Associate Director of USS Contract Administration

Leadership and Management

Oversee the USS Contract Administration team, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture.
Develop and execute a clear, division-aligned vision for contract management that supports USS and university-wide strategic goals.
Advise senior leadership on contract strategy, vendor partnerships, and procurement approaches that enhance operational efficiency and service delivery.
Collaborate across departments to ensure contracts advance institutional priorities and student-centered initiatives.

Strategic Contract Administration

• Implement efficient, compliant contract management processes across the division.
  Cook up contract, purchasing, and vendor needs through clear, consistent communication with departments, Finance, and University Procurement.
  Continuously evaluate and refine procurement strategies to ensure contracts meet current requirements and align with long-term organizational goals.
  Lead end-to-end sourcing efforts, including RFP development, evaluation, and vendor selection, to support high-quality, student-centered services.
  Persistently track and analyze contract performance metrics to support data-driven decisions and provide actionable insights to senior leadership.

Financial Oversight and Risk Management

• Partner with USS Finance and departments to monitor and manage contractual budgets, ensuring financial integrity and accountability.
  Assess contracts for financial viability and risks, identifying opportunities to strengthen fiscal stewardship.
  Drive continuous cost-efficiency through strategic negotiations, renewals, vendor selection, and market evaluation to maximize contract value.
  Deliver clear budget insights, including variance analysis, forecasting, and performance implications to support informed decision-making.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

• Lead process re-engineering efforts to streamline the contract lifecycle, reduce friction, shorten cycle times, and improve user experience.
  Strengthen USS departmental contracting practices by establishing clear standards, enhancing workflow efficiency, and promoting consistency across units.

Special Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Executive-level communication and stakeholder influencing; ability to distill complexity into clear recommendations.
  Advanced financial and negotiation skills with a focus on long-term strategic outcomes.
  Analytical rigor with comfort in metrics, dashboards, and decision-support models with a commitment to data-driven management.
  Deep knowledge of the contract lifecycle, procurement best practices, and compliance requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or related field.
  Six years’ related experience in contract administration in a complex environment.

Additional Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Business, Finance, or a related field.
  Advanced knowledge of ERP systems and related contracting or procurement technologies.
  Demonstrated supervisory experience with a track record of developing and leading high-performing teams.
  Proven experience leading organizational change initiatives and engaging diverse stakeholder groups effectively.
  Familiarity with the practices and challenges in higher education or nonprofit environments.