(Hybrid) Category Lead - Procurement, Contracting and Payment Services

Description

The Procurement, Contracting, and Payment Services department at West Virginia University is seeking applications for a (Hybrid) Category Lead.

About the Opportunity

The Category Lead is responsible for leading strategic sourcing, contracting and procurement efforts across a given category of spend

(Facilities, Warehouse, Construction, IT, Service) with a focus on cost savings and process efficiency. The category lead role may be a

tep-in progression beyond the PCPS Category Analyst Role and the Category Manager Role. The Category Lead will work with

functional leaders across the University's campuses and colleges to collaboratively develop and implement a successful category strategy

driving cost savings and increased revenue. This role will involve supervising Category Analysts or interns, although duties will include

those as an individual contributor as well.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits (this position is a benefits-eligible non-classified staff position)
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What you'll do

Lead/support strategic sourcing efforts for assigned category/commodity areas

• Leads sourcing efforts beginning with spend analysis through contract execution
• Identifies and leads sourcing and procurement process improvement efforts
• Correctly applies Category Management and Strategic Sourcing best practice processes
• Assesses opportunities and sets and executes category/commodity strategies
• Prepares business case, cost/benefit and benefit realization analyses
• Forms, launches and manages sourcing teams with buyers/stakeholders
• Analyzes documents and presents moderate to complex category and commodity operational/functional data to stakeholders/ executives
• Writes and edits commercial documents (RFP's, RFQ's, Contracts, Terms & Conditions, etc.) with appropriate review and supervision
• Coordinates legal review/approval process for procurement/sourcing contracts and agreements
• Develops negotiation strategies, coach category analysts/purchasing agents on negotiation strategies to obtain most favorable terms with suppliers

Lead Supplier evaluation and selection process

• Establishes appropriate selection committee
• Facilitates selection committee meetings and presentations, as guided by RFP selection criteria
• Collects and maintains committee input and consensus documents
• Notifies Suppliers of selection decisions
• Populates and maintains Procurement File in appropriate systems

Conduct Supplier management

• Oversees management of Suppliers for assigned categories/commodities
• Plans and facilitates Supplier performance reviews
• Creates and manages service level commitments with preferred Supplier/stakeholder
• Audits contract pricing and addresses unfavorable variances
• Identifies and leads process improvement efforts
• Monitors and measures Supplier performance and compliance; identify and recommend ways to resolve performance issues
• Uses appropriate technology tools to continually measure savings, performance and internal levels of service

Manage procurement operational support

• Leads and encourages cross-functional collaboration through sourcing and Supplier management teams
• Facilitates stakeholder meetings to assess needs and identify issues/document issues
• Recognizes, documents and accurately resolves sourcing and procurement related operational issues (invoice allocation, supplier payment issues, etc.)
• Solicits feedback and incorporates improvements to category, Supplier management programs
• Identifies and implements operational process improvements and cost savings by working with stakeholders and Suppliers to understand key value and cost drivers of relevant operations and categories
• Uses deep understanding of supply market or ability to analyze supply market including raw material trends and cost drivers
• Builds and maintains positive business relationships with category/commodity stakeholders and routinely works with mid and upper level management

Staff Management and Development

• Coaches staff to drive compliance with purchasing policies and procedures
• Manages some assigned staff by setting expectations, assessing performance, and ensuring that day-to-day operations and assigned tasks are completed on time and with a high level of quality and accuracy
• Understands and employs team-based, cross business-unit sourcing strategy

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Industrial Engineering, Information Technology, or other related degree or equivalent combination of education and related work experience
• Two (2) years experience in Procure to Pay or Supply Chain environment
• Strong data analytics skills using Microsoft products
• Excellent internal and external negotiating skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Experience in Procurement and contracting environment
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in procurement, supply chain, or related field of expertise
• ISM, CPM, CPSM or similar certification preferred

• ISM, CPM, CPSM or similar certification preferred