Chief Procurement Officer
Position Number:
00022156
Department:
Strategic Procurement Services
Campus:
SWS
Date of Issue:
July 2013
I. Primary Purpose of Position
The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) is comprehensively responsible for leading and managing
Strategic Procurement Services. Strategic Procurement Services provides sustained
enterprisewide leadership and the operational services and support to ensure the University of
Maine System (UMS) and its employees can obtain the best value in efficiently procuring the
goods and services needed to fulfill the UMS institutional mission. The CPO works with key
stakeholders to develop, maintain, revise and communicate Strategic Procurement Services’
overall policies, mission, vision, guiding principles, plans, strategies, practices and tools and to
ensure alignment with the needs and mission of the University System. The CPO must establish
and maintain strong senior leadership level relationships across the University System to
communicate and obtain support of Strategic Procurement initiatives which provide value,
increase efficiency and reduce costs. The CPO develops plans and measures performance to
ensure that customer service, procurement value, and cost savings goals are met or exceeded.
Success in this position involves a strong understanding and appreciation of:
Strategic Procurement as an enterprisewide service;
high quality customer service;
the University’s education, research and public service mission; and
the applicable legal and other regulatory or quasi-regulatory procurement requirements,
including those which establish open, competitive public procurement process as the
standard procurement method of the UMS.
The CPO directly supervises the Procurement Operations Director, the Procurement Services
Director, and the Strategic Sourcing Director and is responsible through these positions and
additional indirect reports for the smooth daily functioning and long-term success of Strategic
Procurement Services.
II.
Essential Duties
1. Develop and champion the Strategic Procurement Department’s vision, mission, and
guiding principles to plan for and achieve targeted outcomes for customer service,
process efficiencies and cost reductions.
2. Build and maintain a strong procurement team which consistently succeeds in
providing effective, smooth daily operations, outstanding customer service and value.
3. Develop and lead implementation of UMS strategic procurement plans, including
those recommendations as adopted by UMS Trustees in 2013 for process automation,
procurement policy standardization, and competitive public bids.
4. Lead and direct all procurement activity for goods and services across the University
of Maine System, with certain exclusions such as campus computer stores, campus
book stores and construction.
5. Ensure strong two-way customer communication to build cross-organization
relationships which drive continuous improvements and focus on customer service.
6. Manage collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including
the Shared Services Advisory Council of Chief Financial Officers, to communicate,
solicit feedback, and obtain support of the Strategic Procurement process.
7. Approve or disapprove all procurement contracts of more than $50,000 according to
current UMS policy and procedures to ensure that all services, supplies, materials and
equipment are obtained at the lowest cost consistent with those standards of quality,
performance, service and availability which will best meet the needs of the University
and which will promote a fair and competitive procurement practice.
8. Establish, monitor and report service level goals, key performance indicators, and
customer satisfaction criteria for procurement operations, procurement services and
strategic sourcing.
9. Represent UMS to all levels of institution personnel and officials, government
agencies, technology officials, support contract vendors, professional groups,
organizations representing employees, other educational and state institutions, trade
associations and the general public to facilitate collaborative information sharing,
develop cooperative procurement leverage, resolve highly complex issues and
negotiate plans; set, explain, or justify institution policies and procedures; persuade
officials to pursue a recommended course of action; and carry out and evaluate
operations.
10. Maintain Strategic Procurement fiscal policy and budget. Maintain cost effective
procurement procedures. Define, plan and implement Strategic Procurement projects
and initiatives on time and within budget.
11. Supervise managers for Procurement Operations, Procurement Services, and Strategic
Sourcing.
12. Maintain compliance with all state, legislative and University mandates for
procurement activities.
III.
Nonessential Duties
None
IV.
Supervisory Responsibilities
1. Supervises the Director of Strategic Sourcing, Director of Procurement Services, and
the Director of Procurement Operations.
V.
Reporting Relationship
1. Reports to the Director of Facilities Management and General Services
VI.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Required:
Extensive knowledge and experience leading strategic procurement for an institution with
the size and complexity of University of Maine System.
Demonstrated leadership to guide, motivate, and direct team members
Demonstrated ability to implement and sustain a strategic procurement plan linked to a
budget with savings and performance goals.
Strong skills in developing and implementing Sourcing strategies for multiple supply
categories.
Broad experience executing contracts and managing suppliers.
Strong knowledge of and experience with automated eProcurement and Accounts
Payable systems such as SciQuest and PeopleSoft.
Skill in managing customer support and training for a diverse customer population.
Demonstrated abilities to facilitate collaboration between diverse groups with potentially
conflicting interests, including the ability to build trust, rapport, and mutual respect with
senior level personnel, customers, staff, and other government entities and using tact and
diplomacy in relationships with internal and external customers with the goal of
reflecting a positive image.
Demonstrated ability in interpreting and explaining technical and complex statutes,
policies, and code; conducting research and analysis; and reaching rationale fair
conclusions from available information.
Preferred:
None
VII.
Qualifications
Required:
Minimum 3 to 5 years of progressively responsible experience in and leading public
or private sector procurement organization(s) comparable to the size and complexity
of University of Maine Systems.
Master’s degree or equivalent experience.
Broad understanding of Higher Education funding and procurement requirements,
needs and challenges.
Preferred:
Master’s degree in public administration, business administration or other applicable
area of study.
Experience in multi-campus higher education institution.
Professional certification (e.g., C.P.M., CPSM).
Note:
Systemwide Services reserves the right to assign reasonably related additional
duties and to change or reassign job duties.
Signatures
The signatures indicate the employee and immediate supervisor have reviewed the job description and
had the opportunity to edit the document.
Employee
Date
Immediate Supervisor
Date