The
VP of Procurement and Corporate Services is a critical enterprise leadership role accountable for transforming procurement into a strategic driver of value, resilience, and competitive advantage for Aviva Canada.
This mandate is to design and lead an end-to-end procurement and supplier strategy that delivers measurable cost efficiencies, strengthens third-party performance, and enables the broader organization to achieve its business objectives. The role will elevate procurement from an operational function to a high-impact, insight-driven business partner, shaping decision-making at the executive level.
This leader will build and optimize a best-in-class supplier ecosystem, modernize vendor governance and outsourcing strategies, and embed disciplined, technology-enabled procurement practices across the organization. A key focus will be driving consistent, enterprise-wide standards in category management, supplier performance, and risk mitigation.
In parallel, the VP will own the procurement risk and governance framework, ensuring all third-party relationships operate within Aviva's regulatory, compliance, and risk appetite requirements. This includes establishing robust controls, oversight, and cultural alignment to safeguard the organization while enabling innovation and agility.
Ultimately, this role is responsible for creating a high-performing procurement function that delivers sustained value, operational excellence, and strategic influence across Aviva Canada.
What you'll do: Strategic
Develop standard methodology supply chain management across the business.
- Develop key relationships (internal and external) and implement sourcing strategies via cross-functional teams.
- Design and implement the Supplier Services annual business plan to include expense budgets and benefit delivery targets.
- Implement, realize and sustain Supply Chain management annualized benefits in line with agreed forecasts and targets from supplier strategies, purchasing systems and processes.
- Find opportunities for profitable change - service improvement/total cost reduction; ensure targets on cost, quality and service are achieved.
- Identify and manage appropriately those suppliers critical/strategic to Aviva Canada. Including the development of opportunities for more formal alliances and ventures.
- Implement the most effective interface between NUI and supplier processes and systems and the optimum use of technology to drive costs out of the supply chain.
- Contribute to the design and delivery of our Customer Services business vision, though delivery of the supplier vision.
- Support marketing in new product development and development of supplier solutions.
- Support CP bid process providing supply chain process and cost information to support pricing and present supply chain future initiatives to demonstrate Aviva Canada's competitive advantage.
- Liaise with any relevant regulatory bodies and ensure the supply chain follows any relevant legislation.
Governance
Lead regulatory and compliance programs related to role:
- Ensure that processes are in place to run/monitor supplier compliance as appropriate
- Comply and where appropriate ensure that suppliers have processes in place that align with all relevant financial services regulation and legal requirements
- As the specified owner of the Aviva Canada Claims outsourcing policy, ensure that Policy Owner Responsibilities are met. This includes ensuring that processes are in place to provide assurance on policy implementation, periodical review and compliance.
- Ensure that required training is completed across Aviva Canada regulatory requirements are adhered to.
- Act as the corporate representative to regulators, and represent the enterprise to customers, suppliers and external bodies in the development.
- Ensure that appropriate audit controls exist and serve as the source material for regulatory reports.
- Build and keep controls up to date to effectively handle corporate risk associated with your role.
- Build policies and controls for the appropriate protection of enterprise information through a defined life cycle, from acquisition or creation to end of life destruction and disposal procedures.
Customer outcomes
You have a significant influence over the customer culture of the company through your behavior and values.
- You will articulate what customer culture means for the company and how this translates into your function.
- You will ensure that fair treatment of customers is defined and embedded into all activities of the function.
- As part of any decision-making process or strategic change, you must consider customer interests and ensure that decisions made result in fair customer outcomes and fair treatment of customers.
- You will ensure you regularly communicate simple and clear guidance on your expectations on how customers should be treated and the behavior to support this.
Risk management responsibilities
Ensuring effective and embedded risk management is a key responsibility for all senior managers within Aviva. As part of this and within your area of delegated authority you are responsible for:
- Ensuring that there is an appropriate culture in place and in line with the requirements
- Understand and champion the Group's Risk Management Framework, including all Risk Policies and linked Business Standards; reporting, escalation and governance processes (including all legal and regulatory requirements);
- Maintaining effective and efficient risk management and internal control systems, aligned with agreed risk appetite. Where vital, directing action plans to resolve ineffective controls and bring associated risks within appetite including outsourced arrangements, in a timely manner.
- Identify, own and handle any specific key risks and/or key controls that you are identified as the owner for on iCARE. Maintain appropriate records and ensure that controls are sufficiently well crafted and operate effectively to keep the risks that they mitigate within Aviva's tolerance level. Report and advance the status of the relevant risks and controls as appropriate.
In addition to the above and specific to your area of responsibility;
- Report on Loss Events identified in, or by, your area of responsibility to the Risk Management Team in a timely manner.
- Investigate Loss Events in your area and ensure appropriate remediation is carried out to prevent recurrence.
- Consider key risks and risk appetite during decision making & planning to ensure changes do not expose the business to unacceptable levels of risk.
What you'll bring: - University degree in a Business Management field is required
- MBA / Business Qualification preferred
- Professionally qualified ideally with Membership of CIPS.
- The position will demand credibility at executive/senior management level with a high degree of maturity crucial.
- Minimum of 5 years' experience in a senior management position in a blue chip environment will be highly beneficial
- At least 3 years' experience of heading a senior corporate supply chain team
- Experience in the Purchasing/Supply chain environment is crucial.
- Experience in different functions and sectors of industry would be beneficial.
- Shown senior management ability with experience of planning and leading significant changes.
- Strong interpersonal and influencing skills with a proven track record in purchasing and supply chain management tools and techniques.
- Outstanding commercial awareness skills
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills and cultural awareness
- Strong written communication and presentation skills.
What you'll get: - Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibilty for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.
- Hybrid flexible work model .
- Outstanding career development opportunities.
- We'll support your professional development education.
- Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year.
- Employee-driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity, and inclusion.
- Corporate wellness programs to support our employees' physical and mental health.
This job advertisement is for an existing vacancy which has been posted both internally & externally.
Aviva Canada may use AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools to assist us throughout the recruitment process to screen, assess or select applicants for a position.
Aviva Canada welcomes applications from all qualified individuals and has a process in place to provide accommodations for persons with disabilities at all stages of the hiring process and during employment. If you require accommodation during the interview or hiring process, please contact your Aviva Talent Acquisition Partner so that an appropriate accommodation can be arranged.
