Associate Vice Chancellor - Supply Chain Management

Location

SAINT LOUIS, MO 63112



Scheduled Hours

40

Position Summary

Washington University in St. Louis seeks an experienced and strategic Associate Vice Chancellor of Supply Chain Management to provide institutional leadership for supply chain strategy, purchasing services (procurement), supplier engagement and development, furniture and design services , and mail and receiving services. This role reports to the Vice Chancellor University Business Services and supports the University’s academic, facilities, research, and patient care missions, including its close partnership with the School of Medicine and affiliated clinical enterprises.

The Associate Vice Chancellor will lead the development of an enterprise-wide supply chain management strategy that balances fiscal stewardship, service excellence, and sustainability, while enabling flexibility for schools, departments, and research and clinical units with highly specialized needs.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Enterprise Supply Chain Strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive supply chain management strategy aligned with the University’s academic, capital projects, research, clinical, and community missions.
• Drive enterprise value through thoughtful demand management, strategic sourcing, lifecycle cost analysis and supplier management.
• Establish governance frameworks, policies, and performance metrics that promote transparency, accountability, and effective decision‑making across decentralized units.
• Advance the modernization of procurement technology and utilization of AI tools to maximize efficiencies and optimize analytics.
• Support logistical operations (ex. student mail, last mile deliveries, mail metering, etc.) for various stakeholders such as students, faculty and staff across campus.

Procurement Leadership in a Decentralized Environment

• Provide leadership and oversight for procurement in a complex, decentralized environment encompassing schools, departments, research centers, and clinical operations.
• Balance centralized strategy and compliance with localized execution to support diverse academic, research, and clinical requirements.
• Oversee strategic sourcing, contract management, supplier performance, and risk management across a wide range of categories, including clinical, research, and capital purchases.
• Advance supplier diversity and responsible sourcing initiatives consistent with university values.

Asset Optimization

• Develop and execute comprehensive asset reutilization programs to maximize value, reuse, and responsible disposition of institutional assets.
• Implement processes that support redistribution within the University, resale, donation, or recycling in compliance with regulatory, grant, and environmental requirements.
• Partner with sustainability and facilities stakeholders to reduce waste and extend asset lifecycles.

Sustainability and Stewardship

• Integrate sustainability principles into supply chain and procurement strategies, including waste reduction, environmentally preferable purchasing, and lifecycle‑based decision‑making.
• Collaborate with University sustainability leadership to measure and report the environmental impact of supply chain activities.

Stakeholder Engagement and Change Leadership

• Serve as a strategic advisor and build collaborative relationships across enterprises to drive adoption of best practices while respecting institutional culture and autonomy.
• Lead change initiatives to modernize systems, processes, and tools, enhancing user experience and operational effectiveness.

Team and Operational Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop high‑performing teams across the supply chain organization.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, service excellence, ethical conduct, continuous improvement, and inclusion.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree

Certifications /Professional Licenses :

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Leadership In Resource Management, Materials Management, Procurement, Or Related Field (8 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain management, finance, public administration, or a related field; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Significant senior‑level leadership experience in supply chain management, procurement, or resource management within a large, complex organization.
• Demonstrated success leading procurement operations in a highly decentralized environment.
• Experience overseeing logistics, asset management, or reutilization programs.
• Strong strategic, financial, analytical, and organizational change leadership skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in higher education or health care organizations, particularly those that include a medical school or academic health center.
• Familiarity with clinical supply chains, research procurement environments, and regulatory requirements associated with academic medicine.
• Experience advancing sustainability, environmental stewardship, or responsible sourcing initiatives within a large institution.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Master's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Communication, Procurement Operations, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Management, Strategic Solutions, Supply Chain Leadership, Supply Chain Management (SCM)

Grade

G00

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity or shared ancestry, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information. As a federal contractor, the university maintains affirmative action programs to implement its equal employment opportunity policy for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, in accordance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), as amended.