Director of Purchasing

Who We Are

The University of New Haven, founded on the Yale campus in 1920, is a private, coeducational university that has been recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report for academic excellence. Located between New York City and Boston in the shoreline city of West Haven, the University is a diverse and vibrant community of nearly 10,000 students from across the globe. Within its five colleges, students immerse themselves in a transformative, career-focused education across the liberal arts and sciences, fine arts, business, engineering, public safety and public service. More than 100 academic programs are offered, all grounded in a long-standing commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary, project-based learning.

The Director of Purchasing supports the University’s community and mission by providing leadership, direction and expertise in contract and procurement services that ensure quality products and services are purchased in a cost effective, efficient and ethical manner. These duties require strategic planning skills, visionary leadership, a comprehensive knowledge of industry trends, advanced technology applications involving e-commerce, and the ability to work collegially and collaboratively with diverse audiences throughout the campus community. The Director supervises the Purchasing Department staff, currently consisting of a PCard Administrator and an Assistant to the Director of Purchasing, and is responsible for the creation and implementation of departmental policies and procedures. This position reports to the Associate Vice President for Finance

You Will

• Manage the Purchasing function for the University in an efficient and cost effective manner
• Work with the highest ethical standards and create an environment that demands ethical behavior from all constituents
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders across the campus community, at both the leadership and operational levels, to identify and implement strategic sourcing initiatives
• Create and evaluate policies and procedures for the Purchasing Department and help ensure the University community is educated and informed on the policies and procedures
• Insure compliance with all federal, state and local regulations including those related to sponsored program initiatives
• Set the overall vision and strategic direction, both long and short-term, for the Purchasing Department as well as coaching and fostering professional development of the Purchasing staff
• Negotiate and monitor University contracts
• Review contract language for desired terms and conditions
• Drives innovation and evaluates new suppliers as a part of the supply chain management process
• Responsible for reporting out of the Purchasing Department including spend analytics and other metrics
• Design and manage the competitive solicitation process (RFP’s, RFI’s, RFQ’s, ITN’s and ITB’s) and negotiates business terms with vendors for the purchase of goods and services for the University
• Manage the bidding process including pre-bid meetings, bid openings and award recommendations
• Supervise and support the processing of University Purchase Orders and the University’s Purchasing Card (PCard) program
• Participates in the development of eCommerce, eProcurement and other IT initiatives based on best practices for efficient operations
  
  

Secondary Duties

• Serves on University committees
• University representative for the CCPG (Connecticut College Purchasing Group)
• Performs other duties related to those enumerated above which do not alter the basic level of responsibility of the position.
  
  

You Need

• A Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration or related field
• 8 years of progressive purchasing experience with at least 5 years of supervisory experience.
• Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, effective organizational and negotiation skills and the ability to lead and motivate staff.
• Must also possess a good working knowledge of business law concepts and legal aspects of contract administration and purchasing best practices.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite with intermediate excel skills. Working knowledge of federal rules and regulations as related to grant spending.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in business administration or comparable advanced degree
• A professional procurement certification; eg., CPP, CPPM, CPM, CPSM, CPSD.
• Prior purchasing experience preferably in an academic environment.
• Experience with Ellucian’s Banner ERP system is highly desirable.
  
  

What’s In It For You

• Health & Welfare Programs: Employees and their eligible family members, including spouses and dependent are eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Programs.
• Wellness & Fitness: On-campus Recreation and Fitness Center for employees and families; Employee Assistant Program
• Commitment to Educational Excellence: Tuition assistance for employees and eligible dependents; Tuition exchange opportunities
• Employee Discounts on products, services and educational opportunities
• Work/Life Benefits: Generous paid time off programs; progressive paid holiday schedule (including holiday break between Christmas and New Year’s); 4 weeks of parental paid leave; flexible work schedules including summer hours where applicable
• The University of New Haven is not a qualifying E-Verify employer and its use of E-Verify is limited to specific government projects. For that reason, candidates with STEM OPT authorization cannot be considered for employment.