Highlights of the Senior Supply Chain Associate Position

This key role will provide thought leadership in terms of category knowledge and industry best practices. The specialist will support sourcing teams by providing strong technical and analytical capabilities and providing category requirements & specifications throughout the whole strategic sourcing process. Upon completion of a strategic sourcing initiative, the category manager will become very active in the sourcing team’s hand-off and subsequent ownership of the new agreements moving forward. The specialist is expected to take a lead role in facilitating implementation and ramp up activities for sourcing efforts. The incumbent will also manage supplier relationships and serve as the primary contact in managing internal operational expectations.

Company Information

The client is a significant global player in the energy sector. Backed by a large global energy firm, they maintain diversified operations which include exploration and production, but also storage, transportation, and processing, and power generation and water desalinization. The client has a diversified asset base with operations throughout North America, the Middle East, and Europe. They are considered one of the largest oil and gas producers in Canada.

Job Location

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Key Responsibilities of Senior Supply Chain Associate Position

• Provides analytical support to strategic sourcing teams to facilitate a “fact based” decision making approach by leveraging all available data sources; accounting, purchasing, engineering, sales, suppliers, and historical analysis
• Assists and leads the sourcing team in development of pricing models, and total cost of ownership analysis
• Responsible for assisting in all aspects of the strategic sourcing process, including but not limited to creating category profiles, developing sourcing strategies, executing sourcing event, and conducting negotiations with suppliers
• Takes primary accountability for delivering results (e.g., savings targets and performance improvement) and in supporting the strategic sourcing process for a specific category(s)
• Communicates internal and external category expectations, monitors internal compliance and supplier performance, facilitates two-way feedback with suppliers, and implements continuous improvement and development programs within a category
• Facilitates and coordinates supplier relationships, thus leveraging internal category and supplier expertise to create a healthy interaction
• Defines and maintains formal category “business plan”, including appropriate supplier management strategy; ensures that business plan objectives are met
• Prioritizes category opportunities and establishes multi-year plan
• Communicates to stakeholders regarding new agreements, appropriate usage, and performance measurements
• Acts as point of contact and knowledge for strategic issues related to the category
• Conducts or supports team in developing spend profile, supplier portfolio, supply market analysis in support of strategic sourcing initiatives
• Supports supplier negotiation framework including negotiation preparation information and tools, presentation materials and analysis, and participates in the negotiations process with suppliers
• Supports best-value source selection analysis in the procurement process
• Optimize supplier relationships through proactive management to assist in maximizing compliance, cost savings tracking, and on-going strategic communications between client and its preferred suppliers
• Create and provide comprehensive spend and compliance reporting by tracking category expenditures by company and location; by monitoring the end-user compliance for each supplier agreement, and by analyzing changes in usage and identifying areas within operations to increase compliance
• Continuously monitor a number of key metrics to ensure suppliers are performing at the highest level.  Supplier performance measurements include coordinating and collaborating with the internal stakeholders and suppliers to development operational requirements in helping to better understand total cost of ownership, calculating spend vs. plan (compliance); and quantifying realized savings vs. plan, etc
• Develop agreed upon performance measurements between client and its preferred suppliers to generate supplier scorecards for rating supplier performance, and as necessary to develop action plans to address scorecard findings.
• Will assume leadership role for their category(s) in managing the balance between ensuring internal contract expectations are met and communicating those expectations to client preferred supplier base.
• Builds and maintains business relationships with internal stakeholders in the home office, area, and sites
• Constantly monitors supply market and identifies opportunities resulting from new product offerings and/or market shifts
• Works closely with client’s preferred suppliers to coordinate and supervise continuity of materials and services
• Identifies and drive joint process improvements, and takes lead role on resolving issues with suppliers
• Encourages feedback, resolves emergent supplier issues and serves as resource to resolve business unit issues and problems
• Leverages senior supplier sponsor as required for supplier interactions

Essential Qualifications and/or Requirements

• 3+ years of related Oil and Gas knowledge in either operations, drilling, engineering, or construction type services
• Experience in working with engineers and/or highly complex or technical categories
• Understanding of supply markets, categories, channel alignment, and service providers
• Strong supplier relationship experience
• Advanced worksheet, Microsoft office application computer skills
• Experience in pricing models, and establishing pricing methodologies
• Project management experience
• BA/BS degree required
• Leads through empowerment and instills sense of responsibility and self discipline
• Develops solutions to complex problems that require the regular use of ingenuity and innovation, ensures solutions are consistent with organization objectives
• Drives development of optimal strategies for a complex, cross functional category
• Strong communications skills with the ability to communicate effectively at any level
• Ability to drive aggressive project plans and implementation schedules
• Able to identify and respond to obstacles and/or challenges
• Ability to develop peer relationships with key stakeholders

Desired Qualifications

• MBA or engineering background highly preferred

About the Author:

The Teldar Group is an Executive Search and Recruiting Firm specializing in placing professionals in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Purchasing, Logistics and Supply Chain positions.

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