Senior Advisor, Procurement - Temporary 24 months

We are banking at another level.

Choosing BDC as your employer means working in a healthy, inclusive, and skilled workplace that puts forward the best conditions to bring together unique teams where employees are empowered to act. It also means being at the centre of ambitious economic and financial projects to see further and to do things differently, to fuel the success of Canadian entrepreneurs.

Choosing BDC as your employer also means:

• Flexible and competitive benefits, including an Employee Savings and Investment Plan where BDC matches part of your voluntary contributions, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, a $750 wellness and health care spending account, to name a few   

• In addition to paid vacation each year, five personal days, sick days as necessary, and our offices are closed from December 25 to January 1

• A hybrid work model that truly balances work and personal life

• Opportunities for learning, training and development, and much more... 

Explore the BDC Way in our Culture Book

*Please note that this role is temporary for 24 months.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Senior Advisor, Procurement, oversees the complex procurement processes used to procure the goods and services that BDC requires, for all sectors related to information technology. He or she must have a thorough understanding of the business unit’s needs to play an influential advisory role, to determine the acquisition strategy for each of the contracts under his or her responsibility, to properly select suppliers as well as negotiate and prepare the contracts.

The Senior Advisor advises internal clients tasked with managing the strategic contracts. He or she will primarily collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure that BDC and the supplier meet all of their contractual obligations. The Senior Advisor must also use his or her experience to mentor fellow procurement advisors or analysts.

CHALLENGES TO BE MET

Strategic buyer and procurement coach roles:

• Lead complex, strategic and high-risk procurement processes in information technology, and serve as the primary contact for internal clients.
• Within the standard contractual framework, advise internal clients by recommending and implementing the best procurement and evaluation strategies for purchases that will be adapted to the business environment and the target market and the type of purchase while always effectively managing risk, ensuring fairness between competing suppliers and purchasing quality goods and services for the right cost at all stages of the procurement process.
• Prepare the relevant procurement process documents according to the type of goods and services required, including calls for tender, contracts and reference material, and gather the input needed to describe the business needs, the service or technology, the scope and the levels of service and to prepare the documents required for security purposes and protecting personal information.
• Organize, manage and coordinate the selection committees involved in the calls for tender by preparing the evaluation grids in advance and serving as a voting member as needed.
• Analyze the tenders received, negotiate and carry out recommendations required to award the contract.
• Award the contract by preparing, as required, the public announcements and messages to be communicated.
• Assist in implementing the required changes to the process to support BDC’s responsible procurement goals.
• For quality assurance and skills improvement purposes, support, supervise and review the work of other procurement advisors or analysts as they perform their duties.
• Ensure that internal clients have the best experience possible while remaining aware that the supervisory role may require the courage to intervene.
• Dispose of the goods and services as needed.

Contract management, contract portfolio analysis, and trainer roles:

• Train the human resources in the various business segments who will be responsible for procurement, in particular with regard to managing contracts, drafting calls for tender, and government procurement.
• Monitor the markets impacting BDC’s procurement needs and recommend procurement strategies for the portfolio of contracts in order to reduce costs and consolidate procurement needs.
• Prepare the documents that fall under the manager’s responsibility and validate those produced by clients as part of the bidding process and send them to the relevant internal authorities.
• Negotiate the contracts within the framework of complex contractual disputes.
• Prepare the technical specifications and collaborate with internal clients and stakeholders to meet BDC’s procurement needs.
• Prepare and finalize the contracts and contract amendments and ensure that they reflect the goods or services purchased within the standard contractual framework.
• Implement contract management processes to support cost-effective delivery by proactively managing contracts by incentivizing the supplier to improve business performance.
• Provide contract information and a contractual interpretation of any complex issues.

Leader in the continuous improvement of procurement business practices:

• Create templates, especially call for tender documents, contracts, specific clauses and evaluation grids, to ensure that the contractual documents cover all of the risks in a comprehensible and effective manner.
• Recommend ways to management to improve existing policies, methods and procedures in terms of added value and proper monitoring and implement the improvements.
• Propose and design the procurement tools used by all the colleagues and individuals who request them.
• Develop and provide customized or corporate procurement and contract management training for managers and relevant staff members.
• Assist in maintaining and optimizing BDC’s data systems that relate to procurement and contract management.
• Take part, as needed, in various continuous improvement or other projects.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Bachelor’s degree in administration or other relevant training
• At least 8 years’ relevant experience, particularly in strategic procurement in information technology
• At least 5 years’ experience in government/public procurement and managing complex procurement files in information technology

Skills, knowledge and qualifications

• Ability to handle complex procurement processes, especially selecting suppliers and negotiating and preparing contracts
• Negotiating skills, including a strong ability to negotiate favourable contractual and commercial provisions and effectively manage supplier relations in information technology
• Contract management expertise, including a solid understanding of contractual clauses
• Strong business sense and understanding of BDC’s and internal clients’ business objectives and an ability to determine the best procurement strategies to meet commercial needs
• Excellent communications skills to be able to adapt written and spoken communications in both official languages to various levels inside and outside the organization
• Coaching and mentoring experience to guide and support peers with less procurement experience
• Deep interest in internal client operations and a strong desire to contribute to BDC's business objectives
• Courage and skills needed to influence decisions
• Proactive, ability to synthesize information, pragmatic
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize and to manage multiple tasks
• Strong interest in innovation, especially in the areas of performance, processes and technology tools
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

*Please take note that temporary employees are not eligible for benefits.

Proudly one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment where all employees can thrive and feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work. If you require an accommodation to complete your application, please do not hesitate to contact us at accessibility@bdc.ca.

While we appreciate all applications, we advise that only the candidates selected to participate in the recruitment process will be contacted.