IFMA Foodverse

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

UW Facilities Finance & Administration provides financial, procurement and sourcing, human resources, and communications leadership to all of UW Facilities (UWF).  UWF is one of the largest and most diverse administrative units on the Seattle campus supporting a large urban campus.  UWF manages the University’s buildings, infrastructure and land, with more than 1,100 employees in a variety of fields.  Our teams can be organized into four main groups:  Finance & Administration, Asset Management, Operations, and Business Intelligence.

Finance & Administration has an outstanding opportunity for a Business Diversity and Equity Program Manager’s (BDEPM).

Reporting to the Director, and Assistant Director of UW Facilities Procurement & Sourcing, the Program Manager will assume responsibility for all UW (Enterprise) business diversity and equity reporting and program management operations, policies, and standard operating procedures.

The BDEPM is in a UW leadership role.  The BDEPM does not have any direct reports but is expected to lead procurement and contracting businesses processes and may have leadership responsibilities to student interns in the program.

A critical component of the BDEPM role is to ensure UW’s compliance with federal, state and local regulations, changing state mandates regarding business diversity and inclusion.  The compliance needs of University and organizational requirements may change with legislative requirements and State expectations.  The BDEPM will manage new, or changed, requirements for the University.  At the same time, the BDEPM engages the internal and external community to further UW’s mission of engaging and solidifying lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with a range of small, local, and diverse suppliers as set forth in RCW 43.26 and Policy 16 by the Board of Regents September 2015.

UW Facilities (UWF) manages the UW’s Business Diversity and Equity Program that supports a complex procurement, contracting and buying environment. UWF is responsible for social justice initiatives that support business across the Enterprise.  This responsibility requires that beyond the service and delegated authority for capital construction, real estate, maintenance and operations, UWF is responsible for all diverse business and equity policies across all UW lines of business.

KNOWLEDGE: UW Facilities Procurement & Sourcing department supports all operational sourcing, procurement, buying of goods, services, and construction, requiring a thorough understanding of industry buying; an experienced knowledge of the range of commodities UW purchases and their inherent and changeable value; and related rules and regulations surrounding each item UW Facilities encumbers.

BUILDING CONSENSUS AND RELATIONSHIPS: The BDEPM demonstrates proven success in bringing multiple parties to consensus on diverse business inclusion and social justice best practices, breaks down barriers to shared success, and effectively implements large-scale change through collaboration and knowledge sharing.

ANALYTICS and REPORTING: The BDEPM will independently review data and prepare monthly business reports for all UW contracting and buying businesses.  The BDEPM will provide comprehensive analyses on subjects such as buying trends, contract performance, spend, market availability, cost trends, or similar. The BDEPM is responsible for gathering, analyzing, and reporting to senior leadership on spending in order to collaborate with all organizations, departments and colleges and usher in a new way of thinking and actualize strategic sourcing vision.

The BDEPM will independently initiate, develop, manage, report, and maintain accountability for all diverse business inclusion policies and programs, including the Executive Policy 16, across the Enterprise and approximately $3B in annual business transactions.  The BDEPM will also support project-cycle metrics to provide overall business reporting to the VP of Facilities and the Board of Regent’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee.

UWF is one of the largest and most diverse administrative units on the Seattle campus supporting a large urban university campus. While there are many formal policies to follow under State requirements, the establishment of a refreshed Enterprise program comes many new and uncharted areas requiring creative problem solving and highly developed critical thinking skills while balancing risk and return to the university. Business Diversity staff will provide a deep experience and subject matter expertise in public procurement and contracting, and provide in-depth analyses and reporting with quick turnaround times to leverage UW’s buying power, enact legislative and regulatory changes, and lead changes in process and internal policy.

INTERFACE with CENTRAL PROCUREMENT: The BDEPM aligns and builds on the baseline processes developed by Central Procurement to ensure equitable and inclusive practices in UW procurement and contracting.  The BDEPM employs, communicates, and supports best practices and procurement policies in tandem with the Central Procurement specialists that serve the whole campus.

INTERFACE with UW DEPARTMENTS: BDEPM fosters an environment of teamwork and collaboration across all UW’s units, departments, and all 18 schools and colleges across campus facilities in Seattle, Bothell, Tacoma, and outlying posts. This interface is essential to support UW’s commitment to supporting certified local, small, and diverse members of Washington state’s Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

INTERFACE with DIVERSE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND STATE: The BDEPM will independently identify, track and educate the Enterprise on current requirements and needs of both community expectations and State.  The BDEPM will staff and track the State of Washington’s Governor’s Subcabinet on Diversity Community of Practice as well as other community based boards, groups, advisory committees or similar.

BUSINESS PROCESS AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENT: The BDEPM will identify gaps in current procurement and buying process, as well determine where existing processes can be improved. The BDEPM will partner with members throughout the Enterprise, from administrative support to executive leadership, to identify, socialize, and institute process improvements while addressing necessary policy changes to support a long-term reduction in inefficient practices and unnecessary spending.

