About the University
Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master’s-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.
Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western’s greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.
About the Department The Business Services Department supports Western’s mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. All are encouraged to apply, including women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.
Business Services helps the Western community navigate the policies, systems, and requirements that support purchasing, contracting, travel, and other essential university activities. The department is committed to providing practical guidance, responsible stewardship of university resources, and accessible, reliable service to campus partners.
About the Position
The Chief Procurement Officer provides strategic vision and operational leadership for the University’s Procurement and Contracts Office, Travel Services, Asset Inventory, and P-Card Program and reports to the Assistant Vice President for Finance and Business Services. The position designs and maintains the organizational structure and staffing necessary to accomplish the unit’s strategic goals and oversees approximately $100 million in annual institutional spending. The Chief Procurement Officer directs daily operations; oversees staff recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation; analyzes workflows; establishes priorities, standards, and deadlines; and implements improvements that strengthen processes and customer service. The position also evaluates and resolves complex procurement and contracting matters, authorizes purchases, and approves contracts in accordance with the Washington State Procurement Code.
LEADERSHIP/TEAMWORK
- Cultivates a workplace environment that is equitable and inclusive for individuals from diverse social identities and backgrounds.
- Motivates and inspires staff to perform excellent work.
- Works with senior leadership and internal/external customers to lead implementation of strategic supply chain initiatives that provide value, increase efficiency, and manage operational costs.
- Has Signing Authority up to $250,000 purchases and determines Independent Contractor Determinations
- Works with internal/external stakeholders to develop, maintain, revise, and communicate supply chain strategy and tactics, overall policies, guiding principles, performance measures and targets, and procurement value and cost management objectives to align with strategic goals.
- Develops and champions the strategic vision to achieve targeted outcomes for customer service, process efficiencies/effectiveness, and management of operational costs.
- Promotes team building, trust, respect, and collaboration amongst staff.
- Engages staff by communicating strategic goals and how it relates to their individual goals.
- Establishes and maintains alliances with other universities, divisions, and outside organizations to identify dependencies and assess potential partnerships.
- Supervises Procurement and Contracts Program Managers, P Card Program Manager and Software and Technology Contract Specialist Lead
- Is responsible for overall management of P Card Program, managing spend and rebates to support the University’s Mission
- Represents the university and Business and Financial Affairs division through participation on committees and strategic initiatives.
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION
- Oversees development and execution of all non-employment contracts, renewals, and reviews research grants when requested.
- Ensures legislative procurement requirements are met for contract awards including procurement, leasing, competitive contracting, and operational services agreements.
- Directs and assists contract owners and stakeholders on resolution of client issues, vendor or contractor grievances, and claims.
- Evaluates proposed projects to measure the benefit to campus users and creates an effective implementation strategy.
- Conducts major solicitations and contract negotiations; executes or approves purchase contracts on behalf of the university. Responsible for contract review, modification, and writing as necessary.
- Develops Strategic Vendor Strategy managing spend in key commodities.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
- In conjunction with property management firms, accomplishes financial and maintenance objectives for property management at the university.
- Contracts with lessors and tenants on lease negotiations.
- Provides a significant role in property purchases and sales.
POLICIES, LAWS, AND REGULATIONS
- Analyzes Washington state laws, rules, and policies, and uses independent judgment to determine whether expenditures, activities and processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Provides policy, procedure, or regulation-related information to internal/external clients, supervisors, and staff to facilitate achievement of strategic goals.
- Establishes and implements university and department policies, goals, objectives, and procedures.
- Monitors operations to ensure staff comply with administrative policies and procedures, safety rules, union contracts, and government regulations.
OPERATIONS
- Evaluates and resolves complex procurement matters and institutes necessary changes to streamline and improve the purchasing and contract development processes.
- Develops strategic sourcing opportunities to increase effectiveness of eProcurement and other purchasing objectives.
- Directs daily operations of business unit activities, analyzes workflow, establishes priorities, develops standards, maintains effective customer service, and sets deadlines.
- Performs business process analysis to evaluate and analyze business operations to meet objectives.
- Evaluates proposed projects to measure the benefit to campus and creates implementation plans.
- Develops annual administrative operating budgets and forecasts for business units.
- Manages business related risks while taking advantage of business opportunities.
- Maintain a current understanding of the financial situation of assigned funds and adhere to the financial manager responsibilities as defined in university policy POL-U5320.03. Ensure that funds are spent, obligated, and/or committed in accordance with all university policies and procedures, standards, state and federal rules, and applicable grant and contract language, and within available budget. This may include developing spending plans and forecasts for managed funds, oversight of individuals with delegated spending authority, and additional training on financial principles. Oversee individuals who have been delegated as a Budget Authority to ensure that these individuals understand the policies and procedures and that their expenditures are within budget and compliant with university standards.
COMMUNICATION
- Embraces access, diversity, engagement, and inclusivity in decision-making processes.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or five years of progressively responsible senior level experience in business administration.
- Ten years of experience in procurement, supply chain management, or a related field.
- Demonstrated expert decision-making, analytical, communicative, and negotiation skills together with knowledge of business and industry practices in both the private and public sectors.
- Demonstrated commitment and ability to cultivate work environments that are equitable and inclusive for individuals from diverse social identities and backgrounds.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree.
- Demonstrated eProcurement knowledge.
- Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO), Certified Professional Purchasing Manager (CPPM), or Certified Professional in Supply Management.
- Experience with Banner or similar ERP software
Conditions of Employment All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to Log in to view email if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.
Salary Hiring range is $121,566 – $139,801 depending on qualifications and experience. Through longevity position tops out at $158,037/year.
Benefits Information
Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.
Application Instructions
A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.
Closing Date Notes Application review begins October 27, 2026; position is open until filled
Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); Log in to view email
WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (“The Clery Act”). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western’s campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at Log in to view email. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.
All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.
