Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager

Job Description:

Reporting to the Director of Strategic Sourcing & Contracts, the Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager is the lead sourcing role on the Strategic Sourcing team in the Office of Strategic Procurement & Contracts (SPC). The position owns the University's research and science category end to end, roughly $30M in annual spend across laboratory supplies, equipment, and services supporting the biomedical, physics, chemistry, and other research departments. It develops and executes category strategy, runs competitive RFP events, and negotiates and drafts contracts directly, with attention to federal grant and Uniform Guidance compliance.

 

The role is deliberately category-agnostic: the incumbent is expected to pick up unfamiliar categories and lead them independently, including a secondary body of IT contracting work in support of the Office of Information Technology (OIT). The position sets standards and provides guidance and training to team members and end users on the RFP process and e-sourcing tools and serves as a commercial and contractual support function for decentralized University departments.

• Develop and execute category strategy for the ~$30M research and science portfolio across supplies, equipment, and services
• Run competitive RFP events end to end
• negotiate pricing, terms, and agreements with suppliers (Fisher, Airgas, Bio-Rad, Qiagen, MilliporeSigma)
• Establish contracts and punch-out relationships where spend currently has no agreement, and drive compliance and preferred-supplier adoption with departments
• Negotiate, draft, and redline contract terms directly, including non-standard terms, without dedicated legal or paralegal support
• Review for compliance with University policy and Uniform Guidance for federally funded purchases
• Build relationships across research departments and principal investigators and earn the right to lead their sourcing
• Support IT contracting in coordination with OIT and the SPC contracting specialists
• Pick up other categories and SPC special initiatives as assigned
• Set standards and train the team and end users on the RFP process and e-sourcing tools
• Field and resolve day-to-day requests: contract questions, PO and invoice issues, and supplier escalations

 

Job Qualifications:

Education and Experience

 

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of experience and education in an applicable field
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management, or supply chain
• Demonstrated strategic sourcing experience beyond general purchasing, including running competitive processes independently
• Proven ability to negotiate, draft, and administer contracts directly, preferably using a contract lifecycle management system
• Preferred: experience sourcing research, scientific, or laboratory categories; knowledge of Uniform Guidance and federally funded purchasing; automated procurement / e-sourcing systems; CPP or CPPM certification; university-setting experience; IT procurement knowledge
  
• Strong analytical skills; develops and reports on metrics and quantifiable savings
• Ability to pick up unfamiliar categories and resolve complex issues independently
• Relationship building and influence with internal stakeholders and suppliers; strong internal customer-service orientation
• Clear written and verbal communication; sound judgment

Criminal and education Background check required.

Please include a cover letter when submitting your application materials.

Benefits of Working at Brown:

Please review additional information on the Benefits of Working at Brown.

Recruiting Start Date:

2026-09-11

Job Posting Title:

Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager

Department:

Strategic Procurement and Contracts

Grade:

Grade 10

Worker Type:

Employee

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

37.5

Position Work Location:

Hybrid

 

Submission Guidelines:

The designated Position Work Location for each position determines the approved modality of work. Positions are classified based on the operational and business needs of the department and may be designated as on-site, hybrid, or remote.

Employees with a designated position work location as remote must reside and perform their work in a state where Brown University is registered to do business. Brown University is a registered employer in the following states: Rhode Island, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington, D.C.

Please note that to be considered for a staff position at Brown University, you must submit a separate application for each position you wish to be considered for. Applications are reviewed only for the specific position to which they are submitted and are not automatically considered for future openings.  

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Still Have Questions?

If you have any questions you may contact [email protected].

Brown is an E-Verify Employer.

EEO Statement:

Brown University provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation based upon a person’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law, in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. The University recognizes and rewards individuals on the basis of qualifications and performance. The University maintains certain affirmative action programs in compliance with applicable law.