Airswift is seeking a Category Advisor, SCM IT to join one of our major Energy clients in Calgary, AB. This is an initial 1-year contract with the possibility of being extended. 

Reporting to the Sr. Manager, SCM IT, the Category Advisor, SCM IT is responsible for the end-to-end Category Management of the Projects and Professional Services portfolios. Activities include creation of the category strategy, executing strategic sourcing initiatives, and commercial/contractual negotiation of complex vendor engagements in support of Information Technology and the Corporate Project Management Office (CPMO). This fast-paced and challenging position is ideal for a self-starter with strong Category Management knowledge and sourcing skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop annual & long-term strategic planning to secure supply of goods and services for the Projects and Professional Services portfolios.
• Execute on annual and long-term strategic planning and budgeting to secure supply of goods and services and manage the associated price and supply risks.
• Lead complex and strategic sourcing initiatives and develop associated negotiation strategies and recommendations to award.
• Review, interpret, and analyze legal and commercial contract terms and conditions including master agreements, schedules, statements of work, confidentiality agreements and other documentation, partnering with Legal as required.
• Ensure the Company is conducting business with financially viable, technically qualified suppliers, who operate within their expertise.
• Lead commercial negotiations with vendors ensuring goods and services are contracted in an efficient, effective manner bringing maximum value to the organization.
• Effectively collaborate with IT stakeholders, subject matter experts, cross-functional teams, and external vendors.
• Ensure compliance to Supply Chain Business Rules, approved SCM channels, the Company’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics, company policies, standards, processes, and regulatory requirements.
• Complete administrative tasks required to manage contracts in the portfolio.
• Ensure data and information created is maintained, accurate and accessible.

• Establish Effective Enterprise-Wide Partnerships
• Enable Business Objectives and Sustain Competitive Advantage
• Partner to Achieve Cost & Safety Leadership
• Enable Effective Management of Materials Across the Value Chain
• Advocate and Enforce the Supply Chain Standard, Business Rules, and associated Corporate Policies & Standards
• Foster a Healthy Organization and Engaging Place to Work
• Actively advance the development of others and success is an outcome of the collective and integrated efforts and expertise across the team, function, and company

• Internal: Information Technology (IT), Corporate Project Management Office (CPMO), SCM Procurement Operations, Legal, Finance, Tax, and other CVE internal teams, as required.
• External: Suppliers and other external groups as needed

• Provide inputs to the assessment & prioritization of enterprise-wide requirements for sourcing projects
• Maintain a high degree of market knowledge
• Drive accuracy and credibility in SCM risk assessments and market intelligence
• Work with stakeholders in planning, setting targets, and management plans
• Stay informed on and share supply chain trends impacting the business and industry
• Identify and present opportunities to continuously improve the Category Management service model to support SCM and business clients

• Create and support positive and mutually beneficial relationships with Company’s suppliers by challenging and motivating suppliers to optimize service outcomes
• Ensure suppliers are commercially and technically qualified and meet Company’s requirements

• Provide expertise and oversite on the development and deployment of sourcing strategies, strategic contract negotiations & contract drafting to maximize sustainable competitive advantage and operational performance
• Ensure sourcing and contracting strategies support business objectives, approved sourcing channels, and enable efficient procurement and materials management practices
• Deliver required outcomes in accordance with schedule while collaborating with internal and external stakeholders
• Guide team in exploring tradeoffs and business benefits of various negotiation strategies/outcomes
• Ensure contracts fully reflect final negotiated outcomes and award decisions
• Help institutionalize consistent and leading sourcing processes and practices; ensure consistent use of modern sourcing methods to drive exceptional total value creation and supply assurance
• Provide contract expertise and consultation early in the sourcing phase

• Ensure procurement activities follow approved buying, receiving and transportation channels minimizing transaction costs

• Identify and apply treatments for supply chain risks
• Advance use of analytics to support the aggregation, normalization, and analysis of spend data and identify potential value opportunities
• Advance capture and utilization of key market, spend and performance analytics to further business decisions, manage risk to supply and drive value in sourcing and supply activities
• Advance spend, category, and other reporting to inform supply chain performance and business decisions
• Manage Spend Data including data cleansing, consolidation and reporting
• Maintain taxonomy and associated reporting
• Manage price evolution

• Identify and present opportunities to continuously improve the Category Management service model to support business clients
• Actively drive and champion system implementation and integration initiatives and continuous improvement initiatives to simplify and improve supply chain solutions
• Support the enforcement of and drive compliance to the Company’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics, company policies, standards, processes, safety, and regulatory requirements and supporting the Supply Chain Management Business Rules
• Identify opportunities for process and system improvements to ensure efficient and effective teams
• Value and foster inclusion and diversity to create new and improved solutions and ideas
• Adhere to and cascade strong ethical principles in all aspects of the work
• Build and maintain effective business partner and supplier relationships interacting through the executive level

• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada
• 4+ years of progressive strategic sourcing and Supply Chain experience
• Post-Secondary Degree in Business, Supply Chain or equivalent
• SCMP designation is considered an asset
• Demonstrated strong negotiation skills, both commercial and contractual
• Sourcing expertise with planning, assessing, and implementing outsourcing and other complex delivery models
• Strong understanding of Category Management principles
• Enterprise-wide, strategic thinker
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail; able to solve problems through honest analysis coupled with good judgment; proven initiative and decision-making abilities
• Excellent presentation skills; able to speak and write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings with all levels of the organization
• Knowledge of SAP and Ariba Sourcing is considered an asset