Purchasing Agent

Cape Breton Job Board; North Sydney; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Marine Atlantic is seeking a Purchasing Agent to join our Procurement and Strategic Sourcing team in North Sydney, NS. This role supports the contract lifecycle, supplier relations, and spend management across categories in a public-sector context.

You will advocate best-value solutions, maintain records, and collaborate with Legal and internal stakeholders to ensure compliance and continuity of supply. A University degree or college diploma is required, with 3–5 years of experience preferred.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in procurement principles, contracts, and negotiation.
• Effective planning and ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
• Customer service skills; understanding customer dynamics and requirements.
• Stay up to date on current purchasing functions.
• Sound judgment with analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; strong team player.
• Ability to excel under pressure in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Familiarity with SAP, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Merx.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end procurement processes for assigned categories in compliance with public sector trade agreements and policy.
• Prepare and maintain contracts, standing offers, and blanket orders coordinating with Legal and business units.
• Develop RFx documents with stakeholders and support evaluations, debriefings, and awards.
• Issue and manage purchase orders through the ERP system aligned with contract terms.
• Support non-standard procurement processes including sole source justifications and contract changes.
• Coordinate with technical teams for planned work and special projects; support sourcing strategies.
• Liaise with suppliers, freight forwarders and warehouse staff for timely delivery and repair logistics.
• Monitor supplier performance and escalate issues to supervisor when necessary.
• Ensure adherence to laws, regulations and audit standards; perform procurement records maintenance and audits.

Skills

Procurement principles

Prioritization & multitasking

Customer service

Continuous improvement

Analytical thinking

Communication & teamwork

Under pressure performance

Public sector procurement familiarity

Education

University degree or college diploma in a relevant field

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Merx

Job description

Description

Marine Atlantic is dedicated to creating an environment which promotes employee growth, career development, and job satisfaction. Our employees embody our core values; they are diverse, safety-oriented team-players who exhibit integrity and commitment, and always strive for excellence.

Description

Marine Atlantic is dedicated to creating an environment which promotes employee growth, career development, and job satisfaction. Our employees embody our core values; they are diverse, safety-oriented team-players who exhibit integrity and commitment, and always strive for excellence.

Marine Atlantic is currently looking for a Purchasing Agent to work with our Procurement and Strategic Sourcing department, located in North Sydney, NS. Marine Atlantic is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace. Preference may be given to members of the following equity deserving groups: women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and 2SLGBTQIA+ community members. If you are a member of one or more of these groups, please state to which group(s) you identify in your application. Marine Atlantic’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) department provides Procurement, Contract management, Inventory Management, Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) and Warehousing and Logistics Services across the business. Marine Atlantic procurement is responsible for sourcing, value driven costing encompassing total cost of ownership, negotiation, and post-award activities as well as incorporating best practices and continuous process improvement. Procurement is the sole authorized group to commit Corporation funds for the acquisition of materials and services. Reporting to the Contract and Vendor Performance Supervisor, the Purchasing Agent operates from a central purchasing office located in North Sydney, N.S. The Purchasing Agent manages the process to deliver goods and services from business need to fulfillment. With an understanding of marine operations and public sector procurement, this position is responsible for establishing and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with vendors and internal stakeholders. The Purchasing Agent provides strong analytical support to monitor purchase orders expenditures and effectively manage spending across categories within Marine Atlantic (MAI). The Purchasing Agent is responsible for all procurement and purchasing activities within assigned categories, leveraging expertise in the public sector procurement trade agreements and full contract lifecycle processes, including contract execution and administration. The agent also escalates supplier performance issues to the appropriate supervisor as needed. The Purchasing Agent, acting as the Procurement Subject Matter Expert (SME), supports the contract lifecycle by preparing and maintaining assigned contracts, processing contract change orders, and assisting with the Non-Standard Process for sole source justifications. This includes coordination with the Contract and Vendor Performance Supervisor, Legal, and internal business units to ensure compliance, accuracy, and continuity of supply.

Additional Key Areas Of Responsibility

• Manage end-to-end procurement processes for assigned categories, ensuring compliance with public sector trade agreements and corporate policy.
• Prepare and maintain contracts, standing offers, and blanket orders, coordinating with Legal and business units to ensure accuracy and continuity of supply.
• Develop RFx documents in collaboration with stakeholders, review proposals for compliance and support evaluations, debriefings, and award processes.
• Issue and manage purchase orders through the ERP system, ensuring alignment with contract terms, stakeholder needs, and timely execution.
• Support non-standard procurement processes, including sole source justifications, contract change orders, and compliance documentation.
• Coordinate with technical teams for planned work, refits, and special projects; support sourcing strategies for marine operations and specialized equipment.
• Liaise with suppliers, freight forwarders, and warehouse staff to ensure accurate and timely delivery and repair logistics.
• Identify and leverage Federal Standing Offers and supply agreements to meet operational needs.
• Monitor supplier performance and elevate issues to the Contract and Vendor Performance Supervisor when necessary.
• Ensure adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and audit standards (e.g., OAG, trade agreements).
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define requirements, provide procurement guidance, and deliver best-value solutions.
• Maintain procurement records, support audits, and ensure ERP data accuracy.
• Perform other related duties to support corporate objectives.
• Work within standardized procedures and practices to achieve objectives and meet deadlines.

What qualifications do I need to be considered for this opportunity?

Education

• University Degree or College Diploma in a relevant field.

AND

Minimum three (3) to five (5) years of experience in a relevant role.

OR

• A combination of equivalent education, job-related training and experience in a related position.

Essential Qualifications

• Proficiency in procurement principles, practices, contracts, and negotiation.
• Effective planning and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
• Competent customer service ability, including an understanding of customer dynamics and requirements.
• Ability to stay up to date on the most current and efficient purchasing functions.
• Sound judgment with demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Strong team player, shows leadership and people management skills
• Ability to excel under pressure in a fast paced, deadline-driven environment while, managing multiple responsibilities at once.
• A good understanding of various computer applications, including SAP, Microsoft excel, word, PowerPoint and Merx

Asset Qualifications

• Professional Designation and/or Certificate in relevant field.
• Experience in a public purchasing environment with request for proposals, request for quotes, competitive bidding, and contract life cycle management.
• Strong collaboration and negotiation skills
• Spend Analytics/Diagnostics, Category Management, Vendor Managed Inventory.
• Project Management experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge of marine equipment, materials, etc.
• Thorough knowledge of WHMIS, TGD, etc.

We thank all applicants for applying, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Additional Information

At Marine Atlantic, we are dedicated to building and fostering an inclusive and diverse environment, where all employees and customers feel welcomed, valued, and respected.

Marine Atlantic invites applications from all qualified candidates and hires based on merit. We are committed to the principles of equitable employment for all and strongly encourage applications from women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and 2SLGBTQIA+ community members. If you are a member of one or more of these groups, please state to which group(s) you identify in your application.

To receive this job poster in an alternative format or to discuss alternate ways of completing the online application, please contact the Marine Atlantic Human Resources Department, in confidence, at [e-mail].

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the recruitment process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, contact the Marine Atlantic Human Resources Department, in confidence, at careers- [e-mail].

Marine Atlantic respectfully acknowledges that we operate in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq peoples, and on the island of Ktaqmkuk, the unceded traditional territory of the Beothuk and Mi’kmaq peoples. We also acknowledge Labrador as the traditional ancestral homelands of the Innu of Nitassinan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut.