Convergent Research is a nonprofit science studio best known for pioneering the Focused Research Organization (FRO). We build institutional infrastructure that removes bottlenecks to breakthrough research—and we do it fast. Our job is to help visionary scientists launch moonshot projects that wouldn’t happen in academia or industry.
What do those projects need? Stuff. Equipment. Reagents. Wires. Software. Some guy named Dave’s custom pressure-regulated thingamajig. That’s where you come in.
About the role
We’re looking for a Procurement Systems Manager to help Convergent and our FROs purchase things in a way that’s fast, compliant, and doesn’t make anyone want to flip a table.
You won’t own vendor negotiations or sourcing (scientists tend to have... strong preferences). But you will be the human behind the curtain: building workflows, crafting policy, running systems, and translating “here’s what we need” into “yep, we can buy that.”
You’ll report to the Head of Finance and be an integral part of our shared services team, making sure our procurement engine runs smoothly for both CR and our FROs. You’ll also partner with our compliance team to help us avoid tripping over federal grant requirements while doing it.
This is a builder role: we’ve got the bones in place, but we’re looking for someone to help flesh them out, clean them up, and bolt on the parts that are still missing. And in the spirit of startup pragmatism, you’ll need to be down to pitch in on some lower-level ops until we hire a data entry/AP support role (hopefully within 6–12 months).
You are
- An ops architect – You’ve built (or seriously revamped) procurement workflows before. You think in integrated systems, not one-off approvals — and you're always looking for smart ways to scale, whether through new software, automation, or AI tools.
- Compliance-aware – You know that paying a vendor isn’t always just about cutting a check. Bonus points if you’ve wrangled 1099s, grants billing, IRS quirks, or procurement policies.
- Tool-friendly – We use tools like Ramp, QuickBooks, and Quartzy. Familiarity with Ramp is a big plus, but more important is your ability to quickly pick up new systems and understand how they connect to build a smooth, end-to-end workflow.
- Organized like a librarian with a label maker, but scrappy enough to roll with startup chaos.
- Good at saying no without being a jerk – You can explain policy with clarity and empathy, and people trust you because you listen.
- Comfortable operating across borders—international experience is a big plus, especially if you’ve navigated global vendors, compliance quirks, or timezone chaos without losing your cool.
- A team sport enthusiast – You collaborate across finance, legal, ops, and IT without turf wars or crossed wires.
- Capable of flying solo – We’ll give you context and support, but you’re expected to take initiative, spot issues, and handle the follow-through.
- Comfortable flexing down to help with transactional work while we scale. It’s not glamorous, but it’s important—and temporary.
- You’ll do well here if you also…
- Have scaled procurement at a growing org—or at least know what “scaling” feels like when it hits you.
- Are allergic to bureaucracy but believe in guardrails.
- Can translate “science gobbledygook + panic + a receipt from a Slovenian bio-supply company” into a properly documented purchase.
You will
- Build and maintain procurement policies, SOPs, and templates that don’t make people want to cry.
- Support onboarding and training of FRO staff who are trying their best.
- Review and route purchase requests, including handling exceptions with just enough grace and backbone.
- Administer procurement tools, manage access, troubleshoot issues, and generally be the system whisperer.
- Work with Legal and Finance to get cost classifications, contract approvals, and documentation into the right boxes at the right times.
- Be the point person for “can we buy this?” and “how do we buy this?” questions across multiple orgs.
- Create a tidy archive of receipts, quotes, justifications, and all the other fun stuff auditors love.
- Constantly look for ways to make things smoother, clearer, faster.
In 6 months you will have
- Mapped procurement workflows across all supported orgs and upgraded the messiest ones.
- Launched user-friendly SOPs and training decks for procurement sanity.
- Taken full ownership of our procurement systems, including access, support, and data integrity.
- Created a centralized documentation hub that would make an auditor weep tears of joy.
- Established routine check-ins and exception processes that are useful, not performative.
- Built solid working relationships with everyone from scientists to staff accountants—and become their first call when things get weird.
We offer (amazing benefits)
- A rare chance to build institutional architecture for frontier science and work with some of the smartest and most talented experts from different fields
- Competitive salary: We’re targeting a salary range of $145,000 – $160,000 for candidates based in San Francisco, New York, or Boston, with the top of the range generally reserved for those with 8+ years of relevant experience. We apply a geographic adjustment factor for those based outside of SF, NY, or Boston. For example, the top of the range is $143K in LA, $135K in Denver, and $127K in Raleigh.
- Up to a 6% 401k match because future-you deserves comfort
- Top-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance—majority of options are fully covered for you and your dependents. Stay healthy, my friend
- Company-paid life insurance, ADD, long- and short-term disability insurance, as well as voluntary supplemental insurance options
- 19 holidays (including a full week off at the end of the year—yes, we enforce it)
- 3 weeks PTO with tenure increases, with separate allotments for sick and parental leave
- Generous fertility benefits and childcare reimbursement—because tiny humans are a big deal
- Education and professional development benefits
- Wellness allowance for fitness and wellness activities (treat yourself to climbing shoes or Calm.com—no judgment)
- Quarterly offsite team retreats and additional opportunities to meet your teammates in person
Convergent Research aims to help fill a structural gap in today's RD system. We enable fundamental research that requires unusual levels of scale and coordination yet is not rapidly monetizable by industry. We’re bringing together top talent from academia, industry, and startups to build a new model for innovative RD.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We believe in hiring individuals based on their unique talents—not on race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law or our company policies. We are more than a proud Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Our goal is to foster a healthy, safe, and respectful environment where all employees are valued and treated with dignity. Harassment of any kind is not tolerated here.
Originally posted on Himalayas
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