Manager, Procurement
Western Governors UniversityIf you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.
Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse wo
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rkforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.
Pay Range: $104,000.00 - $187,200.00
What You'll Do
• Lead sourcing, tendering, due diligence, and contract negotiation activities for software, services, and other assigned categories.
• Review planning, forecasting, and trend analysis to anticipate business needs and support sourcing strategies.
• Oversee the development and review of specifications for software, services, and supplies prior to market engagement.
• Guide stakeholders and vendors through sourcing and competitive bidding processes, ensuring thorough evaluation of vendor capabilities, strengths, and gaps.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and conditions to minimize risk and maximize value for the university.
• Monitor marketplace trends and pricing to ensure competitiveness across assigned categories.
• Manage and develop a team of sourcing specialists, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and cross-functional coordination.
• Support the purchasing process within the Procure-to-Pay lifecycle, including vendor registration, requisition management, and purchase order issuance.
• Drive effective utilization of procurement technologies, including Workday, ServiceNow Procurement and Event Management, and other sourcing tools.
• Contribute to procurement policies, procedures, training materials, instructions, and webinars that promote best practices across the organization.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
What You'll Bring
What's Required
• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• 5 years of experience with procurement or purchasing.
• 1 year in a leadership role.
Core Capabilities
• Strong negotiation and organizational skills.
• Excellent decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent skills in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to learn new technologies and adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to communicate effectively to improve teamwork, decision-making, and collaboration.
• Ability to work cooperatively across teams and organizational levels to achieve shared objectives.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, manage risk, and make informed decisions with incomplete information.
• Ability to remain confident under pressure and effectively manage challenging situations.
• Strong outcomes-based orientation with a proven ability to set and achieve goals.
• Ability to foster a sense of belonging, build team morale, and lead cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to take on new challenges, quickly learn unfamiliar tasks, and share knowledge with others.
Experience in Lieu of Education
Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is at the discretion of the hiring manager.
Bonus Points
• Experience with competitive bidding.
• Experience in higher education.
• Experience supporting procurement technology platforms such as Workday and ServiceNow.
What to Expect
At WGU, our mission drives everything we do, including how we hire. Our interview experience is designed to give qualified candidates the opportunity to show their best work through meaningful conversations and collaboration.
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