Manager, Procurement

Why Guelph

When you join the City of Guelph, you join a team of over 2000 employees who deliver services the community relies on every day. Together, we are bringing to life Guelph’s vision of an inclusive, connected, and prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment. As a single tier municipality, we offer a variety of occupations and career specialities within our organization. Guided by the goals and objectives of the Future Guelph: Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Community Vision for an inclusive, connected, prosperous city.

What we offer

• Paid vacation days, increasing with years of service
• Paid personal days;
• Hybrid and flexible work arrangements;
• Defined benefit pension plan with OMERS, including 100-per-cent employer matching;
• Extended health and dental benefits, including Health Care Spending Account;
• Employee and Family Assistance Program;
• Parental leave top up program;
• Learning and development opportunities including tuition assistance
• Employee recognition programs.

Position Overview

The City of Guelph is seeking an experienced public procurement leader to join our team as the Manager of Procurement. Reporting to the General Manager, Finance – City Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, and working closely with departmental leadership and project managers across the organization, the Manager of Procurement leads the procurement team, manages compliance with the Procurement By-law and provides strategic sourcing leadership for the City. In this role, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills are key to success. You will be responsible for implementing, maintaining, and updating the Procurement By-law and related purchasing policies and procedures to support fair, open, transparent, and accountable purchasing processes, with the objective of obtaining the highest possible value for money. You will have a continuous improvement mindset, staying on top of emerging issues, industry best practices, and current legislation. You will approach your work with a focus on customer service and an outlook and approach that aligns with the City’s core values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness, and learning.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Develop and lead the implementation of a strategic sourcing approach for the City. This role is the senior expert in procurement for the City of Guelph.
• Provide leadership and education through effective communication and guidance to ensure the staff is engaged, informed, and understands new developments within the division or organization, including legislative changes, policies, procedures, and guidelines, so they can provide knowledgeable and high-quality procurement services.
• Prepare annual work plans and budgets for the Procurement team.
• Develop By-laws, policies, operating procedures, work methods and standards.
• Develop and deliver procurement training for non-procurement staff based on assessed needs.
• Monitor operating performance and initiate corrective action where required.
• Oversee the preparation and administration of calls for tender, requests for proposals, and any other applicable public procurement processes, as required.
• Develop and maintain a database of pre-qualified suppliers, vendors and contractors of goods and services purchased by the City.
• Identify opportunities for new approaches to respond to sourcing challenges faced by City departments, that maintain the principles of the Procurement By-law.
• Monitor City assets to ensure appropriate insurance coverage, continually updating property and asset listings, ensuring insurance coverage appropriately responds to the evolving risk environment.
• Assist in budget management with particular emphasis on cost effective procurement and purchasing of goods and services by all City departments.
• Track technical trends, developments and advances in the areas of procurement, strategic sourcing, vendor qualification, purchasing systems and public tender process; and make recommendations for continuous improvement applications.
• Development and maintenance of effective vendor performance evaluation policies and practices.
• Act as project leader for department-wide improvement projects in the Finance Department, as needed.
• Act as a technical resource in procurement best practices within the organization, using diplomacy to resolve conflicting perspectives, as needed.
• Ensure compliance with all federal and provincial legislation, regulations, and City By-laws applicable to the operations and services of the procurement division.
• Develop and maintain effective communication linkages and relationships internally with business partners and externally with stakeholders to discuss and resolve issues and exchange information of mutual concern.

Qualifications and requirements

• University degree in business or related discipline, accompanied by a professional purchasing designation (CPPB, CPPO or CSCMP).
• 6-8 years of progressively responsible experience in purchasing, preferably in a municipal sector environment, including experience in contract writing, negotiations, and management of the insurance program for a large and complex organization.
• 2 or more years’ experience managing a team.
• Familiarity with commodity markets.
• Excellent business communication skills (verbal and written), including ability to develop clear and understandable By-laws, policies, procedures, guidelines, training materials and Council reports, as needed.
• Demonstrated leadership and performance management abilities.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to manage multiple and changing demands and priorities.
• Knowledge of Canadian and international trade agreements and treaties.
• Ability to work independently, combined with well-developed organization and time management skills, and the ability to deal effectively with tact, courtesy, discretion, and diplomacy with all levels of staff and the public.

Hours of work

35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30pm. This position is eligible for hybrid and flexible work arrangement options (as per current corporate policy).

Pay/Salary: Non-Union Grade: 8 $117,673.92 - $147,092.40

How to apply

Qualified applicants are invited to apply using our online application system by February 12, 2025. Please note all applicants must complete the online questionnaire specific to this position at the time they submit their resume and cover letter in order to be considered.

Please visit the job posting listed on our City of Guelph careers page and click on the “Apply for this job” button. Instructions will follow.

The City of Guelph is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees feel welcome, valued and engaged. Our employment policies strictly prohibit all forms of discrimination on any of the grounds in relevant laws. All employment practices are solely based on individual merit, qualifications, and organization's needs at the time. In keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, we are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals in our job application procedures. If you need an accommodation in order to participate in the hiring process, you may contact us to make your needs known in advance.

Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment. We thank all candidates in advance; however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.