Senior IT PMO Analyst

Canadian Solar Inc.; Kitchener; Hybrid; CAD 95,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading solar energy company in Kitchener, Ontario is hiring a Senior IT PMO Analyst to manage vendor relationships and IT procurement processes. The role focuses on financial management, risk governance, and project delivery. Candidates should have 7-10 years of experience and be fluent in both English and Mandarin. Competitive salary and flexible work options are offered.

Benefits

401(k) Retirement Plan

Medical/dental/life/disability program

Paid time off (PTO)

Performance bonus based on objectives achieved

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of experience in a Project Management Office (PMO), IT procurement, IT financial management, or vendor management role.
• Strong understanding of IT vendor lifecycle management, contract negotiation, and procurement processes.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills with strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Manage vendor relationships, including selection, contract negotiation, onboarding, and offboarding.
• Coordinate global IT procurement processes and ensure compliance with corporate policies.
• Partner with IT finance to manage operating and capital budgets.

Skills

Vendor management

IT procurement

Contract governance

Financial management

Risk management

Communication skills

Fluency in English

Fluency in Mandarin Chinese

Education

7-10 years of relevant experience

Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience

Tools

SharePoint

ServiceNow

Excel

Smartsheet

MS Project

Jira

Job description

Company Summary:

At Canadian Solar, our vision is to make lives better by bringing electricity powered by the sun to millions of people worldwide. As a leading manufacturer of solar panels, inverters, and energy storage solutions, we've been an industry front-runner since our founding in 2001. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in all parts of our organization as we navigate the complexities of a booming industry.

Throughout Canadian Solar's subsidiaries, e-Storage, Recurrent Energy, MSS and CSI Solar Co., we invest in our employees' growth. Our training programs and promotional opportunities ensure we all can continue to learn. We understand the importance of work-life balance and provide various flexible work options to support our employees' well-being. Join our team to "Make the Difference" by creating a lasting positive impact on the world and the communities where we operate.

Location:

This position is located in our Kitchener, Ontario office in Canada. Hybrid/flexible schedules available with flexibility to work from home 1-2 days a week as business allows.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a Senior IT PMO Analyst – Vendor, Procurement & Contract, IT Risk, and Financial Management to support our global IT operations. This role focuses on vendor management, IT procurement, contract governance, risk management, financial tracking, and project/program delivery. You will optimize vendor relationships, streamline procurement, ensure financial transparency, mitigate operational risks, and deliver programs with robust financial and operational controls. You will also collaborate with IT, procurement, finance, compliance, risk, and legal teams worldwide, playing a key part in the successful delivery of IT projects and services.

Fluency in both English and Mandarin Chinese is highly desirable to effectively engage with regional vendors and internal stakeholders, especially across Greater China, APAC, and North American regions.

Key Responsibilities

Vendor Relationship & Contract Management

• Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of IT vendor relationships, including selection, contract negotiation, onboarding, and offboarding.
• Track contract lifecycles, including renewals, expirations, and compliance milestones; proactively drive renewal and sourcing strategies.
• Support contract negotiations to optimize pricing, SLAs, and terms & conditions.
• Act as a primary point of contact between vendors and internal IT/business teams for contract, performance, and billing inquiries.
• Monitor vendor performance and conduct periodic reviews to ensure service quality and compliance.
• Maintain a centralized repository of all IT vendor contracts, categorized by business unit, region, and service type.

IT Procurement & Compliance

• Coordinate global IT procurement processes, ensuring compliance with corporate procurement policies and regional regulations.

IT Financial Management & Analysis

• Partner with IT finance and procurement teams to manage IT operating and capital budgets, including purchase orders, invoice processing, accruals, and cost allocations.
• Provide financial analysis and reporting on IT vendor spend, ensuring alignment with project budgets and annual operating plans.
• Support financial forecasting, cost optimization initiatives, and spend consolidation efforts.

PMO and Project Support

• Support PMO governance processes, ensuring vendor deliverables and procurement activities align with project delivery goals and timelines.
• Collaborate with project managers to ensure vendor contributions are delivered on time and within scope.
• Contribute to PMO reporting and dashboards, highlighting contract status, vendor performance, financial risks, and procurement bottlenecks.

IT Risk Management

• Identify, assess, and track IT operational risks and vendor-related risks across contracts, service delivery, and procurement activities.
• Work with cybersecurity, legal, and compliance teams to ensure vendor engagements meet risk, privacy, and security requirements.
• Maintain risk registers and escalate critical vendor or project risks to IT leadership and the risk management office.
• Assist in audits and risk assessments related to vendor compliance, license usage, and IT controls.
• Promote adherence to risk management frameworks (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST, SOX) across IT operations and third-party engagements.

Process Governance and Documentation

• Standardize and document IT procurement, vendor engagement processes, contract templates, and workflows.
• Ensure procurement, contract, and vendor documentation is maintained, compliant, and easily accessible for global teams.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work cross-functionally with procurement, legal, finance, and business unit leaders to align vendor engagements and contract terms with strategic goals.
• Assist business units in understanding vendor capabilities and existing contracts to avoid duplication or gaps.
• Serve as a cultural and language bridge for cross-border collaboration, particularly with Chinese vendors and teams.

Required Qualifications

• 7 – 10 years of experience in a Project Management Office (PMO), IT procurement, IT financial management, or vendor management role.
• Strong understanding of IT vendor lifecycle management, contract negotiation, and procurement processes.
• Experience managing IT Financials, including purchase orders, invoicing, and budget tracking.
• Proven track record of supporting global IT operations in a matrixed, multicultural environment.
• Proficiency with tools such as SharePoint, ServiceNow, Excel, and project tracking platforms (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira).
• Excellent organizational and communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese and English, both written and spoken.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in global IT environments with multiple business units and regions, especially in China and North America.
• Familiarity with legal, compliance, risk, and procurement processes related to IT contracts.
• PMP, CAPM, or equivalent project management certification a plus.
• IT outsourcing and risk control experience or certification will be a big plus.
• PMO or project management certification like Scrum master or SixSigma is nice to have.
• Prior experience supporting manufacturing or energy sectors is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits:

Canadian Solar offers a competitive salary plus fully comprehensive benefits and performance bonus package based on an annual objective achievement. Our generous benefits package includes a 401(k) Retirement Plan, medical/dental/life/disability program, PTO time, and casual sick days.

The pay range for this position is $95,000 - $105,000 CAD. This range represents annual base salary only, without regard to location, and does not include quarterly bonus or other incentives or benefits that may apply. The pay range for this role is subject to change.

Canadian Solar Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.