Senior Category Specialist

Job Information Job Title: Senior Category SpecialistJob Requisition ID: 76955Ministry: Service Alberta and Red Tape ReductionLocation: EdmontonFull or Part-Time: Full TimeHours of Work: 36.25 hours per weekPermanent/Temporary: PermanentScope: Open CompetitionClosing Date: November 17, 2025Classification: Program Services 5Salary: $3,263.63 to $4,299.89 bi-weekly ($85,180 - $112,227/year) The Government of Alberta is committed to a diverse and inclusive public service that reflects the population we serve to best meet the needs of Albertans. Consider joining a team where diversity, inclusion, and innovation are valued and supported. For more information on diversity and inclusion, please visit https://www.alberta.ca/diversity-inclusion-policy.aspx. The Procurement Services branch is responsible for the Government of Alberta’s mandate for efficient, open and transparent procurement. The Branch allows ministries to meet essential and complex program goals by leading or facilitating cost‑effective procurement in a fair and equitable manner, in alignment with national & international trade agreements and provincial legislation. Procurement Services has responsibilities for GoA corporate procurement, warehousing services, surplus sales, inter‑provincial trade, vendor relationship management, corporate card program management, and category management. Roles and Responsibilities Are you ready to "Lead the Way": Elevate your career as the Senior Category Specialist, steering a dynamic portfolio that shapes one‑fifth of all GoA procurement. You can become the provincial authority in spend categories such as contingent resources, vehicles, and furniture. Drive innovation, forge strategic procurement paths, and be the singular expert influencing the pulse of market trends. As the Senior Category Specialist your role will extend beyond procurement; you will be the pivotal single point of contact to purchasers and vendors, leading and facilitating procurements for the category, and planning and coordinating novel approaches to optimize the end‑to‑end utility of those procurements across the province. Demand Planning: Drive cost‑effective procurement through specialized business intelligence forecasting in assigned spend categories, proactively assessing market and supply chain impacts to prevent adverse effects on GoA goals. Procurement Projects: Support procurement of goods and services within each spend category, ensuring alignment with national/international trade agreements, provincial legislation, and best. Compliance and Expertise: Utilize extensive knowledge of procurement legislation, trade agreements, and supply chain management to deliver procurement projects effectively. Continuous Improvement: Optimize procurement processes through continuous improvement initiatives and identify opportunities to consolidate procurement power across GoA and Municipalities, Academic institutions, School boards, and Health authorities (MASH) sectors. Strategic Influence: Influence program implementation decisions and contribute to policy recommendations supporting innovative procurement approaches. Stakeholder Engagement: Build and strengthen relationships with internal and external stakeholders, leading the development of strategic alliances and partnerships to ensure long‑term procurement feasibility. Dispute Resolution: Apply deep knowledge of stakeholders and program needs to resolve disputes and bring closure to complex procurement issues. Leadership and Accountability: Lead procurement initiatives, ensuring projects meet the requirements of management and executive leadership across the GoA, while serving as the primary point of contact for purchasers and vendors. Competencies Systems Thinking: Consider the entire APS and its workforce, along with the various processes used by different areas, and ensure a consistent approach to reporting is applied. Creative Problem Solving: Triage each request to get at the root problem and determine the most appropriate solution from a range of possibilities. Drive for Results: Provide information and data that directly impacts decision‑making at the people leader and executive levels and resolve information and data issues promptly. Agility: Manage multiple deadlines and priorities as part of program delivery, moving seamlessly between them and stepping into co‑workers’ tasks when needed. Qualifications A four‑year degree in a related field plus 6 years progressively responsible related experience (project management, procurement, and category management) or equivalent as described below. Equivalency 1 year of education for 1 year of experience. 1 year of experience for 1 year of education in procurement and/or supply chain management. The following are considered assets Project management certification (e.g., PMP or similar). Professional procurement certification (e.g., SCMP or similar). Experience managing projects. Experience leading categories. Required Application Materials Cover Letter: identifies the relevant job opportunity and provides specific information about your experience in procurement or project management and managing stakeholders. Clearly describe past initiatives you’ve led that achieved operational and financial efficiencies. Resume: includes starting and ending month & year of each role and provides concise bullet points clarifying relevance to job requirements. Note: Candidates chosen to move to next steps may undergo a written assessment. Final candidates will be required to undergo a written assessment. Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards. Hours per week: 36.25, usual schedule 8:15 am–4:15 pm.Location: Oxbridge Place Building, Edmonton. If a security screening is required, final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening. Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out‑of‑province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. If temporary assignments or under‑fills will be considered: Northern Allowance. Links and information on what the GoA has to offer to prospective employees:• Positive workplace culture and work‑life balance.• Leadership and mentorship programs. How To Apply Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies. Applicants are required to apply for a job online. Please visit https://www.alberta.ca/job-application-resources#before for more information. Please visit Recruitment Principles, for more information. It is recommended applicants who have completed post‑secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) https://www.alberta.ca/international-qualifications-assessment.aspx or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada https://canalliance.org/en/default.html. It is recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application. Closing Statement This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level. We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates’ qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted. If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Cynthia Masemola at Cynthia.Masemola@gov.ab.ca. #J-18808-Ljbffr