The BDEPM will be responsible for business process management and bringing in strategic alignment among all UW buying operations by developing and implementing policy and standard operating procedures.  The BDEPM will research and identify changes and opportunities in the market, develop efficiencies, leverage buying power in the organization and across the enterprise, overall; and create effective business operating procedures that realize maximum inclusion.

EMPOLYEE ENGAGEMENT and STEWARDSHIP: Under the leadership of the Director of Business Diversity and Equity/UWF Procurement & Sourcing, the BDEPM will establish a forward-thinking culture of support and service, focusing on delivering high-value both inside and outside the UWF and other University departments through knowledgeable customer service, acute expertise of related regulations, and increased operational effectiveness, while enhancing employee satisfaction. In turn, this culture builds up on and promotes UW’s critical-thinking approach to smart spending as responsible stewards of the University’s resources.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

20% - Inclusive Procurement Best Practices Education and Support

•Liaise with the State Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprises “community of practice” to ensure UW adherence to the Disparity Study best practice recommendation for the inclusion of diverse businesses
•Understand, apply and ensure compliance with all federal, state, and university required diverse business inclusion and procurement requirements
•Develop training programs and recommend continuous education policies across the Enterprise for all procurement and buying transactions

10% - Business Process Improvement

•Participate in enterprise-wide continuous business and procurement improvement projects utilizing a variety of methodologies and tools.
•Contribute to all assigned project teams regarding procurement, buying, and/or contracts.
•Write and update any process and procured documents as needed to reflect current business process improvements from a diverse business inclusion lens.

10% - Stakeholder and Campus Engagement

•Plan and lead monthly BDE Partner meetings, oversee partner collaboration
•Independently manage continuous stakeholder and campus engagement strategies and work plans
•Generate and implement efficient business equity processes organization-by-organization
•Perform analysis and benchmarking to ensure authentic and meaningful engagement
•Discover and partner with new stakeholders
•Report quarterly on engagement work plan progress
•Conduct market research and development of potential diverse stakeholders for the UW
•Serve as a market-to-owner liaison
•Understand target partner markets and how those partners accomplish their best and highest work

30% - Data Gathering and Reporting

•Oversee the preparation and revision of all the various UW BDE diversity reports
•Oversee data gathering protocols with enterprise-wide data groups
•Liaise with various business analysts and enterprise data groups on a monthly, quarterly, annual reporting cycle
•Establish best practices to ensure data being gathered in accordance with BDE policy
•Responsible for the timely and comprehensive reporting needs of diverse business spend for the University

20% - Event Planning

•Oversee the scheduling and participation of UW in the community regarding diverse business events and public programs
•Plan and host several internal and external recognition and awards events each year
•Liaise with various community organizations regarding similar
•Manage sponsorships and memberships to various community based organizations

10% - Diverse Business Development

•Liaise with the Supplier Diversity programs and Registered Student Organization(s) to identify diverse businesses ready for development
•Plan and manage various capacity building, certification opportunities and other similar tools for diverse firms to develop and advance in UW and public procurement space
•Plan and participate in the Foster School Consulting and Business Development Center Ascend program
•Conduct interviews and meetings with new vendors, as needed
•Cultivate and maintain relationships with vendors by communicating with them frequently to answer questions and check their satisfaction levels and needs from UW processes, etc.
•Develop relationships with key suppliers/vendors/contractors.
•Identify metrics for evaluation and develop scorecard/rating system that ties to reporting and best practices.

Core Competencies

•Demonstrate personal integrity and trustworthiness.
•Manage stressful situations and changing priorities effectively.
•Anticipate, recognize and resolve problems.
•Be responsible and accountable.
•Use organizational skills and provide attention to details.
•Maintain a positive, optimistic, and success-oriented attitude.
•Exercise professionalism, which includes being tactful and courteous.
•Exhibit a professional work ethic.
•Continuously promote a safe work environment.

Requirements include:

•Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field
•Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, contracting, policy development, program development and oversight or similar
•A record of accomplishment of successfully managing multiple projects and delivering projects on schedule
•Ability to develop and track project schedules
•Excellent written and verbal communication skills for a variety of audiences.
•Ability to lead  meetings, give presentations, work with facts and be able to tell a story with numbers
•Demonstrated success in building and sustaining positive customer and other relationships
•Commitment to working within an organizational framework of continuous process improvement
•Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Desired:

•Experience in public procurement in the state of Washington, local government, or public higher education; especially in a facilities or construction environment.
•Procurement and contracting background in the public sector highly desired
•Business diversity program knowledge and awareness highly desired

Conditions of Employment:

•All teleworking arrangements are subject to change based on UW policy decisions and/or operational needs.
•Must be able to work in a non-smoking environment.
•Regular and predictable attendance is required.


As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here.


Application Process:

You will be asked to submit a cover letter AND your response [In a separate “Cover Letter Assessment” to the following (limited to 900 characters)]:

"We would like to know more about your experience with diversity, race and equity, and social justice. Please tell us about your experience engaging and working with diverse communities – particularly in the context of your professional, volunteer, or civic work. Please also address efforts you have made or been involved with to foster diversity competence and understanding."

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.