Purchasing Manager

About the role

Responsible for managing the daily operations of the Purchasing Department to help ensure the timely, effective, and compliant completion of tasks including the management of personnel activities and work assignments, and administrative responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Prioritizes and coordinates the work activities of a professional procurement staff and provides work direction as needed.
• Oversees multiple complex projects for the University of Houston including request for proposals (RFP), request for quotes (RFQ), invitations to bid (ITB) and awards contracts.
• Interprets and communicates purchasing policies and procedures to departments, vendors and staff.
• Serves as a liaison to University departments on procurement matters.
• Manages day to day relationships with contract service providers including negotiation, interpretation, and application of contractual agreements to ensure adherence to university standards.
• Recommends changes and improvements to university procurement processes and systems and oversees departmental participation in development and testing of these improvements.
• Develops and oversees the provision of purchasing training for Purchasing staff and campus departments.
• Assists the Director in the development and implementation of internal operating procedures and policies.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Requires a thorough understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of an analytical, technical or professional discipline; or the basic knowledge of more than one professional discipline.
• Knowledge of the discipline is normally obtained through a formal, directly job-related 4 year degree from a college or university or an equivalent in-depth specialized training program that is directly related to the type of work being performed.
• Requires a minimum of five (5) years of directly job-related experience.

Qualifications

A formal, directly job-related 4 year degree from a college or university or an equivalent in-depth specialized training program that is directly related to the type of work being performed is required.

Skills

Must have a thorough understanding of purchasing policies and procedures, as well as the ability to interpret and communicate them to departments, vendors, and staff.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.