Senior Procurement and Contracts Manager

Job Posting Title: Senior Procurement and Contracts Manager - Hiring Department: School of Computing - Position Open To: All Applicants - Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40 - FLSA Status: Exempt from FLSA - Earliest Start Date: Immediately - Position Duration: Expected to Continue - Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS - Job Details: General Notes This position will support the university’s new School of Computing, which includes 3 strong departments and more than 9,000 students across all programs. This places UT among the most significant intellectual hubs for computer science, information, and statistics and data science research and education anywhere in the world. The School of Computing has a close relationship with Austin’s thriving tech culture and works at the forefront of fields spanning artificial intelligence, robotics and quantum computing; data science, statistics and scientific discovery; cybersecurity and trustworthy computing; and human-centered technology, information, and the societal impacts of computing. The School is seeking a Procurement and Contracts Manager to lead the purchasing team and functions. Purpose Lead procurement and contracting for the School of Computing, directing the purchasing team, processes, decisions, vendor negotiations, and the full contract lifecycle in support of the School’s teaching and research mission, while ensuring compliance with State, University, and Board of Regents rules. Responsibilities Strategic purchasing leadership for the School of Computing: Direct the full portfolio of procurement and contracts for the School of Computing. Create, review, and approve purchase orders and business contracts. Apply sound purchasing judgment to evaluate vendor proposals, pricing, and terms, partnering with IT staff to translate technical requirements into purchasing decisions. Provide expertise on software and subscription purchasing to ensure access to tools and systems critical to the work of the School of Computing. Ensure new equipment is properly tagged and added to inventory at acquisition in coordination with the IT team. Procurement strategy and compliance monitoring: Lead the development of procurement processes to support the School’s teaching and research mission and new initiatives, thinking strategically and proactively. Monitor changes to UT System, University, and State of Texas purchasing rules, and proactively propose new processes to respond to these changes. Work with faculty, IT, and Finance and Administration to balance stakeholder interests, mediate conflicts, and implement effective solutions. Work with the Accounting team to ensure purchasing processes flow with financial accounting and reconciliation. Team leadership and development: Recruit, manage, train, and evaluate the Purchasing/Receiving team, including student employees. Cross-train staff to respond quickly to changing needs. Assign and prioritize work in line with the School's goals and milestones. Contract negotiation, compliance, and vendor relations: Manage the full contract lifecycle: drafting, reviewing, amending, negotiating terms, and resolving issues. Serve as the School's primary liaison with University offices such as Procurement and Business Contracts and with vendors, including onboarding. Resolve contractual and vendor questions or disputes, looping in IT for technical questions. Work with other university offices to identify and resolve roadblocks and barriers while ensuring compliance with State and Federal law, Board of Regents Rules, and university policy and procedures. Stakeholder communication, purchasing system, and documentation: Advise School leadership, faculty, and staff on procurement policy. Own the creation and upkeep of the School’s purchasing system, guidelines, SOPs, FAQs, and forms for purchasing, agreements, and receiving; delegate drafting as needed, but ensure materials exist, stay current, and are shared. Coordinate the team's response and communication…

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