Karimah Hickman

About Karimah Hickman

Global procurement executive experienced in embedding ESG and supplier diversity into $180M+ portfolios and sourcing for projects up to $1.3B. Recognized for advancing sustainability while driving measurable value through competitive sourcing, vendor governance, and innovation.At Zillow, I mandated diverse suppliers in all RFPs, created social responsibility programs with global BPO partners, and drove AI-enabled QA to improve efficiency and compliance. At Granite Construction, I secured $180M in diverse spend and represented the company at the state capitol to advance inclusion policy.I am passionate about building procurement strategies that deliver both financial impact and social responsibility at scale.

Experience

1. Director, Vendor Operations

   Zillow

   Feb 2022 — Present

   Lead a global vendor ecosystem of 625 staff across LATAM, with prior oversight of U.S. and Philippines vendors.• Achieved 50% cost reductions and 35% productivity gains through competitive vendor RFPs.• Leading an initiative to introduce AI-driven QA innovation, targeting 35% cost reduction and scaling coverage from 2% sampling to 100%.• Designed and hosted Zillow’s 2024 & 2025 Global Vendor Summits, expanding international engagement and embedding CSR initiatives.

Education

• Amberton University

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Business Administration and Management, General

  2019

• Tennessee State University

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Political Science and Government

• Tennessee State University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), English Language and Literature/Letters

Skills

• Oil & Gas Industry
• Budgets
• Energy Industry
• Energy
• Petroleum
• Construction Management
• Natural Gas
• Project Estimation
• Negotiation
• Contract Management
• Procurement
• Management
• Operations Management
• Construction
• Project Planning
• Supply Chain
• Contract Negotiation
• Project Management