Procurement Data Strategy & Analytics Manager

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Financial Administration (FAD) is dedicated to advancing Harvard University’s teaching and research mission by stewarding its resources; providing support, guidance, and consultation; ensuring compliance with university and federal guidelines; mitigating risk; pursuing operational excellence; and promoting the financial health of the University.

More about FAD: 

Within and across the University, we aim to be exemplary colleagues, trusted partners, valued advisors, and agents of positive change. 

Within our own community, we aspire to: 

• Engage with respect, honesty, and integrity  
• Cultivate equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging  
• Welcome innovation, collaboration, and flexibility  
• Enjoy our work, grow professionally, and aim for the extraordinary

Learn more about Financial Administration (harvard.edu) and our eight reporting units. (https://finance.harvard.edu/)

Job Description

Harvard's Financial Administration Department (FAD) is responsible for the stewardship of the University’s finances, including related business processes and technology in support of the teaching and research mission of the University. Harvard University’s Strategic Procurement Department is a central administrative function that serves all Harvard schools, institutes, and administrative units. Our mission is to create value for Harvard by optimizing the procurement of goods and services while upholding the highest standards of integrity, compliance, and supplier partnership. We manage over $3.5 billion in annual addressable spend and are committed to practices that support balance of trade, environmental sustainability, and the University’s long-term financial health.

The Procurement Data Strategy, Analytics & Operations Manager is a key leadership role within Financial Administration (FAD) Strategic Procurement, responsible for advancing Harvard’s procurement capabilities through data strategy, analytics, and operational execution.

Reporting to the Director of Procurement Operations, this role serves as the architect of the procurement performance framework – establishing a trusted “single source of truth,” defining KPI standards, and translating complex data into insights that drive institution-wide purchasing decisions.

The Manager will lead and develop a team of 3–5 analysts, providing direction, prioritization, and mentorship to ensure high-quality analytics, reporting, and operational support. In parallel, this role ensures insights are embedded into day-to-day operations – supporting transformation initiatives, driving adoption of tools and processes, and delivering measurable improvements in sourcing, contracting, compliance, and user experience across the University.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Data Strategy & Performance Management

• Define and manage a standardized procurement KPI framework (e.g., savings, spend, cycle time, supplier performance, compliance, risk).
• Establish and maintain a procurement “single source of truth” in partnership with Finance and HUIT, including data governance and quality standards.
• Aggregate and analyze sourcing and transactional data to identify trends, savings opportunities, and risk signals.
• Lead root-cause analysis and quantitative problem-solving; recommend solutions and track outcomes.
• Translate complex analysis into clear, executive-ready insights and recommendations.

Analytics, Transformation & Value Realization

• Serve as the lead analytics partner for procurement transformation initiatives, ensuring decisions are grounded in data and measurable outcomes.
• Define baselines, success metrics, and benefits tracking (e.g., savings realization, compliance lift, cycle-time reduction).
• Develop dashboards, scorecards, and governance reporting to monitor performance, adoption, and value delivery.
• Identify and pilot automation, AI, and advanced analytics use cases to improve efficiency, data quality, and predictive insights.
• Support execution of the procurement digital roadmap in partnership with Procurement Operations leadership.

Stakeholder Enablement & Insight Delivery

• Design and deploy user-friendly dashboards and self-service analytics tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Deliver role-based insights to category managers, business officers, and contract managers to support decision-making and policy adherence.
• Build data literacy through training, communications, and job aids to drive adoption.
• Act as a strategic thought partner to procurement and finance stakeholders, shaping sourcing strategies and priorities through data.
• Represent Procurement Operations in cross-functional data, analytics, and transformation initiatives.

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