Description
Procurement Services within Supply Chain Management is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Category Lead, Strategic Procurement (Construction).
The University of Calgary (the University) is a comprehensive research university, ranked one of Canada's top five research universities, combining the best of long-established university traditions with the City of Calgary's vibrant energy and diversity. The Category Lead plays a central role in advancing the University's procurement strategy and service delivery across assigned categories. This position provides leadership in complex sourcing initiatives, contract development, and category planning in support of academic, research, and operational priorities.
Reporting to senior leadership within Supply Chain Management, the Construction Category Lead is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that support construction, facilities maintenance, and infrastructure-related procurement across the institution. The role provides subject matter expertise in construction markets and delivery models, using market intelligence, spend analysis, and stakeholder engagement to drive compliant, value-driven outcomes. Experience with Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC) contract frameworks is considered an asset.
The role leads a team of Procurement Specialists aligned to construction and maintenance categories, setting direction, priorities, and providing coaching to ensure consistent, high-quality sourcing execution. It is accountable for building team capability in construction procurement practices, including contract strategy, risk allocation, and contractor engagement.
The Construction Category Lead oversees competitive sourcing processes, contractor negotiations, and contract establishment, including the application of standard construction contract frameworks (e.g., CCDC) where appropriate. Working closely with Facilities teams, project stakeholders, legal, and finance, the role ensures procurement approaches align with project delivery requirements and supports a strategic, market-informed construction supply chain function.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
Strategic Sourcing & Category Execution:
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Lead and execute category-level sourcing initiatives, including RFx processes, evaluations, and contract awards.
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Apply market intelligence, spend insights, and stakeholder input to support informed sourcing decisions.
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Conduct supplier evaluations, negotiations, and selection to achieve value, service, and risk objectives.
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Manage supplier relationships and monitor performance within assigned categories, addressing issues and identifying improvement opportunities.
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Ensure procurement activities comply with institutional policies, delegated authority, and applicable public sector requirements.
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Develop, monitor, and report on Supply Chain Management performance metrics and KPIs, providing actionable insights to support operational effectiveness and leadership decision making.
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Contribute to continuous improvement of sourcing practices, tools, and templates to enhance consistency and effectiveness.
Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement & Coaching:
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Provide day-to-day guidance, coordination, and functional oversight for a team of Procurement Specialists.
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Coach and support team members in sourcing practices, stakeholder management, and supplier engagement.
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Build strong relationships with academic, research, and administrative stakeholders to understand needs and support effective procurement outcomes.
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Promote consistent, service-oriented ways of working across the team, reinforcing accountability and quality.
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Support knowledge sharing, onboarding, and development of procurement capability within the team.
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Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team environment.
Construction Contracting & Project Delivery Support:
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Support the development and execution of procurement strategies aligned with construction project delivery methods (e.g., design-bid-build, design-build, construction management).
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Provide guidance on contract strategy, risk allocation, and the application of standard construction contract frameworks (e.g., CCDC).
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Collaborate with Facilities teams and project stakeholders to align procurement approaches with project scope, schedule, and budget requirements.
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Lead or support contractor prequalification, tendering, and evaluation processes for construction and maintenance work.
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Identify and mitigate commercial and contractual risks across construction projects, including change management and claims considerations.
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Contribute to continuous improvement of construction procurement practices, templates, and governance to support consistency and audit defensibility.
Qualifications / Requirements:
Education:
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University degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Commerce, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline is required.
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A professional designation (e.g., SCMP, PMP) and/or an MBA or other relevant postgraduate education in business, construction law, or supply chain management is considered an asset. An equivalent combination of education and directly related procurement or sourcing experience may be considered.
Experience:
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Minimum seven (7) years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management within a large, complex organization is required.
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Demonstrated experience leading or supporting competitive sourcing initiatives and supplier negotiations, delivering value through cost optimization, risk management, and service improvement is required.
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Experience leading or mentoring team members, or providing functional oversight to procurement staff, is required.
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Experience developing, monitoring, and reporting on performance metrics, KPIs, and dashboards to support operational and leadership decision making is required.
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Experience working with ERP, eProcurement, contract management, or related enterprise systems is required.
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Experience applying spend analysis, market intelligence, or demand insights to inform sourcing decisions is considered an asset;
Demonstrated experience supporting compliant procurement practices within a regulated or public sector environment is considered an asset. -
Experience managing supplier relationships and performance within assigned categories is required.
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Experience working in a diverse and inclusive environment is required.
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Proven ability to engage and collaborate with stakeholders across all levels of an organization is required.
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Experience within a public sector or broader public sector environment (e.g., post-secondary, healthcare, government) is considered an asset.
Skills:
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Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to interpret data and inform sourcing and contracting decisions
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Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to align diverse project stakeholders and clearly convey procurement and contracting approaches.
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Sound negotiation and contractor management capabilities, including experience supporting construction-related sourcing and risk allocation.
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Practical understanding of construction and facilities maintenance categories, with familiarity with industry contract frameworks (e.g., CCDC) considered an asset; systems literacy, including experience using ERP and eProcurement tools.
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Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint/Teams).
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Experience with data analysis or reporting tools is considered an asset; ability to operate effectively in a collaborative, service-oriented, and fast-paced, project-driven environment.
Application Deadline: June 26, 2026
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
This position is classified in the Management Career Band, Level M2 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.
For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([email protected]).
Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.
We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.
