Human Resources

Chief Procurement Officer

Apply now Job No: 25298
Department: CFO & Vice President for Admin
Work Type: Staff - Full Time
Location: Main Campus (Houghton, MI)
Full Time / Part Time: Full Time
Categories: Management, Administrative/Business/Professional

Department: CFO

Summary

The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) provides strategic, operational, and policy leadership for all university procurement, contracting, sourcing, supplier management, and purchasing compliance activities. This is a newly created institution-wide senior leadership role responsible for establishing Michigan Tech’s first centralized Procurement & Contract Management Office.


The university is transitioning from a decentralized purchasing environment to a unified, strategic procurement model. The CPO will lead the development of modern procurement processes, implement enterprise tools and systems, establish institutional standards, and build a cohesive structure to support Michigan Tech’s long-term financial sustainability and operational integrity. The CPO will also oversee Michigan Tech’s existing Purchasing and Insurance Program Office, integrating its operations into the centralized procurement structure and aligning its work with university-wide strategy and standards.


The CPO will be responsible for creating the Universities procurement and contract management infrastructure from the ground up, developing university-wide policies, standardizing processes, implementing technology platforms, creating governance structures, and establishing clear institutional oversight. This position will bring Michigan Tech in line with higher-education best practices and support the university’s operational and financial goals.


The CPO partners with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) for legal review while retaining full operational ownership of procurement strategy, sourcing, vendor management, and the entire contract lifecycle processes.

Responsibilities and Essential Duties

Strategic Leadership & Transformation
• Build and lead a centralized Procurement & Contract Management Office for the university.
• Develop and implement a university-wide procurement strategy aligned with Michigan Tech’s financial and administrative priorities.
• Establish policies, procedures, and governance structures for procurement and contracting.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to modernize processes, improve cycle times, and increase transparency.
• Develop KPIs, dashboards, and analytics to support data-driven purchasing and contract decisions.
• Integrate and provide strategic leadership to the existing Purchasing and Insurance Program Office.

Procurement Operations
• Oversee the full procure-to-pay lifecycle, including competitive bidding, sourcing, purchase orders, contracting, and vendor onboarding.
• Standardize contract templates, playbooks, and workflows across all units.
• Implement scalable procurement systems, including enterprise contract management software and related procurement tools.
• Coordinate all campus purchasing activities to ensure consistency, compliance, and value optimization.
• Align purchasing and insurance functions within the centralized procurement model.

Contract Management
• Own the enterprise contract lifecycle management (CLM) function—routing, tracking, negotiation coordination, and compliance monitoring.
• Ensure contracts receive appropriate financial, operational, risk, and legal review within standardized workflows.
• Establish and maintain a university centralized contract repository, including tracking of key terms, reporting, expirations, renewals, and contract performance metrics.
• Lead the development of Michigan Tech’s first institution-wide contract management system and processes.

Vendor & Category Management
• Develop and manage strategic supplier relationships to enhance reliability, cost structure, and service quality.
• Lead major campus-wide sourcing initiatives (e.g., IT procurement, facilities, auxiliary services, research supplies).
• Oversee vendor performance monitoring, contract compliance, and risk assessments.

Compliance & Risk Management
• Ensure compliance with federal/state procurement regulations (including Uniform Guidance and state procurement standards) and university policies.
• Partner with OGC for legal term review while retaining operational ownership of contracting workflows.
• Ensure alignment with audit requirements and lead corrective action plans when needed.
• Strengthen institutional internal controls through centralized oversight and standardized practices.

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain management, finance, public administration, or related field.

Required Experience

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contracting, or supply chain management.
• Demonstrated experience managing contract lifecycle processes and leading strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Strong understanding of public-sector or higher-education procurement regulations.
• Proven leadership experience implementing organizational change in a complex environment.
• Experience building or modernizing procurement or contract management functions is strongly preferred.

Desirable Education and/or Experience

• Master’s degree (MBA, MPA, or related field).
• Prior experience in higher education or a large public-sector environment.
• Certifications such as CPSM, CPPO, or equivalent.
• Experience implementing procurement technologies or contract lifecycle management systems (e.g., Jaggaer, SciQuest, Workday Procure-to-Pay).

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• Strategic thinking and operational discipline
• Strong negotiation and vendor-management skills
• Ability to establish trust and credibility across diverse stakeholders
• Change management expertise
• Strong understanding of contract law fundamentals (not as a lawyer, but as a procurement expert)
• Commitment to transparency, accountability, and service excellence
• Ability to build new systems, processes, and structures from inception

Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment

Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following 4 required trainings; additional training may be required by the department.

Required University Training:
• Employee Safety Overview
• Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training
• Annual Data Security Training
• Annual Title IX Training

Background Check:
Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) % (1=100%)

1

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Rate/Salary

The minimum expected salary for this position is $150,000. However, the final salary will depend on experience and qualifications.

Title of Position Supervisor

CFO and VP for Administration

Posting Type

 Internal & External

Dependent on Funding

 No

Special Instructions for Applicant

 Please include your cover letter with your resume at time of application.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

If you require any auxiliary aids, services, or accommodations during Michigan Tech’s hiring process please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or hr-help@mtu.edu.


Other Conditions of Employment:
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of your appointment, and maintain eligibility without sponsorship throughout your appointment.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. Michigan Tech will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the Michigan Tech Public Safety.

 

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures* (minimum requirements)

Advertised: Eastern Standard Time
Applications close:

Back to search results Apply now Refer a friend