Director of Purchasing

The Director of Procurement provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Delaware Valley University s procurement and purchasing functions. This role ensures effective stewardship of institutional resources by developing and implementing procurement strategies, policies, and processes that deliver best value, ensure compliance, and support the University s academic and operational mission. The Director partners with academic and administrative departments to streamline purchasing workflows, manage supplier relationships, oversee contracts, and leverage procurement systems and analytics to enhance transparency, efficiency, and cost control.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Recruits, hires, trains, and supervises staff and student workers

Oversees daily workflow, workload prioritization, and service delivery

Conducts performance evaluations and provides ongoing coaching and feedback

Establishes annual goals, metrics, and professional development plans

Approves staff time off and ensures adequate coverage

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Procurement Strategy & Policy

Leads the University s centralized purchasing function, including the development, maintenance, and enforcement of procurement policies, procedures, and approval thresholds

Ensures procurement practices align with institutional financial controls, audit expectations, and riskmanagement standards

Serves as a strategic advisor to Finance and senior leadership on procurement risks, opportunities, and costcontainment initiatives

Contracting, Sourcing & Vendor Management

Oversees competitive sourcing activities, including RFPs, RFQs, and bid evaluations

Negotiates pricing, service levels, contract terms, and renewals in collaboration with University stakeholders

Manages the University s contract review and approval process to ensure appropriate authorization and compliance with institutional policy

Develops and maintains systems to track contract expirations, renewals, escalators, and budget impacts

Manages vendor relationships, performance reviews, and corrective actions as needed

Purchasing Operations & Systems

Oversees purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and related workflows through the University s ERP and eprocurement systems

Administers and monitors the University s purchasing card (PCard) program, including training, auditing, and compliance reviews

Coordinates closely with Accounts Payable to ensure timely and accurate invoice processing

Maintains procurement documentation, records retention, vendor insurance certificates, and related compliance files

Analytics, Reporting & Process Improvement

Develops and utilizes procurement analytics to evaluate spend patterns, vendor utilization, contract compliance, and savings opportunities

Identifies opportunities for standardization, consolidation, and participation in purchasing consortia

Leads continuous improvement efforts to reduce cycle times, improves customer service, and strengthens internal controls

Asset Management & Auxiliary Support

Oversees strategic liquidation or disposition of obsolete or decommissioned assets to maximize recovery value

Manages campuswide document shredding coordination to ensure secure disposal

Provides leadership and budget oversight for the University Mail Center and serves as operational backup as needed

Training & Campus Collaboration

Provides training and guidance to budget managers and campus users on procurement policies, systems, and best practices

Partners with academic departments, Facilities, IT, Advancement, and auxiliary units to support institutional priorities

Promotes ethical, responsible, and costeffective purchasing practices across campus

Other Duties

Performs other related duties as assigned in support of University operations

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Demonstrated experience in higher education or similarly regulated procurement environments

Knowledge of competitive bidding, contract negotiation, and supplier management

Experience with ERP and procurement systems (e.g., ESM/ESchoolMall, Ellucian Colleague)

Experience administering purchasing card programs and audit controls

Strong analytical, organizational, and problemsolving skills

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a serviceoriented approach

High level of integrity, ethical judgment, and attention to detail

Education and Experience

Bachelor s degree in business, finance, supply chain management, or a related field

Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in purchasing or procurement

Higher education procurement experience preferred

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

Primarily officebased work environment

Prolonged periods of sitting and computer use; intermittent standing and walking

Occasional lifting up to 25 pounds

Occasional evening, oncall, or travel requirements

About the University:

Delaware Valley University (DelVal) is a private, comprehensive, nonprofit university educating students with a curriculum that emphasizes and requires experiential learning. Located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, the University offers 28 undergraduate majors in business, arts and sciences, and agricultural and environmental sciences; 12 master's degrees; and a doctorate in education. Founded in 1896, DelVal has been cited by the National Society for Experiential Education as having the country's top experiential learning program, by Princeton Review as one of the best colleges in the Northeast, and by College Factual as having one of the top 20 animal science programs in the country.

Delaware Valley University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce.