Reporting to the Manager, Procurement Services, the Procurement and Contract Specialist serves as a subject matter resource within the Procurement Services unit. This role is responsible for leading complex, high-value, and strategically significant procurement initiatives across NOSM University’s academic, research, administrative, and operational areas and may be delegated to support external procurement-related working groups or initiatives in a supporting capacity.

The Procurement and Contract Specialist operates independently and applies advanced procurement strategy to manage the full lifecycle of institutionally significant competitive bidding projects. The role provides advanced strategic sourcing support and ensures all processes are compliant with the Broader Public Sector (BPS) Procurement Directive, applicable trade agreements (e.g. Canadian-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)), funding agency requirements, and University policies. The incumbent works closely with internal stakeholders to develop innovative, risk-informed procurement strategies that deliver value-for-money and uphold transparency, fairness, and accountability.

This position plays a leadership role by providing peer-level guidance to procurement staff, serving as an internal subject matter expert, and contributing to training, knowledge transfer, and the continuous improvement of procurement practices and tools. The Procurement and Contract Specialist also assists with procurement audit readiness efforts under the direction of the Manager and supports post-award contract management, particularly in relation to publicly funded or externally sponsored purchases.

This position is covered by the Terms and Conditions of the OPSEU Unit 677 Collective Agreement (Unit 2). A copy is available on the NOSM University website.

Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Competitive Procurement

• Independently manages end-to-end procurement processes for complex, high-risk, or institutionally significant sourcing projects, under the strategic direction of the Manager. Provides strategic input into sourcing approaches, evaluation frameworks, and contract structures to ensure alignment with institutional goals, compliance requirements, and long-term value-for-money outcomes.
• Executes large-scale, multi-year, or multi-stakeholder procurement projects, including those involving external funders or specialized technical requirements. Applies advanced project management and documentation practices to ensure compliance, transparency, and successful outcomes, even under tight timelines or evolving needs.
• Demonstrates initiative by independently researching procurement methodologies, drafting options, and market intelligence to strengthen outcomes and reduce risk exposure.
• Develops and implements advanced sourcing strategies (e.g., negotiated RFPs, phased competitive dialogue, multi-phase evaluations) that drive value-for-money, mitigate risk, and ensure compliance with public sector trade and procurement legislation.
• Collaborates with internal stakeholders to assess needs, formulate procurement strategies, and shape RFx deliverables. Advises on market conditions, supplier capacity, and lifecycle considerations with a focus on long-term impact and sustainability.
• Conducts in-depth research, supplier outreach, benchmarking, and total cost of ownership analysis to inform strategy and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Facilitates procurement planning and evaluation committee processes, ensuring fairness, consistency, and compliance with public sector procurement regulations. Supports evaluation panel members by providing procedural guidance and ensuring that all evaluation activities are auditable and thoroughly documented.
• Leads the drafting and authorship of complex, high-value RFx documents, integrating technical specifications, business objectives, and contractual obligations. Applies expert-level knowledge of competitive procurement, evaluation design, and legal clauses to ensure clarity, transparency, and regulatory compliance.
• Takes a holistic and forward-looking approach to procurement by anticipating how sourcing strategies, contract structures, and vendor decisions will influence long-term outcomes, operational efficiency, and institutional goals.
• Facilitates supplier debriefings and supports issue resolution related to procurement processes, in alignment with guidance from the Manager and in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
• Provides strategic procurement support for complex, externally funded capital and research projects (e.g., CFI, CCAC, FedNor), ensuring compliance with funder requirements and documentation standards.

Contract Development & Supplier Relationship Management

• Drafts and supports the negotiation of complex contracts and amendments, including terms, conditions, pricing, and deliverables, in collaboration with the Manager and relevant stakeholders.
• Provides expert interpretation and practical recommendations on contractual clauses, recommending risk mitigation strategies and supporting context-specific solutions.
• Collaborates with internal stakeholders, including the Manager, Procurement Services and the Director of Planning & Risk to review and refine contract language in alignment with legal, policy, and funding agency requirements.
• Supports contract lifecycle activities, including monitoring deliverables, coordinating renewals and extensions, and addressing vendor performance issues with a balanced, solutions-oriented approach, escalating issues to the Manager as appropriate.
• Acts as a liaison for supplier relationship matters related to assigned contracts, helping to address performance concerns, support issue resolution and maintaining documentation, while promoting constructive supplier engagement, escalating complex or high-risk concerns to the Manager as appropriate.
• Maintains accurate, audit-ready procurement documentation and ensures consistency across contract records and communications.

Procurement Consultation & Stakeholder Engagement

• Provides subject matter expertise to academic, research, and administrative units, providing expert consultation on procurement planning, contract structuring, risk mitigation, and compliance.
• Facilitates strategic procurement planning sessions with internal units to forecast needs, align sourcing strategies, and inform long-term operational and institutional planning.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with staff and faculty to proactively identify new sourcing opportunities, promote procurement innovation, and drive value-added outcomes.

