PROCUREMENT MANAGER - STRATEGIC SOURCING MANAGER

The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) propels our mission through impactful work locally, in government centers, and systemwide. As a world leader in research and education, UCOP supports the 10 campuses, six academic medical centers, and three national laboratories, enrolling premier students from California and beyond.

About the Role

The Business Resource Center (BRC) provides high-quality, customer-focused financial and administrative services to UCOP departments. This position leads the Local Procurement team, partnering with UCOP divisions, systemwide procurement, and external suppliers to ensure timely, cost-effective, and policy-compliant acquisition of goods and services. The role manages the UCOP Procurement Team, aligning procurement activities with organizational goals and ensuring a customer-focused culture.

This is a hybrid position based in Oakland, CA.

Responsibilities

• Leadership of UCOP Local Procurement (40%)
  • Develop and implement strategic sourcing strategies to meet UCOP needs, leverage spend, and produce best-in-class supplier contracts.
  • Create a UCOP Strategic Procurement Plan aligned with BRC, UCOP, and UC Systemwide Procurement initiatives.
  • Oversee analysis of spend, bidding, awards, supplier performance, customer satisfaction, and other benchmarks.
  • Partner with internal clients to understand business requirements, forecast procurement needs, and identify cost-saving opportunities.
  • Ensure sourcing strategies incorporate risk mitigation, sustainability, supplier diversity, and compliance with UC policies.
  • Represent UCOP in systemwide sourcing initiatives to ensure UCOP benefits from systemwide agreements.
  • Develop and manage SLAs for procurement activities, track performance, and report to leadership with a focus on continuous improvement.
  • Document processes and workflows using tools like Nintex Process Manager, SharePoint, and the UCOP LMS.
• Strategic Sourcing Operations & Contract Management (25%)
  • Manage UCOP-specific sourcing contracts to ensure favorable pricing, terms, and service levels.
  • Utilize UC Systemwide Procurement agreements and pre-negotiated group purchasing contracts.
  • Oversee RFQs, RFPs, and competitive solicitations, including specifications, evaluation criteria, and negotiation strategies.
  • Conduct or oversee complex negotiations using proven methods and analytical techniques.
  • Ensure procurement activities comply with UC policy, legal requirements, and ethical standards.
  • Include required UC provisions in contracts, such as Article 5 and supplier diversity language, and monitor compliance.
  • Partner with internal experts (legal, risk, IT) to navigate complex contract negotiations.
  • Maintain proactive communication with UCOP department clients throughout the sourcing and contracting process.
• Team Leadership, Development, and Performance Management (15%)
  • Lead the UCOP Procurement team of 13 professionals, including direct supervision of 6 staff and one Procurement Supervisor.
  • Evaluate and rebalance team workload as needed.
  • Foster a culture of service excellence and continuous learning, modeling BRC’s service standards.
  • Provide coaching, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
  • Screen applications, interview candidates, and make hiring recommendations.
  • Conduct performance evaluations, assign work, and ensure staff training on UC policies and procurement systems.
  • Serve as an escalation point for operational issues and client concerns.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Cross-Functional Collaboration (10%)
  • Build strong relationships with UCOP departments to understand needs and improve service delivery.
  • Collaborate with systemwide procurement, BRC leadership, and other UC locations to share best practices.
  • Support change management efforts for new procurement processes and systems.
  • Communicate sourcing outcomes, savings, and performance metrics to leadership and stakeholders.
  • Resolve complex or sensitive client escalations involving procurement matters.
  • Lead or support client orientation and onboarding to familiarize departments with BRC procurement processes.
• Continuous Improvement & Data-Driven Decision Making (10%)
  • Oversee spend analytics, supplier performance metrics, and procurement reporting to identify trends and opportunities.
  • Pursue cost-saving or revenue-generating initiatives.
  • Evaluate procurement processes and recommend improvements to enhance efficiency and compliance.
  • Stay current on industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes affecting procurement.
  • Apply process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) to reduce inefficiencies and drive measurable gains.

Requirements

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in similar roles.
• Demonstrated expertise in complex contract negotiation, including multi-party agreements and best-value evaluation criteria.
• Ability to lead cross-functional workgroups and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Experience applying cost modeling and financial analysis techniques to procurement decisions.
• Commitment to service excellence in a client-facing environment, with strong relationship-building skills.
• Strong knowledge of public sector sourcing policies, competitive solicitation methods, and supplier diversity requirements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, SharePoint, Teams, and data analysis tools (e.g., Excel pivot tables, VLOOKUP).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present to executive audiences and translate complex terms for non-procurement clients.