Procurement Manager

Remote ; Applications close September 29, 2023

Procurement

Summary of Position  

The Procurement Manager will build out procurement operations for RMI. Specifically, this position will oversee activities and operations of a maturing procurement team, serve as a resource for RMI staff, and provide day-to-day oversight, monitoring, tracking and support of full-cycle procurement, and partner with RMI’s Legal and Accounting teams to establish best practices.  

We highly encourage individuals of underrepresented groups to apply!  

Major Roles And Responsibilities

Procurement  

• Independently own and manage day to day operations of the procurement department 
• Ensure procurement team is delivering on expected timelines  
• Design and manage a procurement management framework and governance for a global organization 
• Create and present procurement strategy to leadership for approval 
• Focus on best practices, objectivity, efficiency, and consistency throughout the entire procurement process  
• Guide all internal parties and suppliers through procurement processes and procedures per RMI’s policy and procedures, in some cases, ensuring additional funder procurement requirements are met  
• Monitor procurement activities, including manage tracking of procurement opportunities to support transparency across the organization  
• Manage and train internal and external constituents on established procurement policies and procedures 
• Create and uphold risk management practices as they relate to procurement to protect the organization and prevent fraud 
• Manage Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ) and Sole Source process 
• Partner with Accounting to create policy that outlines when purchasing requires procurement versus when purchasing does not require procurement 

Vendor Management  

• Develop an on-going vendor management process in partnership with Accounting and other stakeholders 
• Build out due diligence and supplier evaluation assessment processes for service and goods providers to be shared with internal stakeholders 
• Monitor vendor management activities to support transparency and cross-collaboration across the organization  
• Oversee organization’s preferred vendor list  
• Partner with RMI supplier relationship owner and meet with contractors to discuss performance levels, and recommend improvements when necessary 
• Manage suppliers and build long term relationships 
• Analyze and report on vendor data to leadership 
• Provide reporting and leverage data to drive proactive management of supplier contracts 
• Ensure supplier compliance and documentation, including tracking conflicts of interest and insurance documentation 

Supplier Contracts   

• Partner with the Legal team during negotiation of contract; involved in negotiation of price, quality of goods/services, deadlines, and expectations  
• Support project managers/contract owners with guidelines on how to clearly explain contract terminology and invoicing requirements to vendors and other interested parties in simple, everyday language  
• Oversee the safeguards built into the system to prevent overspending on contracts 

Workday / System Management 

• Oversee Workday and Workday Strategic Sourcing tools to increase efficiency and effectiveness to maximize impact 
• Oversee the Workday Strategic Sourcing, Workday Contracts, Workday Supplier Invoicing, and Workday Purchase Order skus 
• Measure urgency and escalate technical issues to IT and Workday external consultant to troubleshoot 
• Continually update procedures and systems to meet the organization’s need for efficiency  

Process Improvement 

• Partner with Accounting, Program Services, Legal, Subgrants, and Program/Operations teams to identify areas of partnership and process improvements 
• Identify and report out on metrics to drive impact and enhance processes 
• Build out international framework to support expanding international practices 
• Ensures processes are standardized and documented 
• Identify and measure trends, metrics to better understand RMI’s procurement process to continue to improve and grow 

Other / Miscellaneous  

• Back-up for entire procurement team, will need to process on a regular basis 
• Develop and deliver RMI-wide procurement and contract management training sessions  
• Deliver informal training to internal constituents related to procurement policies, procedures and practices  
• Oversee the management of the Procurement and Vendor Management SharePoint sites 
• Provide training, supervision, evaluation and guidance of direct reports 
• Partner with Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) team to ensure procurement information is aligned and accurate for financial forecasting 
• Additional responsibilities, as required   

Core Skills And Experiences

• Bachelor’s degree in business or an equivalent combination of education and experience  
• Minimum of 5 years progressive work experience in procurement, vendor, and contract management   
• Strong knowledge of the industry and market conditions  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills  
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and rapport building  
• Clear adherence to company policies and procurement rules and regulations  
• Willingness to work virtually or in an office setting  
• Good organization skills and the ability to multitask on several projects simultaneously  
• Knowledge of negotiation best practices, both in-person and in written form, that considers cultural norms and the RMI’s best interests  

Desired Skills And Experiences

• Impeccable negotiation and problem-solving skills  
• Proven experience working as a procurement specialist in the same area 
• Experience with international procurement 
• Experience working in a nonprofit environment 
• Customer service mentality, ability to collaborate across many teams, flexible, thrives in fast paced environment 
• Additional certification in the field of procurement desired  
• Experience using Workday Procurement and Workday Strategic Sourcing 
• Knowledge of Adobe Sign and SharePoint  

We encourage anyone who is interested in this role to apply, regardless of whether you feel you meet 100% of the qualifications. The top candidates will bring their own unique perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds from a variety of industries along with many but not necessarily all the skills listed above. We offer professional learning and training opportunities to help you develop the skills you may not have had the opportunity to cultivate yet.

Location

We are a remote-ready organization with team members around the globe. Our beautiful and welcoming offices are available for meetings or focused work, whether you are traveling through or living nearby. Our U.S. offices are in New York City; Washington DC; Oakland, California; Boulder, Colorado; and Basalt, Colorado. This role can be located from anywhere in the continental United States.

We provide you with the essential IT equipment plus a one-time home technology payment and a monthly work from home/commuter allowance to ensure you have a comfortable home office set up and necessary supplies.

We love seeing each other in person! We occasionally gather for shared time together like retreats and learning experiences. Be ready to travel for occasional in-person meetings (and of course, we cover travel costs). Some roles may require more travel, which will be discussed during the hiring process.

Compensation    

RMI compensates based on the level and requirements of the role. Salary within our ranges may also be determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as required by the role, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. Typically, a new Procurement Manager joins at the salary range of $95,296 to $117,452. You would also have an additional 10% bonus target!  

Benefits     

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:     

• Medical, dental, vision insurance    
• 403b retirement options (up to 5% match immediately)    
• Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability    
• Professional and personal development
• Generous paid time off and sick leave
• Parental leave    
• Flexible working hours
• Commuter and work from home stipends

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion      

At RMI, our mission is to build a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future for all. For this to happen, every single person needs to be a stakeholder in the energy transition. Recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve is critical to our success. We need the widest range of perspectives to understand the systems we are trying to change. That doesn’t just mean bringing a diverse team to the table; it also means working proactively to give all job seekers and employees equitable experiences. Visit our DEI page for more information on our DEI initiatives and commitments.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

About RMI 

RMI is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization of experts across disciplines working to accelerate the clean energy transition and improve lives. Since our founding in 1982 by Amory Lovins, RMI’s chairman emeritus, we continue to grow and have a global reach and reputation.

For 40 years, RMI has utilized our unique techno-economic expertise and whole-systems thinking to publish groundbreaking research and analysis. We bring together collaborations of rare reach, range, and expertise—creating unconventional partnerships and mobilizing action to drive change on the massive scale needed to combat the climate crisis.

RMI is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.