Assistant Director of Procurement & Contract Services

Special Instructions to Applicants

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. The University will not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B).

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Procurement & Contract Services provides leadership and oversight for the procurement of goods and services on behalf of The University of Southern Mississippi. This position performs complex professional and administrative work involving formal and informal purchasing, solicitation development, contract review and negotiation, scope of work development, purchasing card administration, and procurement documentation. The Assistant Director coordinates day-to-day purchasing activities and ensures procurement processes comply with applicable University, Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), and State of Mississippi policies, procedures, and purchasing requirements. This position serves as an authorized purchasing agent with designated authority to obligate the University for the acquisition of goods and services and assists in coordinating the University’s contract management process. The position supervises procurement personnel and exercises considerable independent judgment in evaluating purchasing needs, resolving complex procurement matters, and supporting effective University-wide procurement operations.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Directs and coordinates day-to-day procurement activities for the University, including formal and informal purchasing processes, and ensures the acquisition of goods and services complies with applicable University, IHL, State of Mississippi, and other applicable procurement requirements.

• Supervises and provides guidance to buyers, purchasing card personnel, and other assigned procurement staff; establishes work priorities, reviews work for accuracy and compliance, provides coaching and professional development, and supports required state purchasing certifications.

• Evaluates complex and nonstandard purchasing requests, determines appropriate procurement methods, and reviews or recommends contract and procurement awards in coordination with University departments. Maintains applicable University purchasing and technology procedures and identifies opportunities to improve procurement processes and operational efficiency.

• Coordinates formal solicitations and competitive procurement activities, including bids and Requests for Proposals (RFPs); prepares and maintains specifications, legal advertisements, bid documentation, tabulations, vendor notifications, addenda, bid bonds, and other required procurement records; and utilizes applicable State of Mississippi procurement systems to support solicitation and purchasing approval processes.

• Reviews and assists with negotiating procurement contracts; develops scopes of work and other procurement documentation; investigates contract-related concerns; coordinates with the Office of General Counsel as appropriate; and prepares contracts and supporting documentation for review, approval, and execution.

• Coordinates the University’s contract management process, including contract intake, review coordination, negotiations, execution workflows, compliance monitoring, records management, and communication with University departments. Develops and provides training and guidance to faculty and staff regarding purchasing, contracting, and contract submission processes.

• Assists with the administration and oversight of the University’s purchasing card program, including review of purchasing activities and implementation of procedures designed to support compliance with applicable State of Mississippi, IHL, and University requirements. Evaluates opportunities to improve purchasing methods and purchasing card utilization within applicable requirements.

• Serves as a procurement liaison for the Hattiesburg campus, Gulf Park, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, and other University locations to promote consistent procurement practices, provide guidance to University departments, and support compliance with applicable purchasing requirements.

• Performs other duties as assigned.