Overview
We are seeking a highly skilled and proactive Senior Buyer to join our client's team based in Brantford, ON. This is a completely onsite position.
This is an opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to support site procurement operations while continuing to strengthen a solid procurement foundation for sustainable long-term performance.
This role combines operational procurement execution with a more strategic sourcing mindset, requiring the ability to manage day-to-day site needs while also structuring sourcing activities, driving value beyond price, improving supplier performance, ensuring compliance, and strengthening procurement’s role as a trusted business partner.
Responsibilities:
- Manage end-to-end sourcing and purchasing activities for site-related CAPEX, MRO, technical services, spare parts, facility-related services, utilities, laboratory consumables/services/equipment, and other indirect operational needs not managed at Group level, ensuring compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies for local/site indirect spend categories to ensure the most efficient procurement of goods and services at the best total cost of ownership, while safeguarding service, quality, operational continuity, and compliance.
- Lead supplier identification, qualification, and negotiation processes to secure capable vendors and competitive commercial agreements.
- Collaborate closely with engineering, maintenance, operations, quality, finance, and other key site stakeholders to align procurement plans with business priorities, technical requirements, and plant operational needs.
- Apply the appropriate purchasing approach depending on the situation, including strategic sourcing, tactical sourcing, spot buys, contract-based procurement, and structured negotiation.
- Challenge, clarify, and help improve internal specifications and requirements to enable efficient sourcing, reduce rework, and shorten lead times.
- Build and maintain a prioritized action pipeline for the site, supported by spend analysis and stakeholder alignment, and translate this into concrete initiatives for cost optimization, supplier performance improvement, operational reliability, and risk mitigation.
- Manage supplier relationships in a disciplined and proactive manner, including contract negotiation, supplier performance follow-up, and supplier risk mitigation, ensuring that vendors deliver the expected performance in service, quality, and total cost of ownership. Support or lead issue resolution between suppliers and internal stakeholders.
- Ensure full compliance with Group purchasing policies, tendering rules, approval workflows, documentation requirements, contract governance, and audit expectations.
- Act as a link between the local/site procurement activity and the wider Global Purchasing Organization, ensuring local execution is aligned with global agreements, governance, and broader procurement standards.
- Maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready procurement documentation, supplier records, and contract files, and provide regular and ad hoc reporting as needed.
- Support the maturation of procurement processes and ways of working at site level, helping position procurement as a proactive business partner rather than only a transactional service function.
- Progressively build knowledge of the broader Indirect Spend Chocolate operational procurement scope, including recycling, waste and production residues.
Scope:
Scope includes local and site-level indirect spend categories not managed at Group level, including:
- CAPEX and MRO.
- Technical services, spare parts, and engineering-related purchases.
- Facility management.
- Laboratory consumables, services, and equipment.
- Selected G&A and operational service spend categories.
- Other local indirect spend needs required to support stable and efficient plant operations.
The broader Indirect Spend operational procurement perimeter also includes recycling, scrap, waste, and production residues management. This area would not be expected to be independently managed from day one, but the successful candidate should demonstrate the capability and interest to progressively build knowledge of this scope over time.
EDUCATION, LANGUAGE, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree required; Engineering, Supply Chain, Procurement, or a technical field is strongly preferred.
- Strong command of Microsoft Office tools.
- Knowledge of SAP, Coupa and/or IBM Maximo is a strong advantage.
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE / TECHNICAL OR FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES
- Minimum of 8 years of procurement experience in an international company (preferably in food/pharmaceutical/chemical industries), within the manufacturing sector.
- Proven expertise in sourcing, contract negotiation, supplier management, and site / operational procurement.
- Proven success in managing indirect spend categories in a plant or industrial environment, especially CAPEX, MRO, technical services, and operational service categories.
- Strong capability in stakeholder management, including the ability to work cross-functionally, push back constructively, align priorities, and influence decisions without formal authority.
- High level of autonomy, ownership, adaptability, and resilience in fast-paced and changing environments.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound, timely, and risk-aware decisions.
- Strong understanding of procurement compliance, internal controls, approvals, tendering discipline, and documentation standards.
- Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, ensuring procurement activities align with procurement objectives and stakeholder needs.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
- Proficiency in ERP systems and procurement tools.
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Pay: $50.00-$70.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
