Senior Procurement and Contract Specialist

Socket.dev; Guelph; On-site; CAD 83,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

Agricorp in Guelph is seeking a Senior Procurement & Contract Specialist to lead complex sourcing, contract development, and supplier management. This permanent, in-office role focuses on strategic procurement initiatives, policy development, and governance across OPS directives.

You will advise leaders, coordinate RFx and vendor negotiations, and promote procurement excellence through stakeholder coaching. Strong communication and relationship-building are essential.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Administration or a related field.
• Progress toward a professional procurement designation is an asset.
• Minimum five years of progressive experience in procurement, purchasing or contract management.
• Experience building vendor, supplier and stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating contracts and service level agreements (SLAs).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Working knowledge of OPS procurement directives, policies, legislation, and trade agreements, an asset.
• Experience with SAP Concur and/or MS Office applications (e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel, MS Planner, MS Project), an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead moderately complex to highly complex procurement initiatives and provide guidance on sourcing and contracting.
• Develop procurement documentation, including RFx documents, contracts, purchase orders, and related materials.
• Coordinate end-to-end procurement processes with stakeholders and approvals.
• Source vendors to ensure value for money and compliance with policies.
• Support procurement records, tracking tools, and reporting mechanisms.
• Advise on procurement policies, procedures, and best practices to support governance.
• Coach employees and leaders on procurement directives and governance.
• Maintain current knowledge of procurement legislation and trade-related agreements.

Skills

Procurement experience

Contract negotiation

Vendor relationship mgmt

MS Office familiarity

OPS directives knowledge

Education

Business/Finance/Supply Chain degree

Procurement designation (asset)

Tools

SAP Concur

Job description

Are you a skilled negotiator with a passion for driving efficiency and securing the best value? Agricorp is looking for an experienced Senior Procurement & Contract Specialist to join our Corporate Services team. As a trusted procurement advisor and subject matter expert, you will lead complex sourcing and contract initiatives that support organizational priorities while ensuring transparency, value for money, and compliance with Ontario Public Service (OPS) procurement requirements. Working closely with leaders and stakeholders across the organization, you will play a key role in procurement planning, competitive procurement processes, contract development, vendor relationship management, and the continuous improvement of procurement policies and practices.

The Role

Reporting to the Manager, Corporate Services, the Senior Procurement & Contract Specialist provides strategic leadership, advice, and consultation on the procurement of goods and services across the organization. Working collaboratively with leaders and stakeholders, this role leads complex sourcing and procurement initiatives and delivers expert guidance on procurement planning, RFx development, vendor sourcing, contract negotiation, contract administration, and supplier relationship management.

The Senior Procurement & Contract Specialist serves as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert, ensuring financial stewardship, integrity, and compliance with organizational policies, Ontario Public Service (OPS) procurement directives, applicable legislation, and trade-related agreements. The role also contributes to the continuous improvement of procurement policies, processes, and practices, supports organizational change initiatives, and promotes procurement excellence through stakeholder education, coaching, and governance.

In this role, you will:

• Lead moderately complex to highly complex procurement initiatives to support the short, medium, and long-term business needs of the organization.
• Consult with leaders and stakeholders to assess procurement requirements and provide guidance on the interpretation and application of procurement policies, procedures, and Ontario Public Service procurement directives.
• Collaborate with business areas to develop and review procurement documentation, including RFx documents, contracts, purchase orders, and related procurement materials.
• Coordinate end-to-end procurement processes, including sourcing activities, stakeholder engagement, evaluation processes, vendor presentations, approvals, and contract implementation.
• Source vendors and suppliers to ensure compliance with procurement policies and procedures while achieving value for money and meeting business requirements.
• Prepare, maintain, and utilize procurement templates, contracts, purchase orders, and other supporting documentation to ensure consistency, quality, and compliance.
• Develop and maintain procurement records, tracking tools, and reporting mechanisms to support vendor management, procurement oversight, audit requirements, and organizational decision-making.
• Investigate and recommend sourcing strategies, preferred vendor arrangements, and cost-saving opportunities for high-volume and recurring purchases.
• Participate in the development, enhancement, and implementation of procurement policies, procedures, and best practices to support organizational needs and legislative compliance.
• Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the organization to support procurement planning, share best practices, and identify effective procurement solutions.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and training to employees and leaders on procurement policies, procedures, procurement directives, and best practices.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to enhance procurement processes, systems, tools, and service delivery.
• Act as a procurement subject matter expert, maintaining current knowledge of procurement legislation, Ontario Public Service procurement requirements, trade-related agreements, and emerging industry best practices.

Job status: Permanent (posting for an existing vacancy)
Salary: $83,016 - $97,665
Work status: Full time in-office
Location: Guelph

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Administration or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Possession of, or progress toward, a professional procurement designation such as NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB, SCMP, an asset
• Minimum five (5) years of progressive experience in procurement, purchasing or contract management, preferably within a public sector environment
• Experience building and managing vendor, supplier and stakeholder relationships
• Demonstrated experience negotiating contracts and service level agreements (SLAs)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Working knowledge of the Ontario Public Service (OPS) procurement directives, policies, legislation, and trade agreements, an asset
• Experience with SAP Concur and/or MS Office applications (e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel, MS Planner, MS Project), an asset

Key Competencies

• Quality Focus – Attends to the task at hand to minimize errors; reviews own work prior to distribution
• Initiative – Proactively identifies and handles issues and situations to take action; seizing opportunities when they arise
• Efficiency -Effectively plan and organize time and resources to prioritize work to meet objectives
• Critical judgment, decision-making and problem solving – Makes the best decision, in a timely manner, based up on a mix of analysis, knowledge, experience and judgement
• Client Focus – Meets the expectations of internal and external customers through establishing effective relationships, gaining trust and respect
• Analytical Thinking -Uses facts and available information to develop logical assumptions

Background

Agricorp, an agency of the government of Ontario.

Agricorp delivers government programs. These programs help protect the livelihood of over 47,000 Ontario farmers against the many risks farm businesses face every day. Our employees are skilled professionals who respond when industry and government need us, manage public funds with great care and integrity, and deliver a quality customer experience.

Agricorp helps grow Ontario agriculture. We underwrite $6-8 billion in risk each year. The agency was established in 1997, and since then we’ve made over $8 billion in payments to farmers when they needed it most.

Please advise if you require accommodation during the recruitment process.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted directly.