Procurement Officer

at  Carleton University

QUALIFICATIONS:

The incumbent must possess the following qualifications:

• As an agent of the University entrusted with the spending of public funds, the incumbent requires a thorough knowledge of procurement procedures and practices as well as relevant university policy and procedures, a basic knowledge of contract law and a complete understanding of ethical standards of the profession.
• The incumbent must be completely conversant with product and service terminology for the assigned portfolio, as well as the related thought processes in order to understand the requirements, particularly for large and/or complexprojects or products.
• The incumbent must use judgement, initiative and knowledge of university rules, regulations and culture to develop and implement solutions for problems.
• The incumbent must interact with a wide variety of business and academic professionals, must portray and demonstrate confidence and therefore possess sound knowledge of the profession.
• The incumbent must pursue a continual awareness of changes in market conditions, government regulations, trends in public and private sectors, manufacturing processes, by intensive study through Supply Chain Canada Association (SCMA) and construction industry seminars and courses.
• Maintains a high level knowledge of developments in all areas related to Procurement Services, including legal precedents in procurement and policies relevant to negotiating, tendering and contracting.
• Must be able to communicate effectively, professionally and with confidence with vendors, department heads and researchers.
• The incumbent must be very organized, work in collaboration with other teams, and liaise with both internal departments and external organizations with interests related to procurement and system issues.
• Must have demonstrated financial aptitude; strong organizational skills and leadership skills; meticulous attention to detail; accuracy, flexible, tact, initiative; sound judgment and patience, good public relations skills, able to work well within a team atmosphere. Must be able to meet deadlines and handle matters of a confidential and sensitive nature in an appropriate manner.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

The above is normally acquired through the completion of:

• Post-secondary education (e.g., degree or diploma) in business administration, procurement, or supply chain management.
• Foundational courses in relevant procurement certificate programs with a focus on public procurement (e.g., UPPCC, NASPO, NIGP, OPBA).
• Minimum three (3) years of purchasing or procurement experience, preferably in a publicly-funded environment (e.g., university, college, government agency, etc.).

Under the direction of the Manager(s), Procurement Services, the incumbent organizes, directs and executes procurement activities related to the acquisition of a variety of commodities and services, which may include capital projects (“construction”) on behalf of academic, administrative, ancillary and other departments of the University. The incumbent elicits functional and performance requirements from clients and project managers, conducts market research, explores collaborative purchasing opportunities, and conducts a competitive and public process with a view to procuring and establishing new contracts for required goods and/or services. The incumbent investigates and proposes programs and/or procedures to improve procurement processes (e.g., drafting, evaluation, negotiation, etc.), and strengthen vendor relationships and performance outcomes. The incumbent is responsible for developing and maintaining effective relationships with and between clients, stakeholders, decision-makers and suppliers.