Contract management is integral to making things happen; it drives a significant amount of commerce, and it is influential to global economies. The profession is evolving fast, adopting new technologies such as AI, to enhance efficiency in buying what organizations need to support their goals and shared missions. The National Contract Management Association (NCMA) is preparing professionals for what's next. We are pressing forward with a groundbreaking initiative to elevate our profession and create a globally recognized practice through a unique collaborative approach with key players in this space.
We are seeking a strategic and process-minded Chief Operating Officer with expertise in building operational frameworks that drive action. NCMA is financially strong ($11M operating budget with $14M in reserves) with an ambitious, mission-driven growth strategy. Join our forward-thinking leadership team in shaping the future of contract management with more globally accessible standards.
Reporting to and serving as a key advisor for the Chief Executive Officer, you will lead 3 direct reports with a total team of 10. Your primary areas of functional oversight will include component relations, membership, and customer service, technical infrastructure, certifications and standards, and event logistics. We have an incredibly talented staff who embrace an agile and iterative approach, but we need more strategic and intentional collaboration to maximize their expertise. We will look to you to create cohesion across all departments through a central operational lens, develop and create accountability for strategic and operational KPIs, and foster a culture of continuous improvement with eager organization-wide adoption of new technologies and processes.
How You’ll Make an Impact
You will be influential in exceeding our strategic goals, including corporate actions, higher-level collaboration with other organizations, and advancing our initiative to develop a common language by transforming contract management standard competencies and certifications, and partnering with colleges to prepare our next generation of contracting professionals. Key focus areas include:
Operational Leadership. Develop an operational strategy that moves our teams quickly from plan to action. Provide internal management and coordination to ensure we consistently develop goals per the strategic plan and apply a data-driven approach to measure results and improve.
Process Optimization. Evaluate and streamline internal processes across all departments. Develop and implement strategies to increase performance through workstream clarity, effectiveness, and efficiency.
Team Management. Create cross-functional teams to leverage strengths and knowledge, enabling staff to do their best work. Oversee performance management procedures that align mission and business strategy with performance. Create professional growth opportunities for the amazing NCMA staff.
Work Environment, Salary, and Benefits
You'll enjoy a fully remote work environment with available office space through a US provider. We follow East Coast office hours though support customers in all US time zones. Staff meet in person based on their needs.
The budgeted salary for this position is $220K with a benefits package including 24 days of PTO (up to 33 by year five) including last week of the year, 10 federal holidays, medical, dental, and vision plans, life and disability insurance, and NCMA matches the employee’s contribution up to the first 4% of an employee’s salary that is contributed to the plan. The employee is 100% vested from the start of the plan.
Responsibilities
Serve as staff liaison to the Strategic Planning Committee of the NCMA Board of Directors. Provide active leadership and demonstrate effective outcomes. Own annual planning processes related to staff-driven, committee-reviewed landscape analysis, SWOT, and risks to KPI.
Lead the annual internal work planning. Translate strategic plan objectives, landscape analysis, SWOT, and risks to KPI into an annual work plan to assess resource needs, prepare the budget, and serve as a basis for performance reviews.
Create and implement organization-wide workstream documentation, standard operating procedures, and knowledge management tools that support action.
Map the interconnectedness of strategic KPIs, operational KPIs, and other goals and objectives. Actively oversee and take action against gaps.
Prepare our Tech Stack for possible higher-order collaborations and improved operations. Ensure projects move and are appropriately resourced for success, including the data quality and robustness initiative and the application of AI to enhance the Level 0 (web first/self-service) in customer service.
Ensure successful outcomes from our new outsourcing project for Customer Support. Improve tracking and performance throughout customer resolution phases. Increase the capability of Level 1 (outsourced call center) to take on Level 2 (staff intervention).
Assess and revise our partnership platform. Collaborate with the CEO, C-Suite, and Directors in planning and leading a staged approach to higher-order collaboration and possible corporate action to increase global accessibility of CMS™, the CMBOK®, and the CCMA as the entry-level certification across commercial and public spend sectors.
Qualifications
15 years of experience leading operations and teams through transformation and change. Association experience is preferred.
Demonstrated experience with process automation, tech stack infrastructure, membership support and growth, strategic plan development and implementation, large-scale event logistics, and customer service.
Experience using cutting-edge technology to integrate information and knowledge across systems, creating seamless, efficient, and data-driven operational environments.
About Us
The National Contract Management Association (NCMA) stands as the premier contract management organization whose mission is to collaborate towards a globally recognized contract management profession that strengthens its nexus with related acquisition communities. Serving approximately 20,000 members in both the public and private sectors, NCMA propels the growth, advancement, and impact of practitioners through a steadfast commitment to serve through the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums.
To Apply
We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.
Use the "Apply" button on this page or simply email your resume to Lilly Khan at resumes@staffingadvisors.com with "NCMA – Chief Operating Officer #2023-2802 ASAE" as the subject of the email.
Staffing Advisors is committed to reducing bias in every aspect of the hiring process. We have long recommended a competency-driven approach to hiring. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
