Procurement & Contracts Specialist

Job Summary

The Procurement & Contracts Specialist (IT) is the central point of contact for all Information Technology (IT) related purchasing and contract activities for the Leeds School of Business and is housed in the Learning and Teaching Solutions (LTS) technology office. This position is responsible for IT purchasing and contract work that is distributed across multiple functional areas throughout Leeds.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary LTS contact for all IT-related purchasing requests from Leeds units (faculty, staff, centers, programs).
• Create and process CU Marketplace requisitions Purchase Orders/Standing Purchase Orders (POs/SPOs) for IT goods and services, ensuring:
• Accurate speedtypes and account codes
• Appropriate approval routing
• Correct receiving and invoice matching
• Coverage with OIT for IT purchases that are routed through OIT billing to ensure alignments with campus standards and Leeds needs.
• Review IT-related Purchasing Card (Pcard), Concur, and Business Expense Reimbursement activity (when IT purchases occur in those channels) for allowability, appropriate documentation, policy compliance, and correct coding.
• Resolve routine purchasing issues with vendors and central offices (e.g., invoice discrepancies, missing documentation, tax corrections, returned items).
• Maintain a centralized inventory of all Leeds IT contracts (software, SaaS, services, cloud, databases, proctoring tools, etc.), including:
• Renewal dates and notice periods
• Licence counts, user types, and units served
• Contract amounts and funding sources
• Support vendor selection and renewal decision-making by gathering usage, pricing, and performance information from partners and vendors.
• Affirmative action and equal employment opportunity statement removed for brevity.
• Ensure that IT contracts meet university and campus standards for data security, privacy, and accessibility, raising to LTS and central IT as appropriate.
• Administer centralized purchasing and renewals for faculty and doctoral research databases and data subscriptions (approximately 30 resources), including coordinating with faculty, vendor representatives, and library/IT partners where relevant.
• Serve as the operational hub for purchasing faculty IT subscriptions that can no longer be placed on individual Pcards due to the Pcard Issuance and Allocation Plan.
• Work with LTS and Leeds A/P to design and maintain request workflows (e.g., Qualtrics or ServiceNow forms) through which faculty and staff submit IT purchasing requests; ensure the workflows are easy to use, transparent, and policy-compliant.
• Track, monitor, and reconcile recurring IT subscription commitments to ensure continuity of access and to avoid unnecessary renewals.
• Apply university, campus, and Leeds procurement and fiscal policies to all IT purchases, including:
• Appropriate use of funds and spending thresholds
• Export control and data security considerations where applicable
• Contract and signature authority rules
• Facilitate accessibility and security reviews through central IT
• Support Pcard governance by contributing IT-specific insight to quarterly audits and annual fiscal reviews; help address findings related to IT purchases.
• Develop and maintain reports and dashboards highlighting IT spending by category, vendor, unit, and purchasing channel (Marketplace, OIT, Pcard, Concur).
• Identify issues such as after-the-fact purchases, inconsistent coding, and duplicate vendors, and recommend process or policy adjustments.
• Collaborate with Leeds A/P, LTS leadership, and the Senior Director of Budget and Finance on continuous improvement of IT purchasing processes and documentation.
• Respond to IT purchasing questions from faculty and staff via email, ServiceNow, and scheduled meetings, providing clear guidance on process, timelines, and required documentation.
• Develop concise guides, checklists, FAQs, and training materials that explain IT purchasing workflows, Pcard limitations, central purchasing options, and expectations for lead time.
• Provide individual and group training sessions for faculty and staff on IT purchasing processes, often in collaboration with Leeds A/P and LTS colleagues.
• Maintain strong, professional working relationships with faculty, staff, vendors, and central offices, emphasizing service, accuracy, and clear communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in accounting, finance, business administration, information systems, public administration, or a closely related field.
• Three years of experience in procurement and contract administration supporting purchasing and vendor agreements, including contract review, renewals, and compliance.
• A combination of education and relevant experience may substitute on a year-for-year basis.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in reviewing contracts, invoices, and financial transactions.
• Ability to interpret and apply policies, exercise professional judgment, and know when to raise questions or issues.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple requests, timelines, and interruptions in a high-volume environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to translate complex or technical requirements into clear, practical guidance.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with faculty, staff, vendors, and central partners.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Promotes creating an inclusive environment to reflect our values and vision at Leeds.
• Confident to work with a dotted line supervisory relationship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years of experience in purchasing, accounts payable, or contract management, with responsibility for Pcard and purchase-order processing.
• Experience in a higher-education environment, preferably supporting multiple academic units or a shared services/finance center.
• Experience with one or more of the following systems (or equivalents): Marketplace, Concur Travel & Expense, Cognos/m-Fin, ServiceNow or similar ticketing tools.
• Familiarity with technology procurement, including software licensing models, SaaS/cloud service agreements, and IT security/data-protection considerations.
• Demonstrated experience explaining procurement or fiscal policies and training others on processes.

Special Instructions

• A current resume.
• A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

Contact Information

Posting Contact Information

Boulder Campus Human Resources Recruiting@colorado.edu