Strategic Sourcing Manager

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$70,000–$75,000 Per Year
SKILLS
Accounting, Business Administration, Communication Skills, Contract Negotiation, Cost Control, Cross-Functional, Customer Satisfaction, Data Analysis, Expense Analysis, Finance, Financial Trend Analysis, Government, Higher Education, IBM Systems, Interpersonal Skills, Market Research, Operations Management, Performance Management, Problem Solving Skills, Procurement Strategy, Purchasing/Procurement, Regulatory Compliance, Request for Proposals (RFP), Risk Management, Sourcing Strategy, Strategic Planning, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Technical Research, Time Management, Training/Teaching, Trend Analysis, Vendor/Supplier Diversity, Vendor/Supplier Evaluation, eSourcing
LOCATION
Troy, NY
POSTED
30+ days ago

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Strategic Sourcing Manager

Apply now Job no: 495877

Work type: Full Time

Location: Troy, NY

Categories: Staff, Business, Accounting and Finance, CFHE

Job Summary:

The Strategic Sourcing Manager (SSM) supports institutional procurement goals by applying sourcing expertise, data-driven analysis, and strong supplier engagement to deliver value across assigned commodity areas. The SSM identified opportunities for improved supplier performance, cost savings, and operational efficiency while ensuring campus end users receive high-quality, value-added goods and services. This role contributes to cross-functional procurement projects, supports campus stakeholders, and maintains high standards for compliance in purchasing practices.

Who we are:

Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the first technological research university in the United States. We bring creativity, science, and technology together to address society''s greatest challenges. We cultivate exceptional problem-solvers by immersing them in a culture of rigorous inquiry, disciplined practice, and hands-on application. Our strategic plan, RPI Forward, charts a pioneering course for the next era of RPI. Explore the RPI Forward plan. ︎

Nestled on a beautiful 275-acre campus in upstate NY, RPI is home to five schools, 32 research centers, three makerspaces, an observatory, one of the world's fastest supercomputers, and the IBM Quantum System One - the first university-based quantum computer in the world.

With top notch employee health and retirement benefits, Rensselaer offers its full-time employees a generous paid time off program, tuition remission, and opportunities for career growth.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Supply Chain, Accounting, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
  • Minimum of five (5) years of relevant procurement or strategic sourcing experience
  • Higher education or public sector experience preferred

Relevant combinations of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Strong understanding of sourcing principles and contract negotiation
  • Effective interpersonal, planning, and communication skills
  • Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and make informed recommendations
  • Familiarity with Jaggaer or other e-Procurement platforms preferred
  • Commitment to continuous learning, supplier diversity, and sustainability

Representative Job Duties:

  • Develop and implement sourcing strategies that align with campus needs and institutional goals.
  • Promote and support initiatives that drive cost savings, supplier performance, and end-user satisfaction.
  • Analyze spend data and commodity trends using e-Procurement tools and market research.
  • Plan and execute competitive sourcing events (RFPs, RFIs, etc.) to ensure access to high-value goods and services.
  • Maintain accurate and timely status updates for active sourcing projects and contract renewals. Contribute to supplier evaluations and support supplier performance improvement initiatives.
  • Participate in contract negotiation and lifecycle management under the guidance of senior team members.
  • Collaborate with faculty, staff, and departments to assess specifications, manage risk, and ensure effective sourcing decisions in line with Institute standards.
  • Deliver stakeholder education and outreach on sourcing procedures, tools, and compliance topics.
  • Monitor campus purchasing activities for compliance with Institute policies and supplier contracts. Address Institute concerns with non-compliance with appropriate levels of management.
  • Partner with FAST staff to maintain relevant supplier catalogs and e-Procurement functionality.
  • Support sustainable and inclusive procurement practices through diverse and environmentally preferred supplier engagement when possible.

Shift:

Business Hours: Monday - Friday

Travel:

Local travel between campus locations only

Driving:

Incidental driving possible, but not required

Starting Salary/Rate:

Expected hiring range: $70,000 - $75,000

Pay transparency disclosure: The selected candidate's salary will be determined based on factors that include the available budget, internal equity, and the final candidate's qualifications, experience, education and other job-related credentials. This hiring range is provided as Rensselaer's good faith estimate of the expected hiring range at the time of posting.

Application instructions:

Follow the on-screen prompts to create a brief online profile. Please be ready to upload your resume and cover letter.

If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact careers@rpi.edu.

Job Posted Date:

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Total Compensation and Benefits Information:

Rensselaer's Total Compensation Program is designed to provide stable pay growth, a comprehensive and affordable benefits package, and a comprehensive and affordable retiree medical and prescription plan. Our goal is to provide you and your family with a comprehensive health and welfare program as an umbrella of financial security and protection during your employment. For more information, please visit Benefits | Human Resources (rpi.edu).

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is committed to the cultivation of a community that is welcoming, inclusive, and above all values learning. We welcome candidates who bring a variety of perspectives to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute''s work and campus communities. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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

Advertised: 16 Apr 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close:

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About the Company

R

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Institute programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Nearly 29 percent of undergraduate students this year are from areas outside of the Northeast. , in addition to the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from countries all around the world.

Rensselaer offers at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Students are encouraged to work in that allow them to combine scholarly work from several departments or schools. The university provides rigorous, engaging, interactive learning environments and campus-wide opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and creativity.

For almost , Rensselaer has maintained its reputation for providing an undergraduate education of undisputed intellectual rigor based on educational innovation in the laboratory, classroom, and studio.

Driven by talented, dedicated, and forward-thinking , Rensselaer has dramatically expanded the by leveraging our existing strengths and focusing on five signature research areas: ; ; ; ; and .

The Institute is especially well-known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.

Academic Approach and Educational Innovations

Rensselaer is anchored by two vibrant roots:

  • One root, written into the , is the application of science to the common purposes of life. This kept the focus on engineering solutions to national and international needs and challenges. constructed the canals, roads, bridges, skyscrapers, and basic infrastructure of America, which helped to form the basis for 20th century society.
  • The second root, also built into the school's origin, was the employment of unique educational strategies. In the earliest days, after initial instruction, students taught what they knew to each other since teaching reinforces learning. Likewise, students performed scientific experiments rather than watch faculty conduct them, as had been the common practice.

The Rensselaer Plan 2024

Armed with our intellects, our energy, and a bold vision for the future, we launched a process to realize the mission of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in new and tangible ways. We conceived and implemented , to bring new meaning, and new substance, to the question we ask ourselves as the first technological university in the nation: Why not change the world?

We began our journey of transformation where necessity demanded. We have made major investments in our people, programs, platforms, and partnerships; and, together, we have brought about a true Renaissance at Rensselaer. These investments have enabled us to transform Rensselaer into a top-tier technological research university with global reach and global impact. That transformation serves as a solid foundation on which we will build even greater achievements in the future.

Our journey of transformation continues, under . In the same spirit as its precursor, the revised Plan is evergreen, prepared to grow and evolve, as the Institute grows and evolves. In advancing The Rensselaer Plan 2024, we are moving from transforming Rensselaer to Rensselaer being transformative: transformative in our students' lives; transformative in our innovative pedagogy, nationally and internationally; transformative in the global impact of our research.

COMPANY SIZE
100 to 499 employees
INDUSTRY
Education
FOUNDED
1824
WEBSITE
http://www.rpi.edu