Commodity Specialist

**Job Summary**
Reporting to the Manager of Purchasing, you will be responsible for the procurement of goods and services from an assigned commodity portfolio. You will lead strategic sourcing initiatives to establish short and long term contracts, lead competitive bidding projects, provide outstanding customer services and professional sourcing expertise to internal business units, manage supplier relationships and performance, and execute purchasing documents within established approval authority and corporate policies and procedures while ensuring compliance with the Broader Public Sector (BPS) Procurement Directive, the Board policies and procedures, contracting and competitive bidding and tendering laws.

The role of Commodity Specialist has direct accountability for the effective and efficient procuring of goods and services by the entire Board business units. You will strive to seek a balance between meeting the procurement needs and requirements of the Board business units in a cost-efficient way and maintaining the high standards of business ethics and legislative compliance of the Board procurement process.

Areas of Expertise: customer service, purchasing, strategic sourcing, competitive bidding and tendering, commodity management, contract negotiation and contract management.

**Key Responsibilities** What will I be doing?**
- Commodity Management_
- Analyze business requirements, develop appropriate procurement strategies and plans to support other departments to advance their short
- and long-term goals and objectives
- Monitor procurement activities and commodity acquisitions to identify opportunities and develop strategies to improve the performance of the Board supply chain and related buying experience
- Competitive Bidding_
- Analyze user specifications and requirements to establish appropriate souring methodology to acquire goods and services effectively and efficiently
- Manage competitive bidding process from the beginning to the end to achieve a successful outcome
- Guide and facilitate project team to make sound decisions on sourcing and evaluation process with the goal to minimize risks and achieve the best possible result
- Review terms and conditions of contracts and agreements, develop and execute strategies and plans for contract negotiations and risk mitigation
- Develop sound bid award recommendations and prepare all documentation for bid award and contract execution
- Contract Management_
- Manage contract life cycle by monitoring contract terms, leading contract extension initiatives and negotiating terms and conditions of contract renewal
- Serve as resident experts in certain commodities where Purchasing manages the contract for the Board to ensure contract delivery and compliance.
- Support user groups in resolving contract disputes and improving vendor performance
- Develop and maintain vendor relationships, create value added services, drive for cost reductions and quality improvement in the best interest of the Board while minimizing risk exposure.
- Customer Services_
- Approve purchase orders and other procurement documentation for assigned commodities
- Provide effective client service, and establish effective working relationships with internal clients including school administrators and other business departments, vendors and public
- Act as champion of assigned commodity portfolio by responding to all procurement related questions from clients and solve procurement-related issues;
- Engage with different levels of clients to provide advice, assistance and guidance over the Board procurement policies and processes, and specific commodity procurement procedures.
- Participate in outreach and training initiatives with user groups as required
- Leadership and Supervision_
- Supervise administrative assistants in performing duties within the assigned commodities such as issuing POs and providing customer services
- Provide directions and guidance to administrative assistants, and assist with problem solving in day to day purchasing operations
- Develop administrative assistant capacity to improve customer services and supply chain value

**Qualifications**
- Post-secondary degree in business, commerce, supply chain management or a related discipline - or a combination of education, training and experience deemed equivalent
- Must either possess a Certified Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP) designation or equivalent or be working towards CSCMP with advanced progression.
- Three (3) to five (5) years’ related experience preferably in educational, institutional or public sector procurement
- Must be proficient with technology and have excellent working knowledge of Microsoft MS Word and MS Excel
- Familiar with computerized purchasing systems
- Ability to work with limited supervision and with latitude of action while keeping others appropriately informed of plans, actions and programs
- Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills
- Must have excellent organi