Area Procurement Specialist
Key Responsibilities
Area Procurement Implementation
• Translate national procurement initiatives into actionable plans for branches across Ontario.
• Ensure alignment with corporate strategies while tailoring implementation to local operational needs.
• Identify area or region-specific procurement opportunities not currently covered under national agreements.
• Analyze spend data to uncover cost-saving opportunities and inefficiencies within the area.
• Lead RFP processes for applicable goods and services.
• Provide training and support to branch and field-level staff on procurement standards and practices and RFP processes.
Vendor Relationship Management
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with vendors, negotiating favorable terms while ensuring service quality.
• Monitor supplier performance and provide feedback to both regional teams and corporate stakeholders.
• Balance national/area vendor partnerships while meeting local branch service needs.
Cost Optimization & Risk Mitigation
• Track procurement performance and drive area-level initiatives that reduce costs and increase value.
• Mitigate risks by ensuring supplier reliability, compliance, and alignment with contractual terms.
• Evaluate lease vs. buy and service contract decisions in collaboration with operations and finance teams.
• Serve as the point of contact for resolving procurement-related issues at the area/regional level.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Act as a bridge between corporate procurement, regional procurement and local branches.
• Support internal stakeholders with sourcing, vendor onboarding, and procurement-related training.
• Regularly communicate progress, issues, and successes to the Area Vice President and corporate procurement team.
Qualifications
• Minimum 5–8 years of experience in procurement, supply chain, or a related field, preferably in a multi-site or regional role.
• Self-starter with high degree of initiative and grit.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Ability to analyze data and develop procurement strategies that deliver tangible cost savings.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to work across multiple stakeholder levels.
• Familiarity with RFP processes and contract development.
• Organized, adaptable, and capable of managing competing priorities across a wide geographic area.
• Excellent at leading through influence and articulating the benefits of decisions to others
Preferred Experience
• Experience working with vendors in both urban and rural or remote regions.
• Knowledge of procurement challenges in the market.
• Understanding of fleet, facilities, or industrial services procurement is an asset.
• Comfortable working in an entrepreneurial environment with a high degree of autonomy