Chief Procurement Officer

Position Title Chief Procurement Officer About the University Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report. Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties. About the Department The Business Services Department supports Western’s mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. All are encouraged to apply, including women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity. Business Services helps the Western community navigate the policies, systems, and requirements that support purchasing, contracting, travel, and other essential university activities. The department is committed to providing practical guidance, responsible stewardship of university resources, and accessible, reliable service to campus partners. About the Position The Chief Procurement Officer provides strategic vision and operational leadership for the University’s Procurement and Contracts Office, Travel Services, Asset Inventory, and P-Card Program and reports to the Assistant Vice President for Finance and Business Services. The position designs and maintains the organizational structure and staffing necessary to accomplish the unit’s strategic goals and oversees approximately $100 million in annual institutional spending. The Chief Procurement Officer directs daily operations; oversees staff recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation; analyzes workflows; establishes priorities, standards, and deadlines; and implements improvements that strengthen processes and customer service. The position also evaluates and resolves complex procurement and contracting matters, authorizes purchases, and approves contracts in accordance with the Washington State Procurement Code. LEADERSHIP/TEAMWORK Cultivates a workplace environment that is equitable and inclusive for individuals from diverse social identities and backgrounds. Motivates and inspires staff to perform excellent work. Works with senior leadership and internal/external customers to lead implementation of strategic supply chain initiatives that provide value, increase efficiency, and manage operational costs. Has S…

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