Senior Procurement Specialist, IT

Canadian National Railway Company•Montreal, QC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Procurement Specialist, Information Technology is responsible for the development and implementation of the procurement strategy for large complex corporate programs and complex multi-category Information and Technology (I&T) and Operational Technology (OT) projects. The role effectively handles the entire sourcing and contractual lifecycle from strategizing to drafting. Furthermore, the role prepares, reviews and negotiates various technologies commercial and contractual agreements in line with the CN Procurement Policy and standard terms and conditions. The Senior Procurement Specialist will also monitor the delivery of key contracts, capture of financial savings through negotiation of contract terms, conditions and monitoring of supplier performance.

Requirements

Minimum 4-5 years relevant work experience
Experience in planning, sourcing, negotiating, contracting, and supplier management
Experience in drafting and negotiating technology contracts for major projects including hardware, software licensing and professional services
Experience or background in I&T or OT
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, Law, a related field, or equivalent work experience
Demonstrates agility and drives change
Knows the business and stays current on industry needs
Collaborates with others and shares information
Sets direction and inspires others
Communicates with impact
Demonstrates active listening
Identifies needs and finds solutions to create value for all stakeholders
Identifies potential safety and security risks
Applies critical thinking
Proficient in Microsoft Office
Strong understanding of legal frameworks and concepts
Fluently bilingual, both written and verbal (English, French)

Nice To Haves

Any experience for these above would be considered as an asset
Any knowledge for any of the above would be considered as an asset
Exposure to I&T, software development and open-source industry

Responsibilities

Lead negotiations of complex contracts with a multitude of vendors for CN corporate strategic programs and operational technology projects
Drive all activities leading to contract execution including drafting and redlining contracts as well as liaise with the suppliers, internal stakeholders and CN Legal
Negotiate specific elements such as data ownership, derivative data, and intellectual property rights and ownership
Negotiate Master Terms and Conditions with new suppliers (commercial and legal clauses)
Negotiate cloud-based solution agreements and Software as a Service agreements
Negotiate risk-sharing and benefit-sharing types of commercial frameworks
Ensure contractual protections are put in place to protect CN’s interests and mitigate project risks
Identify and negotiate commercial cost reduction opportunities based on a solid understanding of cost drivers and contracts
Act as a single point of contact with the business units for gathering, understanding, and translating business requirements into contracts
Ensure clear and frequent communication between peers and other departments ensuring updates on status and action plans to achieve requirements within project timing and constraints
Propose and execute procurement strategy and sourcing efforts to secure the most optimal solution that supports the business while minimizing total cost of ownership
Develop strong collaborative relationships with key stakeholders across the company to strategically handle spend and the supply base for the assigned categories
Act as a procurement Subject Matter Expert (SME) in consulting with the business on procurement strategies, processes, policies, and best practices
Resolve and handle risks to supply proactively and take preventative actions to mitigate risks
Perform market analysis and provide business appropriate recommendations for category spend based on this analysis
Ensure compliance with CN Procurement Policy and Delegation of Authority
Complete sourcing processes comprised of initial exploratory sessions and discovery sessions for defining complex technology requirements
Handle the contract management lifecycle process and day-to-day contract administration
Use tools effectively in processes and methodologies linked to contract management
Act as the SME for any contract-related matters pertaining to the assigned vendors
Identify and report key performance metrics to measure success and drive continuous improvement of suppliers
Lead complex governance frameworks with our internal stakeholders and suppliers on critical, large-scale, and complex technology projects