Procurement Specialist - Keolis Grand River

Keolis North America Inc.; Southwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A transportation solutions company in Southwestern Ontario is seeking a Procurement Specialist to support procurement and strategic sourcing for the ION Light Rail system. This role involves enforcing procurement policies, executing sourcing strategies, and managing asset data. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, 2+ years in procurement, and strong communication and analytical skills. This full-time position supports a successful public transit initiative ensuring timely and quality delivery of components and services.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in procurement or Supply Chain Management.
• Experience in the rail or transit industry is an asset.
• Proficient in data analysis and reporting using Excel.

Responsibilities

• Enforce procurement policies and procedures.
• Execute end to end procurement for various projects.
• Evaluate bids based on cost, delivery, and quality.

Skills

Supply chain best practices

Written and verbal communication

Interpersonal skills

Analytical mindset

Project management skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Enterprise Asset Management System (Maximo preferred)

Job description

Keolis provides mobility to over 3.4 billion passengers a year in 15 countries, operating every mode from commuter trains and automated metros to shared bicycles. The almost 1,000 employees of Keolis Canada operate light rail vehicles, urban buses, intercity coaches and airport shuttles. For over 12 million passengers a year, they make reaching their destination a safe, reliable and pleasant experience.

Reporting to the Director, Finance and Strategy of Keolis Grand River, the Business Analyst, contributes to the Region of Waterloo’s successful ION Light Rail Transit system by being responsible for assisting in various aspects of commercial and contractual affairs with Keolis Grand River.

Keolis Grand River is seeking a Procurement Specialist to support procurement and strategic sourcing for the ION Light Rail system in the Region of Waterloo. This role works cross-functionally with Engineering, Maintenance and Supply Chain to secure components and services that meet technical requirements and standards.

Knowledge and Skills

• In-depth knowledge of supply chain best practices
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal, decision-making, and communication skills
• Analytical mindset with structured problem-solving skills
• High attention to detail and ability tomanage competing priorities
• Capable of working both independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams
• Strong project management and negotiation skills

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or equivalent experience.
• 2+ years in procurement or Supply Chain Management.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel for data analysis and reporting.
• Experience working with an Enterprise Asset Management System; Maximo experience preferred.
• Experience in the rail or transit industry is an asset.

Key Accountabilities

Procurement and Materials Management

• Enforce Keolis procurement policies and procedures.
• End to end procurement for projects, maintenance and overhaul programs.
• Translate technical specs and standards into RFQ’s, source competitive tenders.
• Execute sourcing strategies to deliver cost savings, quality improvements, and service enhancements.
• Ensure parts, systems and services are sourced and delivered to spec, on time and at optimal cost while meeting safety and regulatory standards.
• Evaluate bids on cost, delivery, quality as well as lifecycle value.
• Qualify and onboard suppliers.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand acquisition needs and timelines.
• Establish safety stock strategies and sourcing agreements to ensure operational availability.
• Coordinate with the Materials Supervisor on logistics, inventory reconciliation (cycle counts), and maintaining serialized asset records.
• Manage and maintain asset data including creating and updating asset records (serial numbers, BOM/linkages, warranty and purchase information), initiating and closing work orders, and tracking maintenance histories to support lifecycle and spares decisions.

Working Hours

• Based upon an average of 40 hours per week day shift, Monday to Friday.