Reporting to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Budgets & Business Operations, the Director of Strategic Business Operations directs and coordinates all aspects of contract management, business intelligence, and process improvement by providing professional leadership, strategic planning, and supervision of the business activities and operations of Business & Finance and Procurement and Business Services (PBS).
Essential Functions
Serves as the senior contracting director for Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, responsible for the contracting staff that drafts, reviews, and executes university contracts. Ensures compliance with applicable law and policy. Coordinates agreement terms with campus stakeholders and negotiates with external parties. Monitors and tracks the status of existing university agreements. Manages highly complex contractual relationships with competing interests and ensures university business partners operate within the confines of conveyed rights and responsibilities.
Serves as liaison and interfaces with campus constituents to provide guidance on contract issues and present training (including HRD Courses) related to university contracting, business analytics, and organizational process improvement.
Manages Business and Finance’s Campus Sponsorship program to include identifying areas of opportunity among campus corporate contracts and relationships, assembles stakeholders to monetize inventory, and creates and obtains additional service value from existing and potential corporate partners. Interfaces with and recruits stakeholders to gain participation and coordinates efforts. Manages the centralized administrative functions of existing campus sponsorship programs, including revenue tracking and personnel management for a contract officer and an analytics specialist.
Manages the day-to-day operations of the Business Intelligence team to ensure that Business and Finance data is being analyzed and that relevant findings are being shared with leadership and constituents to identify and realize cost savings and revenue return in the form of discounts, rebates, profitability enhancements, and efficiencies. Identifies and/or creates key performance indicators (KPIs) and similar metrics to create goals and standards for operational success.
Serves as primary liaison between Business and Finance and external consultants. Works closely with Business and Finance leadership on process improvement analysis. Identifies, plans, and implements key projects to improve quality, reduce costs, increase productivity, obtain efficiencies, and interfaces with Business and Finance leadership and constituents to operationalize process improvement and obtain effective change. Identifies and/or creates key performance indicators and similar metrics to create goals and standards for operational success.
Performs other duties as assigned.
About Auburn: Auburn was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the state of Alabama’s best employers, with employees staying an average of ten years! Learn more about Auburn’s impact, generous employee benefits, and thriving community by visiting aub.ie/working-for-auburn. It’s a Lifestyle: The Auburn/Opelika area is a page right out of Southern Living magazine with an idyllic small-town feel, perfecting a unique balance between a close-knit community and driving consistent growth and development. Paralleling the exponential growth of Auburn University, the Auburn/Opelika area boasts services and amenities that cater to any interest. We’re proud of our top school systems, city services, award-winning restaurants, and the infectious spirit of life in a college town. You can find us nestled halfway between the beach and the mountains in a lower-cost-of-living area, two hours outside of Atlanta or Birmingham. If you’re new to Auburn, we’d love to introduce you. If you’re already acquainted with Auburn, we’ll keep it simple: it’s time to come home!
Our Commitment: Auburn University is committed to a diverse and inclusive campus environment. Visit auburn.edu/inclusion to learn more about our commitment to expanding equity and inclusion for all.
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Four-year college degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field. Juris Doctorate or Master’s Degree desired.
PLUS
Experience: 8 years experience in reviewing, drafting, negotiating, managing, and administering contracts. Experience in change management; operational efficiency identification; KPI and metric creation and tracking; and process implementation. Experience in collecting, interpreting, and operationalizing business intelligence data. Experience in project management and working with 3rd party consultants. At least 2 years of experience in supervising full-time employees. Experience with the Alabama Bid law, contract negotiation and review, process improvement analysis, and business intelligence methods preferred.
Minimum Skills, License, and Certifications
Minimum Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of and ability to interpret business data, operational processes, and strategic vision. Independently identifies opportunities for process improvement and operational efficiencies, recruits stakeholder buy-in, and operationalizes changes. Ability to understand and interpret legal contract language, identify problematic terms, translate for and communicate effectively with stakeholders, and negotiate with third-party entities. Ability to interpret and apply state and federal law relating to contracts, bid process, and administrative operations. Ability to identify, solicit, negotiate, and manage external revenue-generating partnerships. Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication and interpersonal skills are required. Ability to conform with externally imposed deadlines, adjust priorities accordingly, and coordinate with internal stakeholders and outside vendors. Ability to assemble, coordinate, and manage teams of internal stakeholders with widely disparate and sometimes conflicting interests. Ability to maintain professionalism and direction in high-stress situations.
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