties.
- Documents all processes, and regularly communicate with all staff about changing and updating processes.
- Designs effective, varied training programs and educational materials customized for group or individual training sessions for registered student organizations student leaders and divisional colleagues; determines training needs and tracks attendance; seeks feedback to improve training programs and educational materials.
Supervision
- Directly supervises 5 fulltime employees (FTE). Indirectly supervises 1-10 student employees as needed.
- Recruits, hires, trains, supervises and addresses the job performance of supervised staff. Manages all hiring, on-boarding, training, professional development, job performance reviews, disciplinary concerns, and off- boarding for supervised staff.
- Addresses workplace concerns; works with Human Resources and Labor Relations staff to resolve personnel matters; and, as needed, participates in grievance investigations and hearings.
- Provides staff with opportunities for competency-based learning and engage staff in unit, department, divisional and institutional goals and events.
- Leads regularly scheduled effective meetings, provides context for decisions, fosters open lines of communication, maintains appropriate levels of confidentiality, and cultivates a staff culture rooted in collaboration, civility, adaptability, and professionalism.
Organizational Leadership
- Provides direction, strategic visioning, and measurable goals for SACL Finance Matrix. Aligns priorities with University and divisional strategic plans. Utilizes assessment and evaluation measures to establish outcomes, monitors progress, address concerns, and foster continuous improvement within the Finance unit.
- Serves on and/or lead division/campus-wide committees and initiatives, liaises with significant stakeholders and offices, develops positive and effective working relationships within unit and across campus, enacts clear and open communication patterns, make timely and appropriate decisions.
- Actively commits to advances in matters of diversity and inclusion, compliance, budgetary/fiscal responsibility, and use of technology.
Other Functions
- Performs related duties as assigned or required. Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery and other compliance requirements.
- Demonstrates capacity, skill, and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.
- Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with University policy.
- Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace. Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public university related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Bachelor’s Degree.
- Five (5) years of direct purchasing experience.
- Three (3) years of direct or functional supervisory experience.
- Valid Class D Driver’s License required upon hire.
- Working knowledge of relevant procurement laws, policies, and practices.
- Excellent interpersonal skills including strong ability to relate effectively with highly diverse work force, ability to establish and maintain positive, effective working relationships; commitment to team success; and, superior communication (oral and written), and negotiation and active listening skills.
- Excellent organizational skills including proven ability to work independently and effectively manage routine work and assigned projects, reporting workplace concerns to supervisor, and engaging in solution focused practices.
- Demonstrated commitment to excellent customer service.
- Demonstrated experience with project management to include establishing and meeting deadlines, team instruction and coaching, and quality control.
- Experience with Microsoft 365 (including Teams and SharePoint), Salesforce, and DocuSign and utilizing data for reporting purposes.
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Master’s Degree in a related field including but not limited to Accounting or Business Administration.
- Active MCPPO certification.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver individual and group presentations to individuals and groups.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
- Typical office environment.
- Ability to engage in physical activity in the field, including frequent travel to campus building and local storage facilities. Occasional travel to other UMass system locations.
Work Schedule
- Typical work schedule Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
- Required to work some nights and weekends.
Salary Information
Level 28
PSU Hiring Ranges
Special Instructions to Applicants
Along with the completed application, please upload a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three (3) professional references. Posting will remain open until position is filled.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.