Are you ready to lead procurement for one of the most innovative and diverse universities in the nation? UC Riverside is seeking a visionary Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) to join our dynamic Business & Financial Services leadership team. In this pivotal role, you will shape the future of procurement across a rapidly growing campus, optimizing processes, driving cost-saving initiatives, and fostering collaboration across departments. With UC Riverside’s top-ranked diversity, social mobility, and sustainability achievements, you’ll be part of a university that not only excels academically but also creates meaningful impact in the community. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to strategic procurement initiatives, including the development of our new medical center and streamlining our campus-wide processes. If you’re passionate about leadership, efficiency, and innovation, UC Riverside could be the perfect place to take your career to the next level!

Another Source’s client, UC Riverside, is recruiting a Chief Procurement Officer in Riverside, CA. This is your chance to join the newest member of the Association of American Universities, which is comprised of the country’s leading research universities!  

In the Heart of Inland Southern California, UC Riverside's campus is a living laboratory for the exploration of issues critical to growing communities' air, water, energy, transportation, politics, the arts, history, and culture. UCR gives every student, faculty and staff member the resources to explore, engage, imagine and excel. 

UC Riverside by the Numbers:  

UC Riverside is recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse research universities in the country boasting several key rankings of which we are extremely proud including:   

• Ranked 1st for social mobility four years in a row by the US News & World Report 

• Ranked in the top 15 for best public universities in the nation 

• No. 1 for Hispanic enrollment among selective universities by the Urban Institute 

• No. 2 in the country for financial aid by Business Insider 

• No. 3 in Hispanic STEM graduates in the nation by the National Science Foundation 

• No. 4 for Pell Grant student performance by Washington Monthly 

• No. 9 among public universities for sustainability by Princeton Review 

• And more! See all UCR’s Rankings here: https://www.ucr.edu/about/ranks-and-facts 

Benefits:  

UCR offers a competitive benefits package. To learn more, use the following link:  

https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html 

Department Website: https://procurement.ucr.edu/  

Salary: The anticipated salary for this role is $123,000 - 182,200 depending on experience. 

Position Information: 

As the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO),you will be responsible for providing exceptional procurement and business contract services to the entire campus.  Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor – Business & Financial Services (BFS), you will be part of the BFS Leadership Team.  This position requires a high degree of collaboration with many functional units across the campus and coordination in a distributed access environment.  You will be responsible for the leadership, strategic planning, and management of the Procurement Service and Business Contracts areas.  As the CPO, you are responsible for the development of value-added business processes, including enabling an efficient procure to pay process flow, optimizing cost savings on purchases, managing procurement card programs, and facilitating the business contracts programs.  

Key Responsibilities: 

20% - Ensures adherence to purchasing standards and guidelines. 

20% - Manages staff according to human resource policies and procedures. 

20% - Frequently interacts with staff members and managers across the  

  organization.   

10% - Recommends changes to purchasing policies and practices to meet  

  organizational needs and improve cost effectiveness and quality of  

  materials purchased.  

10% - Conducts presentations of technical information concerning specific  

 procurement activities and initiatives. 

5% -   Receives purchasing department/function assignments that require the use 

           of judgement and thoughts.    

5% - May negotiate major contracts involving large dollar amounts.  

5% - Advises senior management on matters concerning several functional   areas, department and/or customers.  

5% -   Significantly interacts with external vendors and subcontractors.   

Required Qualifications:  

• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training. 

• 8 - 13 years of related experience. 

• Demonstrated advanced experience in drafting, negotiating and administering complex business contracts.   

• Advanced experience with managing contemporary procurement systems and process in a large organization.  

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Advanced degree in business or related area.  

• Experience with UC policies and procedures.   

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in planning, developing and coordinating RFXs, contracts and agreements for a multi-functional organization. 

• Work experiencing a higher education environment and public procurement. 

• PeopleSoft and/or Oracle Cloud Financial Procurement experience. 

• Previous supervisory/managerial experience. 

 
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 
 

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis.  We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.     

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