Associate Director, Procurement and Partnerships

About Urban Institute

The Urban Institute is a research-to-impact institution founded on one simple ideal; to improve lives and strengthen communities, we need practices and policies that work. From advancing well-being to fostering shared prosperity, leaders across sectors are working every day to create brighter futures for all people and communities. For more than 50 years, Urban has delivered evidence and solutions that drive meaningful change, and this remains our charge today.

Our Mission

To drive impact by equipping changemakers with evidence and solutions.

Our Values

Collaboration, Equity, Inclusivity, Independence, and Integrity

For more information on the Urban Institute, please visit https://www.urban.org.

The Opportunity

The Urban Institute’s Grants and Contracts (GC) Department seeks an experienced Associate Director of Procurement and Partnerships to join the Subawards team to strengthen procurement strategy, subcontracting, partner engagement, and supplier management across Urban’s federal, state, local, corporate, and philanthropic funding portfolio.  This position will report directly to the Director of Subawards and offers an exciting opportunity to strengthen, innovate, and advance organization-wide procurement processes. The ideal candidate will bring a solutions-oriented mindset, demonstrate flexibility in adapting to change, and collaborate with the Director of Subawards to define and implement organizational procurement priorities.

As competition for funding increases, Urban needs proactive procurement, partner selection, and subcontracting support earlier in the proposal process. One organizational priority is to help Urban compete more effectively, build durable partnerships, and make sponsored work easier, more consistent, and more sustainable for Urban teams. This position will lead these efforts.

This role will focus on pre-award strategy and proposal development, including procurement planning, market research, partner identification, supplier strategy, pricing considerations, teaming arrangements, subcontracting plans, and procurement-related compliance requirements. The Associate Director will also draft subcontract agreements and facilitate negotiations with selected partners, and   support researchers and project teams throughout the award lifecycle by helping them meet contractual, procurement, and funder obligations.

The Associate Director will serve as a trusted advisor to research teams, helping define decision frameworks and sourcing strategies for complex opportunities. This includes advising on business needs, procurement requirements, compliance obligations, total cost/price considerations, partner terms, acquisition strategies, and subcontracting approaches. The role will also help build strong supplier and partner relationships, mentor procurement staff, and drive improvements to procurement tools, processes, and internal coordination.

Central to Urban’s mission is fostering a truly inclusive community that remains relevant in a changing world. GC advances this work by supporting Urban teams from pre-proposal planning through award closeout, protecting institutional interests, managing risk, and ensuring compliance with Urban policies and funder requirements. The Associate Director will help GC become a more proactive and strategic partner to research teams by strengthening subcontract and partner management, streamlining procurement tools and processes, and enhancing coordination across research divisions and operational departments.

Responsibilities Include:

• Lead pre-award partner and supplier processes, including sourcing, market research, solicitations, proposal documentation, evaluations, risk assessments, cost and price analysis, and objective selection.

• Advise research teams on partnership and teaming strategies; cultivate local, M/WBE, and other priority partners; and advance engagement in key jurisdictions.

• Develop procurement, subcontracting, and teaming strategies that support competitive proposals, compliant and defensible partner selection, durable partnerships, and long-term value.

• Evaluate and negotiate scopes, budgets, pricing, workshare, deliverables, subcontracting instruments, and contract terms; identify and mitigate risks and incorporate applicable funder and flow-down requirements.

• Oversee procurement and subcontract actions throughout the award lifecycle, including pre-award processes, award issuance, documentation, subcontract administration, performance monitoring, and closeout. Responsibilities may also include supervising other Subawards staff members to ensure appropriate procurement oversight and effective subcontract administration.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, local, corporate, and philanthropic requirements, including small business and M/WBE subcontracting plans, commitments, documentation, and required utilization reporting.

• Strengthen procurement operations and cross-functional coordination through standardized workflows, controls, governance, handoffs, templates, guidance, partner-management practices, centralized supplier information, and stakeholder training.

What You’ll Bring :

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, public policy, nonprofit management, law, finance, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant certification preferred.

• At least seven years of progressive experience in procurement, subcontracts, proposal development, supplier/partner management, or related work across federal, state, local, corporate, or philanthropic funding environments.

• Hands-on experience with U.S. federal procurement and financial assistance requirements, including the FAR, and 2 CFR 200 / Uniform Guidance.

• Experience with small business subcontracting requirements and reporting.

• Demonstrated experience with managing staff preferred.

• Knowledge of common contract and subcontract instruments, including cost reimbursement, fixed price, time and materials, and indefinite-delivery contracts; experience with GSA or PSS schedules preferred.

• Experience determining instrument types and drafting, negotiating and executing subcontracts or other procurement instruments.

• Demonstrated ability to apply procurement decision frameworks and partner strategies across government, corporate, and philanthropic funding contexts, including sourcing, market research, RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, teaming arrangements, small business and M/WBE engagement, workshare negotiations, and supplier risk assessment.

• Sound negotiation judgment and business acumen to protect Urban’s interests while preserving strong partner relationships.

• Ability to translate complex procurement, contracting, and compliance requirements into clear guidance, practical options, and timely decisions for research teams and operational partners.

• Excellent communication, analytical, organizational, and judgment skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Diplomacy, discretion, and cultural awareness, with the ability to build trust, coordinate effectively across teams, and handle sensitive information appropriately.

• Comfort using technology and data tools to improve procurement workflows, subcontractor documentation, reporting, partner knowledge management, and process consistency.

What You’ll Experience

No matter your role with Urban, you will contribute to meaningful work that makes a difference for people and communities across the country. We are committed to working in a manner defined by our mission and values.

Urban’s greatest asset is our people.

The salary range for this position is $113,979 - $152,258. Salary offered is commensurate with experience and considers internal comparisons. Salaries are just one component of Urban Institute’s total compensation package. Urban is committed to supporting our staff’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being through a robust benefits package for yourself, eligible dependents, and domestic partners. It includes generous paid time off, including nine federal holidays and other leave benefits, medical (including prescription), dental and vision insurance, and transit benefits. Urban is unique in that we offer 403(b) retirement plan participation immediately after you’re hired and a generous employer contribution after six months of service and 500 hours, with immediate vesting. You’ll also have access to a health advocate, personal finance consulting, an Employee Assistance Program, a wellbeing program, credit union and educational assistance for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. This position has the opportunity to be fully remote.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the people assigned. This posting is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Urban management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Urban Institute is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender or gender identity, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, veteran status, pregnancy or family responsibilities, matriculation, disability, political affiliation, or any other protected status under applicable law.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you have a physical and/or mental disability and are interested in applying for employment and need special accommodations to use our website to apply for a position, please contact Human Resources at [email protected]. Reasonable accommodation requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.