Vice-President Purchasing

Job Type:
RegularIn support of business units and corporate functions, the VP Purchasing identifies and recommends optimization and standardization initiatives related to procurement activities from a "total cost of ownership" perspective, proposes and implements performance indicators, supports the implementation of initiatives in business units and within corporate functions, and coordinates purchasing strategies for the various expense items.
The VP Purchasing's mandate is to generate savings, including the realization of large-scale purchasing initiatives that involve negotiation and/or reformulation/reengineering and/or demand reduction in a continuous manner, and to develop the Purchasing function along with cross-functional functions, via co-developed strategies, RACI and the establishment of operational procedures.
On an ongoing basis, the VP Purchasing will generate extended value on various aspects, i.e. quality improvement, supply assurance, cost, service and continuous improvement and innovation. From a sustainable development perspective, the VP Purchasing's inclusion of sustainable development and risk management/brand equity elements within purchasing activities will be an important asset. As a leader, the VP Purchasing is responsible for engaging and developing the talents of his/her team.
Main tasks and responsibilities :
Identify optimization and standardization initiatives, and make recommendations regarding procurement activities from a "total cost of ownership - TCO" perspective.
Propose and implement Agropur strategies, targets, initiatives and performance indicators aligned with business needs. Develop targets for each category and monitor progress with stakeholders.
Support business units in their procurement activities and implementation of Agropur strategies, targets, initiatives and performance indicators.
Ensure risk management through the implementation of target agreements (in collaboration with Legal) and time hedging activities;
Support budget planning and monitoring by regularly providing market data for goods, services and commodities purchased by Agropur.
Ensure a culture of high performance and continuous improvement. Build a talent team to attract high performers to purchasing. Ensure best practices across the company and train purchasing/other teams on purchasing tools and negotiation tactics.
Manage relationships with suppliers and purchasing groups. Manage qualification approval of new suppliers and participate in discussions with major suppliers, meeting frequently with major suppliers' CEOs, outside the negotiation context.
Coordinate tendering processes.
Work with VP Manufacturing to ensure adequate supply (quantity, quality).
Participate in business unit strategic planning exercises to ensure strategic alignment.
Strengthen corporate procurement capabilities/competencies. Monitor procurement best practices.
Share and promote procurement optimization and standardization opportunities.
Monitor purchasing policy and day-to-day purchasing activities, such as new supplier creation, master data and standard prices entered into systems.
Support day-to-day purchasing via buyers processing Indirect Purchasing requests via COUPA.
Monitor purchasing adherence to recommended suppliers and provide analysis and recommendations to limit non-aligned spending.
Ensure the management, evolution and optimal use of the COUPA platform within Agropur, via its dedicated team.
Qualifications :
10-15 years' experience in purchasing/operations.
Proven management experience including operations budgeting and organizational transformation management.
Proven track record of delivering savings, including large-scale purchasing initiatives.
Strong communication skills and ability to build alignment across the organization.
Negotiation skills when communicating with senior supplier management.
Ability to develop talent/people within the organization.
Asset: knowledge of dairy/food industry operations.
Agropur welcomes people from all backgrounds and walks of life. We are proud to be an employer with a diverse community and are committed to providing a respectful and inclusive experience for all employees and applicants. We will therefore work with candidates who request accommodation. Please note that an adequate knowledge of French is required for positions in Quebec.

---