Full Job Description
Job Requisition ID:
Time Type:
Full time
Employee Group:
Staff
Job Category:
Procurement
Employment Type:
Permanent
Department:
Finance - Procurement Operations
Hiring Range:
$87,620.25 - $109,525.32
Posting Information:This posting is for an existing vacancy.
The internal posting deadline for this position is October 16th, 2026, at 11:59PM.
There is a qualified internal in this role
Job Description:
Primary Purpose
Responsible for the daily Procurement operations with respect to workflow in the Financial System, and distribution of tasks to the buyers.
Leads/facilitates strategic supplier selection to optimize cost, quality, lead-time, service, innovation, risk and value. Executes and monitors contracts for goods and services in compliance with University of Waterloo policies and processes and external legislative requirements in a publicly funded institutional environment.
Key Accountabilities
Planning and project management
• Manage complex and/or politically sensitive acquisitions and related processes, including those in excess of $1 million;
• Map out acquisition process to satisfy action milestones and goods/services delivery date(s) according to requirements;
• Develop, plan and implement acquisition strategies within the Faculty/unit
• Identify opportunities for projects/ initiatives requiring broad consultation across campus;
• Manage adherence to the terms and conditions of agreements, and ensure that audit requirements are satisfied;
• Ensure accurate, consistent and efficient workflow to best support requestors.
Responsible for administering the Procurement module of University Financial System
• Liaise with Finance, IST and senior administration to ensure that we deliver a complex ERP system with efficiency and value to the campus
• Administer and train users on the Procurement module of the University's Financial System
• Establish and monitor acquisition activity for P&CS, including strategic allocation of resources
• Assign, review and approve requisitions, Purchase Orders, and P-Card reconciliations of Buyers
• Act as project lead for updates, upgrades and training
• Develop and administer Procurement's online Systems Contract interface
Carry out responsibility to bind the University to contractual obligations
• Negotiate and execute (per Procedure 1) complex, high value/risk acquisitions' contracts and agreements;
• Ensure research information and results are protected throughout the procurement process with appropriate intellectual property (IP) rights and/or Non-Disclosure clauses/agreements (NDAs);
• Ensure current legislative requirements are interpreted and met across a broad spectrum of University acquisitions (e.g. trade agreements; procurement case law; research ethics; safety regulations; AODA compliance);
• Protect the university from academic, reputational and financial risk through the compliant acquisition of goods and services and contract negotiations, balanced by the need to be flexible and responsive to faculty requirements while facilitating the research enterprise;
• Apply university policies and procedures as they relate to the acquisitions of goods and services (e.g. Policy 17), financial protocols (e.g. security on advance payments; year-end and accrual of expenses, capital asset purchases and disposals); facilities management; biohazards, etc.;
• Ensure appropriate insurance coverages and values are in place to protect assets in transit and supplier activities on campus;
• Undertake market research and provides recommendations for making long-term acquisitions (e.g. multi-year contracts) including advice on strategy;
• Understand and manage the appropriate retention of documentation that is required/may be released under Freedom of Information (FIPPA) requests.
Problem solving and risk management
• Recognize and manage conflict of interest situations to maintain ethical credibility;
• Investigate and remedy claims related to damages or deficiencies of goods or service delivery;
• Debrief unsuccessful suppliers, and respond to and mitigate potential bid disputes;
• Ensure procurements are performed in a fair, consistent and transparent fashion;
• Provide analysis of internal processes to Director and stakeholders to support strategic decision making (e.g. make recommendations for process improvements).
Leadership and teamwork abilities
• Provide administrative advice to faculty, departments, senior administrators and partners regarding best practices and process navigation, executing (amendments to) agreements, such as change orders, resolution of payment problems and disputes regarding contracts, correspondence with researchers and suppliers to ensure effective performance monitoring of project deliverables;
• Persuade and guide requestors through the procurement process and all associated, relevant contact points along the way;
• Clearly communicate and advise faculty or staff members of the implications and obligations implied by contract terms, and suggest alternatives when concerns are raised during negotiations;
• Explain and manage the acquisitions and contracting process to stakeholders, ensuring that all participants clearly understand the objectives and their obligations;
• Develop relationships with suppliers to enable effective communication and facilitation when questions or concerns arise;
• Exhibit and model a highly ethical approach when engaging in University business opportunities;
• Mentoring of buying staff within the department.
Required Qualifications
Education
• Undergraduate diploma, with professional certification in a related field (e.g. CSCMP; CSCP), or an equivalent combination of education, certification and experience;
• Experience mentoring and providing advice and guidance.
Experience
• At least seven (7) years of professional procurement experience, at least one (1) of which is in a publicly funded environment;
• Experience with financial systems and/or accounting background and project management
• Demonstrated experience drafting and editing proposals and agreements, and to negotiate terms and conditions.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
• Expert knowledge of requirements as set out in the Provincial Broader Public Sector (BPS) Procurement Directive; regulations and requirements as set out in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA); the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and its' successor; the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union, and similar governmental trade protocols;
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and experience in strategic sourcing and contracting practices/standards;
• Strategic communication competencies and analytical skills to assess/understand uWaterloo needs/requirements and develop innovative procurement strategies and options, factoring in potential risks;
• Demonstrated experience in contract development, administration and negotiations;
• Project management and organizational skills to plan, coordinate, and lead major procurement projects and articulate needs into procurement documentation;
• Excellent interpersonal skills in communication, relationship management, persuasion, exercising sound judgement, dealing with confidential information;
• Expert reasoning, problem solving, negotiation, mediation and dispute resolution skills;
• Proactive, critical thinker, evaluator and problem solver, creative with approaches, processes, and technology;
• Leadership and mentoring skills;
• Lean, innovation and quality improvement skills.
