Director of Procurement and Payment Services

Engineering a world of possibilities

The Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing talent, knowledge and solutions to service industry and benefit society. Mines has a strong reputation and celebrates high rankings due to its STEM-focused education and research results.

The Office of Finance, Administration and Operations (FA&O) provides critical support to the mission and forward-thinking strategic initiatives while managing $325 million in operating activity, stewarding $1 billion in assets, and supporting 1400 faculty and staff. The office of Procurement and Payment Services (PPS) is within FA&O and provides oversight for the institution’s entire "procure-to-pay" lifecycle. This role is responsible for ensuring that the acquisition of goods and services, accounts payable functions, travel reimbursements, and expense card programs are conducted efficiently, transparently, and in strict compliance with state and federal regulations and institutional policies. The Director of PPS will provide strategic leadership to the procurement, contracting, accounts payable, and expense management teams.

The Director of PPS manages a team of approximately 15 professional and classified employees. They are responsible for ensuring sound financial business processes and internal controls. This position will provide strategic leadership in the acquisition of goods and services for the institution and will represent PPS in a wide range of activities, committees, and meetings. The Director will collaborate and interact with many internal and external constituencies including campus administration and academic departments, other higher education institutions, governmental agencies, and the public. The Director of PPS will implement and maintain systems and subsequent enhancements to financial and administrative systems, along with maintaining data integrity of the University financial system.

This position can be hybrid in Colorado but requires a majority of time with on-campus presence. Colorado School of Mines provides dedicated professional development and training. Onboarding for this position includes training on policies and procedures, and technical training opportunities for systems and technology required for this role.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic leadership and customer service excellence

• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for PPS that transitions the department from a transactional function to a value-added strategic partner. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Ensure advantageous payment terms (e.g., net 30).
• Ensure optimal payment mechanisms (e.g., check, ACH, wire, virtual cards) and analyze rebate opportunities.
• Lead strategic vendor management, including the development of preferred and pre-vetted vendor programs.
• Ensure contractual terms and conditions are consistently advantageous to Mines, with a thoughtful balance of risk and benefit.
• Develop strategies and partnerships (e.g., with state agencies and other higher education institutions) to leverage collective purchasing power for the benefit of Mines.
• Drive digital transformation by identifying and implementing emerging technologies (e.g., AI-driven invoice processing, automated workflows) to reduce cycle times and manual errors.
• Serve as the primary advisor to executive leadership and campus departments on complex payment workflows, regulatory compliance, and travel policies.
• Lead change management initiatives to drive organization-wide adoption of new procurement tools, policies, and best practices

 

Policy, compliance, and training

• Lead the drafting, update, and interpret school policies related to purchasing, travel, and disbursements. Audit existing purchasing, travel, and payment policies to ensure they are clear, accessible, and minimize the administrative burden on faculty and staff.
• Lead the development and delivery of comprehensive campus-wide training programs to educate faculty and staff on procurement and AP workflows and compliance requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external audits.
• Monitor internal controls to prevent duplicate payments, fraud, and unauthorized expenditures.
• Stay current on state-mandated travel regulations and ensure all faculty/staff reimbursements meet IRS "accountable plan" requirements.

 

Team leadership and development

• Develop and maintain a highly skilled and engaged team through managing the organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities of the PPS teams: the Procurement/Purchasing Office and the Accounts Payable & Travel Off