Director of Procurement (Immediate Opening)
IDEA Public Schools
Houston, TX
DescriptionDirector of ProcurementMission:The Director of Procurement leads the organization's procurement and contract management function, ensuring the compliant, efficient, and customer-centered acquisition of goods and services across a multi-region educational organization. This role is responsible for setting procurement strategy, strengthening internal controls, improving systems and workflows, and developing a high-performing team that supports schools and central teams with excellence.The Director of Procurement serves as the organization's lead expert on purchasing, contracting, vendor governance, and procurement compliance. This leader partners closely with Finance, Accounting, Accounts Payable, school-based leaders, and other stakeholders to improve service, reduce risk, and ensure procurement practices align with organizational priorities and applicable local, state, and federal requirements. Supervisory Responsibilities:This role leads the Procurement and Contracts team and supervises approximately 5 direct reports and 22 skip-level team members. Location:This is a full-time remote position based in Texas, with preference given to candidates who live in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Permian Basin (Midland/Odessa), Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tarrant County (Fort Worth), or who are willing to relocate.Travel Expectations: Up to 10% travel may be required for leadership meetings, trainings, conferences, and organizational events. What You'll Do “ Accountabilities Essential Duties:Lead the organization's procurement and contract management function, including purchasing operations, vendor governance, and procurement service delivery.Establish clear priorities, service standards, and performance expectations for the procurement team.Oversee the end-to-end requisition, purchase order, and contract review process to ensure timely, accurate, and policy-aligned execution.Strengthen procurement policies, controls, and workflows to improve efficiency, transparency, and audit readiness.Ensure procurement activities comply with applicable policies and regulations, including grant requirements and other state and federal guidelines.Oversee vendor onboarding and vendor record maintenance, ensuring required documentation is complete, accurate, and properly retained.Partner with Finance, Accounting, and Accounts Payable to support vendor tax reporting, documentation quality, and related control processes.Monitor key operational metrics, identify root causes of delays or errors, and lead continuous improvement efforts.Reduce rejected requisitions, incomplete submissions, after-the-fact purchases, and aged procurement items.Serve as a trusted advisor to school and departmental leaders on purchasing requirements, contracting pathways, and procurement best practices.Develop tools, training, and guidance that help internal stakeholders navigate procurement requirements successfully. Lead, coach, and develop a team of procurement professionals while building a culture of accountability, collaboration, and strong customer service. Additional Duties and Responsibilities:In this role, success will be measured by:Strong procurement compliance and audit readiness.Timely turnaround of requisitions, contracts, and vendor setup requests.Improved quality of submissions and fewer procurement exceptions.Accurate and well-maintained vendor and contract records.Strong cross-functional partnership with internal stakeholders.High levels of service, responsiveness, and stakeholder satisfaction.Continued development and effectiveness of the procurement team.Ongoing process improvements that strengthen efficiency and control. Knowledge and Skills “ CompetenciesMake Strategic Decisions: This team member embodies IDEA's mission and values in decision-making, balancing bold vision with ethical and operational rigor. They establish governance frameworks that ensure consistency and accountability organization-wide, while applying systems thinking to break down silos and drive data-informed continuous improvement.Manage Work and Teams: This team member builds and maintains systems to track progress toward team goals, ensuring clarity through defined roles and responsibilities. They implement structured processes that support smooth team operations and strategically allocate time and resources to drive goal achievement. Grow Self and Others: This team member uses data to assess development needs and designs learning opportunities that align with team goals and individual career growth. They model a growth mindset by being open about their own development and ensure that both personal and team-led learning initiatives are impactful and well-aligned with organizational priorities. Build a Culture of Trust: This team member fosters a team culture where individuals genuinely care for one another both personally and professionally. They lead with transparency, encourage open communication, including healthy conflict”and promote reliability and consistency, while regularly seeking and responding to team feedback to enhance the collective experience. Communicate Deliberately: This team member leads inclusive discussions that surface obstacles and drive actionable solutions, ensuring all voices are heard. They communicate key information clearly across multiple channels and establish feedback loops that promote open dialogue, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Additional Skills:Strategic thinking and sound judgment.Team leadership and talent development.Process improvement and operational excellence.Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder influence.Clear communication and training capability.Strong customer-service orientation balanced with compliance and control.Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Required Experience:Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Management, or a related field.7years of progressive experience in procurement, purchasing, contracts, or a related function.3years of people leadership experience, including managing professional staff.Experience leading procurement operations in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment.Experience improving processes, implementing controls, and driving operational consistency.Experience partnering cross-functionally with Finance, Accounting, Accounts Payable, and operational stakeholders.Strong understanding of procurement compliance, contract administration, vendor management, and internal controlsStrong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to drive decisions. Preferred Education and Experience:Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Accountancy, or a related field.Experience in K-12 education, charter schools, school districts, government, or another highly regulated environment.Experience with public-sector or grant-funded procurement requirements.Familiarity with Texas procurement requirements, TEA guidance, EDGAR, and FASRG.Experience with ERP or purchasing workflow systems, including Tyler Munis or similar platforms.Professional procurement certification. Physical Requirements:This is a sedentary role. What We Offer:Compensation & Benefits:Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $108,100 and $128,600, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity. This role is also eligible for performance pay based on organizational performance and goal attainment.Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/. IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.Application process:Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.Learn more about IDEA At IDEA the Staff Experience Team uses our CoreValues to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members. Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values
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