Compliance, Risk Management & Reporting

• Interprets and applies complex procurement legislation, trade agreements, and University policies (e.g., BPS Directive, CFTA, CETA, AODA, privacy legislation), ensuring institutional compliance and audit readiness.
• Identifies areas of contractual and procedural risk, flags compliance gaps, and recommends mitigation strategies through proactive planning and documentation.
• Supports the preparation of audit-ready records and ensures required documentation is collected and maintained in accordance with internal policy and external funding or legislative requirements.
• Compiles and analyzes procurement data to support internal and external reporting, including spend analysis, compliance tracking, and performance metrics.
• Supports the Manager in the preparation and, where delegated, the submission or posting of public and ministry reporting (e.g., limited tendering disclosures), ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Leads or contributes to the development of dashboards, tracking tools, and reporting templates to support data-driven decision-making and enhance transparency.
• Collaborates with the Manager to ensure continuous improvement in compliance monitoring and reporting processes.

Strategic Initiatives, Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Supports cross-functional procurement initiatives, under the direction of the Manager, contributing to long-term institutional goals, including cooperative purchasing, vendor consolidation, and spend optimization.
• Evaluates and recommends procurement technologies and innovations to enhance efficiency, transparency, and service delivery.
• Supports the implementation of procurement policy and may contribute feedback to policy development discussions led by management.

Knowledge Leadership & Operational Support

• Serves as an internal resource on public procurement practices, contributing to peer-level knowledge sharing and supporting procurement staff and stakeholders in their purchasing activities.
• Contributes to the development and delivery of training programs, presentations, and user-facing documentation to promote best practices, ensure legal compliance, and support institutional goals.
• Supports the development and maintenance of procurement templates, tools, and educational materials, ensuring alignment with evolving legislative, policy, and procedural requirements.
• Contributes to team operations and continuity of services by providing coverage and operational support during staff absences, as directed by the Manager.
• Participates in external procurement-related working groups in a supporting capacity, as delegated by the Manager, including collaborative initiatives and purchasing consortiums, to support institutional procurement strategies and fostering inter-organizational collaboration.
• Contributes to internal engagement through training sessions, knowledge-sharing forums, and university-wide initiatives related to procurement practices and systems.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

• University degree in Business, Commerce, Public Administration, Supply Chain Management or a related discipline from a recognized university with Canadian accreditation or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

CERTIFICATIONS/DESIGNATIONS

• Completion or active progression toward a professional procurement designation (e.g., CPPB, CSCMP, CPPO, OPBA Certificate Program, or equivalent) is an asset.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Minimum five (5) years of procurement experience, including at least one (1) year independently managing complex or multi-stakeholder procurement initiatives involving legal, financial, or operational risk. Experience must include end-to-end management of competitive bidding processes and strategic sourcing within a public sector or compliance-driven environment.
• Experience in a post-secondary, broader public sector, or publicly funded organization is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with educational or health sectors is considered an asset.
• Advanced understanding of public procurement legislation, policies, and trade agreements applicable to Ontario Broader Public Sector institutions (e.g., BPS Procurement Directive, CFTA, CETA), including related legal, tax, and duty considerations.
• Proven comprehensive experience leading complex, high-value and/or high-risk, large-scale or multi-stakeholder procurement projects, including the preparation of strategic requests for proposals, tender documents and contracts.
• In-depth knowledge of contract and competitive bid law, including legal issues related to procurement and contracting.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct complex negotiations and resolve conflict effectively.
• Superior analytical and problem-solving with the ability to assess acquisitions, market trends, risk, and compliance considerations.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, both independently and collaboratively.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship-building, and influencing skills to engage effectively with internal stakeholders, vendors, and external partners.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to develop training materials, teach procurement processes, and communicate legal or policy concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience working in highly collaborative, cross-functional environments, with demonstrated adaptability and a desire to learn.
• Familiarity with cooperative purchasing models, buying groups, and vendor-of-record (VOR) arrangements (e.g., OECM, Supply Ontario).
• Strong attention to detail with a high level of accuracy.
• Must be able to communicate effectively in English (verbal, written, and comprehension).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.), Google Workspace, Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Experience using ERP Systems (e.g., Ellucian Colleague), eTendering (RFx) platforms (e.g., Bonfire, MERX, etc.), and reporting tools (e.g., Entrinsik Informer).

Language

• Must be able to communicate effectively in English (verbally, written and comprehension)
• French/Indigenous language skills would be considered asset

Working Conditions

• Extended periods of computer work and sitting.
• Hybrid working environment. Combination of office-based and virtual work environment with frequent interruptions and regular interaction with employees, management, and external stakeholders.
• Occasional overtime and travel may be required.

Interested candidates are submit a resume along with verification of academic accomplishments quoting the competition number # 2025-2015-NS to:

NOSM University
Attention: Human Resources
935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario P3E 2C6
Email: hr@nosm.ca
Fax: (705) 671-3880

NOSM University offers accommodation for applicants with disabilities throughout its recruitment processes. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, or require an accessible version this posting, please contact Human Resources via email at hr@nosm.ca*.*

NOSM University invites applications from all qualified individuals. NOSM University is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.

NOSM University needs to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applications need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship; however, all applications must include one of the following statements:

“I am a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.”

“I am not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada but I am legally eligible to work in Canada.”

“I am not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada or otherwise legally eligible to work in Canada.”

While all responses are appreciated and will be handled with the strictest confidence, only those being considered for interviews will be acknowledged.