Senior Buyer

Cannara Biotech Inc.; Farnham; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Cannara Biotech Inc. in Canada is seeking a Senior Buyer to lead strategic procurement across major categories with a focus on international suppliers, especially in China.

This leader will drive category strategy, supplier negotiations, and ERP-driven purchasing to ensure cost, quality, and supply continuity. Responsibilities include managing supplier performance, mitigating risks, and collaborating with Planning, Operations, and Quality teams to optimize inventory and on-time delivery while

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in procurement, purchasing, strategic sourcing, or supply chain in a regulated environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business administration, or related field.
• Professional procurement certification such as CIPS/SCMP/CPIM is an asset.
• Proven experience managing strategic suppliers and large procurement categories.
• Strong experience with international suppliers, especially China/Asia.
• Negotiation of pricing, terms, MOQs, lead times, contracts, and commercial conditions.
• Hands-on experience with Tier-1 ERP systems (Dynamics 365, SAP, Oracle).
• Strong understanding of MRP, purchasing, inventory, and ERP-driven procurement.
• Fluent in English and French; bilingual communication is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage strategic procurement categories and a portfolio of major suppliers, focusing on China and international markets.
• Develop and execute category strategies aligned with cost, quality, and supply continuity.
• Lead sourcing initiatives, RFQs, supplier evaluations and negotiations.
• Identify cost-reduction and supply optimization opportunities.
• Monitor market conditions, supplier capacity, and geopolitical or logistical risks.
• Build and maintain relationships with key suppliers and monitor KPIs (OTIF, lead time, quality).
• Develop mitigation plans for supply risks and lead supplier performance reviews.
• Ensure procurement aligns with MRP, production plans, inventory targets, and forecasts.
• Collaborate with Planning, Logistics, Operations, Finance, Quality and Sales.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier management

ERP systems

Negotiation

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Bilingual English-French

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain management

Procurement certification (CIPS/SCMP/CPIM)

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

SAP

Oracle

Job description

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced and highly driven Senior Buyer to join our Procurement team in a fast-growing, dynamic organization.

Reporting to the Director of Purchasing & Logistics, the Senior Buyer will be responsible for managing strategic and high-value procurement categories, with a particular focus on international suppliers, including major suppliers based in China. The role requires a strong combination of strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, ERP expertise, commercial negotiation, and operational execution.

The ideal candidate has experience within a CPG, medical, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, or similarly regulated environment, and understands the importance of balancing cost, quality, inventory, lead time, and supply continuity.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to take ownership of significant spend categories and play a key role in supporting the company’s growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Procurement & Category Management

• Manage strategic procurement categories and a portfolio of major suppliers, with a strong focus on suppliers located in China and other international markets.
• Develop and execute category strategies aligned with business requirements, cost objectives, quality standards, and supply continuity.
• Lead sourcing initiatives, RFQs, supplier evaluations and negotiations.
• Identify cost-reduction and supply optimization opportunities.
• Monitor market conditions, supplier capacity, and geopolitical or logistical risks impacting supply.

Supplier Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key strategic suppliers.
• Establish and monitor supplier performance KPIs, including OTIF, lead time, quality, responsiveness, cost, and service level.
• Proactively identify supply risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Lead supplier performance reviews and corrective action initiatives when required.
• Develop alternative sourcing strategies and backup suppliers for critical categories.

Planning & Supply Continuity

• Work closely with Planning, Logistics, Operations, Quality and Finance to ensure material availability.
• Monitor purchase orders, supplier confirmations, production schedules, shipment dates, and delivery commitments.
• Ensure procurement activities are aligned with MRP requirements, production plans, inventory targets, and business forecasts.
• Take proactive action on potential shortages, delays, excess inventory, and obsolete materials.
• Support the organization in reducing emergency purchases and air freight through improved planning and supplier management.

ERP & Data Management

• Use a Tier-1 ERP system, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, as a core procurement and planning tool.
• Demonstrate strong understanding of ERP procurement and planning processes, MRP, purchasing, inventory, and material planning modules/processes.
• Maintain accurate purchasing parameters, supplier information, lead times, pricing, MOQ, and other relevant master data.
• Analyze ERP data to support purchasing decisions and improve inventory and supply performance.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of procurement processes and ERP utilization.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Planning, Logistics, Operations, Finance, Quality and Sales teams.
• Act as a procurement subject-matter expert for assigned categories.
• Provide visibility to management regarding supplier performance, cost, risks, shortages, and opportunities.
• Support new product introductions, product changes, and supplier qualification activities.

Qualifications & Experience

• 5+ years of experience in procurement, purchasing, strategic sourcing, or supply chain, preferably in a CPG, medical, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, or other regulated environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Procurement, Business Administration, Operations, Engineering, or a related field.
• Professional procurement or supply chain certification such as CIPS, SCMP, CPIM, or equivalent is an asset.
• Proven experience managing strategic suppliers and significant procurement categories.
• Strong experience working with international suppliers, particularly suppliers based in China/Asia.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating pricing, payment terms, MOQs, lead times, contracts, and commercial conditions.
• Hands-on experience with a Tier-1 ERP system, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, Oracle, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of MRP, purchasing, inventory management, material planning, and ERP-driven procurement processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work with large amounts of data and translate information into actionable decisions.
• Fluent in English and French, with the ability to communicate effectively in a bilingual business environment. Fluency in both languages is strongly preferred to communicate with clients within and outside of Québec.
• Strong communication, negotiation, organization, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize competing requirements, and operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Key Competencies

• Strategic sourcing and category management
• Supplier relationship management
• International procurement
• Negotiation and cost management
• MRP and material planning
• ERP / D365 / SAP proficiency
• Supply risk management
• Inventory optimization
• Data-driven decision making
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Problem solving and ownership
• Strong commercial acumen
• Ability to operate with urgency and adapt to rapid growth

What Success Looks Like

Within the role, success will be measured by the ability to:

• Ensure continuity of supply for critical materials.
• Improve supplier OTIF and overall performance.
• Deliver measurable cost savings and commercial improvements.
• Reduce supply disruptions and reliance on emergency/expedited freight.
• Optimize inventory while maintaining appropriate service levels.
• Improve procurement visibility, discipline, and ERP data accuracy.
• Build strong, accountable relationships with strategic suppliers.
• Establish scalable procurement practices capable of supporting the company’s continued growth.