Senior Project Buyer

Thales • Ottawa, ON

7d • CA$60,000 - CA$100,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible. For decades, Ottawa has been a global technology leader. Today, Canada’s capital holds one of the brightest and most diverse technological ecosystems in North America. The Thales Ottawa office has been a major supplier and long-term trusted partner to DND, enabling the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard to achieve mission success. Thales has a vacancy for a Senior Project Buyer to support the AJISS Engineering Changes Team across the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship In-Service Support (AJISS) program. As a Senior Project Buyer, you will translate engineering change requirements into purchasable, executable work packages—ensuring Purchase Orders (POs) are issued on time, supplier commitments are aligned to delivery and milestone expectations, and risks/issues are identified early and resolved decisively. You will also increase organizational knowledge by mentoring, improving practices, and strengthening end-to-end purchasing/supply execution. You will act as an experienced and independent owner for purchasing execution and supply readiness that enables engineering change delivery and act as the interface between the AJISS engineering team, procurement, and suppliers, ensuring projects meet their targets, risks are managed, and communication remains transparent.

Requirements

• 8+ years’ relevant experience in procurement, supply chain, commercial or contract management, with clear exposure to post award supplier management.
• Experience in procurement or supply chain within the defense or high-compliance industry, ideally supporting in-service support or engineering change programs.
• Strong project management and milestone tracking skills using relevant tools (e.g., SAP, MS Project).
• Excellent supplier engagement and relationship management abilities.
• Proactive risk identification and mitigation skills; able to challenge delays constructively.
• Effective communicator in cross-functional, high-stakes environments.
• Working knowledge of defense industry regulations, government contracting, and AJISS program requirements is highly desirable.
• a) possess a university degree in any field and possess a minimum of 2 years of demonstrated experience in a procurement and finance related activity within the last 5 years or possess a diploma from a recognized college program in procurement, finance, economics, commerce, accounting or materiel management and possess a minimum of 3 years of demonstrated experience in a procurement and finance related activity within the last 6 years
• All applicants must be able to obtain a Canadian NATO Secret clearance and meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the Canadian Controlled Goods Registration Program and ITAR.

Nice To Haves

• Professional qualifications or training in one or more of the following: Procurement / supply chain (e.g. CIPS or equivalent) Project management (e.g. PRINCE2, APM or equivalent) Commercial / contract management Degree (or equivalent experience) in business, commercial, engineering or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end AJISS engineering-change procurement/supply execution: manage sourcing, PO creation/issuance, supplier documentation, and ensure technical/contractual alignment (scope, quantities, specs, terms, lead times, quality/compliance, delivery).
• Drive schedule and milestone performance: track work package progress, proactively identify risks (lead time slippage, capacity, technical clarifications, documentation readiness), and lead recovery actions/escalations to protect AJISS deliverables.
• Manage defense-approved/program-relevant suppliers: build and maintain relationships, support readiness and delivery planning, and ensure suppliers meet commitments for delivery dates, quality, and required documentation.
• Serve as cross-functional purchasing interface: partner with engineering, program/project management, category management, quality, operations, finance, legal, and bid/capture; provide transparent status, forecasts, and risk reporting with timely escalation.
• Run post-award supplier execution & performance management (where applicable): monitor delivery performance, execute supplier recovery/containment support, conduct performance reviews, and ensure corrective actions are initiated, tracked, and verified.
• Support change governance and continuous improvement: represent procurement interests in change review boards and cross-functional meetings; continuously improve purchasing/supply execution workflows to reduce cycle time, rework, and schedule variance (including lessons learned and templates).
• Ensure compliance and audit-ready evidence: maintain complete, accurate, and audit-ready records of orders, compliance artifacts, correspondence, and acceptance evidence; ensure all interactions meet contractual, ethical, and regulatory requirements.
• Escalate and lead resolution of systemic issues: identify root causes of purchasing/supply bottlenecks and propose practical mitigations (alternative suppliers, revised delivery sequencing, PO scope/terms updates, revised recovery plans).
• Be a go-to resource and (where needed) mentor others: support the team proactively, reduce friction between functions, and share process knowledge/best practices.

Benefits

• Company paid Extended Health, Dental, HSA, Life, AD&D, Short-term Disability, Cancer Care Program, travel insurance, Employee Assistance Plan and Well-Being program.
• Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP, DCPP, TFSA) with a company contribution and a match to a DCPP, with no vesting period.
• Company paid holidays, vacation days, and paid sick leave.
• Voluntary Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Long-Term Disability.
• Employee Discounts on home, auto, and gym membership.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree