Assistant Director of Procurement

At a glance: The University of Southern Mississippi is seeking an experienced procurement professional to join its team as Assistant Director of Procurement & Contract Services in Hattiesburg. This leadership role offers the opportunity to oversee a four-person team while helping guide procurement, contracting, competitive solicitations, purchasing card administration, and process improvement across the University. With broad exposure to departments and locations throughout Southern Miss, this is an opportunity to combine hands-on procurement expertise with people leadership and meaningful institution-wide impact. Description: What you'll be doing: Another Source's client, The University of Southern Mississippi , is recruiting an Assistant Director of Procurement & Contract Services to join their team in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Here's a little about The University of Southern Mississippi: The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) is a comprehensive public research university serving students and communities across Mississippi. With operations extending beyond its Hattiesburg campus to Gulf Park, the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, and other University locations, Southern Miss offers the scale and complexity of a multi-location institution and an environment where strong operational partnerships have University-wide impact. Procurement & Contract Services plays an important role in supporting that mission, helping departments navigate purchasing, contracting, competitive solicitations, and purchasing card processes while maintaining compliance with University, Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), and State of Mississippi requirements. About this role: This is an opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to step into a leadership position with broad exposure across the University. Reporting to the Director of Procurement and Contract Services, the Assistant Director helps lead day-to-day procurement operations while serving as an authorized purchasing agent for the University. You'll have the opportunity to influence how procurement works across Southern Miss—from formal solicitations and contract negotiations to purchasing card administration, process improvement, and customer education. You'll also lead a four-person team consisting of two Buyers, a Procurement Card Administrator, and a Procurement Card Specialist. The role combines hands-on procurement expertise with people leadership and University-wide partnership. You'll regularly work with departments to solve complex purchasing challenges, develop scopes of work, coordinate contracts, and identify ways to make procurement processes more efficient while maintaining compliance. How you will spend your time Lead and coordinate day-to-day procurement activities, including formal and informal purchasing, while supporting compliance with University, IHL, State of Mississippi, and other applicable requirements. Supervise, coach, and develop procurement and purchasing card staff, establishing priorities and supporting professional development and required state purchasing certifications. Evaluate complex and nonstandard purchasing requests, determine appropriate procurement methods, and review or recommend procurement and contract awards. Lead formal solicitations and competitive procurement activities, including bids and RFPs, from specifications and advertisements through bid documentation, tabulations, vendor communications, and required approvals. Review and help negotiate procurement contracts, develop scopes of work, investigate contract concerns, and partner with the Office of General Counsel when appropriate. Coordinate the University's contract management process, including intake, review, negotiation, execution workflows, compliance monitoring, records management, and communication with departments. Develop training and practical guidance that helps faculty and staff successfully navigate purchasing, contracting, and contract submission p…

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