What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Procurement Officer and Executive Director of Operations position at Inside Higher Ed?
Department
Procurement and Strategic Ops-213600
Career Area
Accounting/Finance/Auditing
Posting Open Date
03/04/2026
Open Until Filled
Yes
Position Type
Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)
Working Title
Chief Procurement Officer and Executive Director of Operations
Appointment Type
EHRA Non-Faculty
Position Number
20011071
Vacancy ID
NF0009581
Full Time/Part Time
Full-Time Permanent
Fte
1
Hours Per Week
40
Position Location:
North Carolina, US
Hiring Range
Commensurate with experience
Proposed Start Date
05/04/2026
Be a Tar Heel!:
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
Procurement and Strategic Operations oversees the University’s procurement processes and travel operations and designs and implements University-wide data driven strategic sourcing operation that is integrated with exceptional payment services.
Position Summary
The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and Executive Director of Operations oversees the University’s procurement, card services, travel services, and accounts payable operations. The CPO/Executive Director designs and implements University-wide, data-driven strategic sourcing operations that are integrated with exceptional payment services. The department’s financial scope includes expenditures of approximately $900 million per year in materials, supplies and services. The position reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance.
The CPO/Executive Director is responsible for the performance of the central procurement function that supports the spend management initiatives across the University’s academic and administrative units. The position plays a leadership role in the development of effective and efficient spend management practices across the University. This responsibility includes strategic and operational planning, talent and performance management, and execution of initiatives. This will entail the support of new tools and processes, the negotiation of advantageous contracts with vendors, and the coordination of University spend activity to ensure customer satisfaction, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. In addition, the CPO/Executive Director will build strong relationships and coalitions across the University that will foster consensus for spend management initiatives.
The position leads a team of senior spend management professionals, across all areas of the source to settlement lifecycle, to transform the nature of their work from transaction management to spend management. To complement this effort, the CPO/Executive Director will focus on talent management best practices to elevate the depth and breadth of the team.
The position is responsible for ensuring the highest levels of satisfaction among University faculty and staff, optimizing savings through consolidated procurement and contracts while sustaining compliance with University policies and maintaining the highest integrity in all contracting, purchasing, and payment activities.
The CPO/Executive Director partners in a leadership capacity with key stakeholders across campus to ensure effective and efficient purchasing and payment services. This position leads and delivers change and seeks to align campus activity with best practice. This position leads through consensus, strong analytics, and benchmarking.
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent) with three years or greater of related professional experience; for candidates demonstrating comparable professional backgrounds, will accept a relevant Bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and five years or greater of relevant experience in substitution.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
Minimum of eight years of senior-level experience working within a broad range of stakeholders, either in the private sector or in a higher education environment. The CPO will be a persuasive communicator and possess the ability to present effectively to a wide constituency including senior campus leaders, managers, unit staff, and campus personnel. The ideal candidate will have a background in building consensus on difficult, complex issues that affect large or critical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
The CPO/Executive Director will possess many of the following professional and personal characteristics:
Not Applicable.
Special Instructions
Applications received by April 2, 2026 will be given priority consideration.
Procurement and Strategic Ops-213600
Career Area
Accounting/Finance/Auditing
Posting Open Date
03/04/2026
Open Until Filled
Yes
Position Type
Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)
Working Title
Chief Procurement Officer and Executive Director of Operations
Appointment Type
EHRA Non-Faculty
Position Number
20011071
Vacancy ID
NF0009581
Full Time/Part Time
Full-Time Permanent
Fte
1
Hours Per Week
40
Position Location:
North Carolina, US
Hiring Range
Commensurate with experience
Proposed Start Date
05/04/2026
Be a Tar Heel!:
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose Of Organizational Unit
Procurement and Strategic Operations oversees the University’s procurement processes and travel operations and designs and implements University-wide data driven strategic sourcing operation that is integrated with exceptional payment services.
Position Summary
The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and Executive Director of Operations oversees the University’s procurement, card services, travel services, and accounts payable operations. The CPO/Executive Director designs and implements University-wide, data-driven strategic sourcing operations that are integrated with exceptional payment services. The department’s financial scope includes expenditures of approximately $900 million per year in materials, supplies and services. The position reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance.
The CPO/Executive Director is responsible for the performance of the central procurement function that supports the spend management initiatives across the University’s academic and administrative units. The position plays a leadership role in the development of effective and efficient spend management practices across the University. This responsibility includes strategic and operational planning, talent and performance management, and execution of initiatives. This will entail the support of new tools and processes, the negotiation of advantageous contracts with vendors, and the coordination of University spend activity to ensure customer satisfaction, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. In addition, the CPO/Executive Director will build strong relationships and coalitions across the University that will foster consensus for spend management initiatives.
The position leads a team of senior spend management professionals, across all areas of the source to settlement lifecycle, to transform the nature of their work from transaction management to spend management. To complement this effort, the CPO/Executive Director will focus on talent management best practices to elevate the depth and breadth of the team.
The position is responsible for ensuring the highest levels of satisfaction among University faculty and staff, optimizing savings through consolidated procurement and contracts while sustaining compliance with University policies and maintaining the highest integrity in all contracting, purchasing, and payment activities.
The CPO/Executive Director partners in a leadership capacity with key stakeholders across campus to ensure effective and efficient purchasing and payment services. This position leads and delivers change and seeks to align campus activity with best practice. This position leads through consensus, strong analytics, and benchmarking.
Minimum Education And Experience Requirements
Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent) with three years or greater of related professional experience; for candidates demonstrating comparable professional backgrounds, will accept a relevant Bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and five years or greater of relevant experience in substitution.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
Minimum of eight years of senior-level experience working within a broad range of stakeholders, either in the private sector or in a higher education environment. The CPO will be a persuasive communicator and possess the ability to present effectively to a wide constituency including senior campus leaders, managers, unit staff, and campus personnel. The ideal candidate will have a background in building consensus on difficult, complex issues that affect large or critical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
The CPO/Executive Director will possess many of the following professional and personal characteristics:
- Strong business and financial acumen. Must have outstanding problem-solving skills. Ability to take a creative approach to procurement/payment and business opportunities. Must be comfortable functioning as a business partner and driver of change.
- Strong relationship building, negotiating, and influencing skills.
- Experience in understanding business processes and reengineering those to work efficiently and effectively.
- Demonstrated leadership ability in supervising and developing staff with an emphasis on customer service.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Ability to take initiative, have the drive to complete projects and provide creative, resourceful, flexible approaches to solving issues.
- Maintain confidentiality at all times and operate with integrity.
- Experience implementing systems and tools to optimize procurement spend, identify metrics and benchmarks to track performance, and instill a continuous improvement culture on the Procurement team.
Not Applicable.
Special Instructions
Applications received by April 2, 2026 will be given priority consideration.
Salary : $900