Manager, Procurement & Vendor Management
Permanent Full-Time, $53,700 - $80,000, benefits, pension, bonus
Do you believe procurement should be more than processing transactions? Are you passionate about driving value for money, strengthening governance, and building strategic supplier partnerships?
Science North is seeking a Manager, Procurement & Vendor Management to lead our enterprise-wide procurement function within a decentralized purchasing model. This is a strategic role responsible for advancing a transparent, compliant, and value-driven procurement framework that supports financial sustainability, operational excellence, and responsible stewardship of public resources.
Science North is one of Canada’s largest science centres and an agency of the Government of Ontario. Procurement plays a critical role in ensuring we deliver impact while operating within our financial allocation and complying with public sector directives.
Reporting to the Director of Finance, the Manager, Procurement & Vendor Management provides enterprise-wide functional leadership and oversight across the organization.
It exercises organization-wide influence and accountability for procurement governance, vendor performance, compliance, and continuous improvement. The Manager acts as the central subject matter expert and steward of procurement policy, ensuring consistent interpretation, application, and enhancement across the organization.
Procurement at Science North is viewed as a strategic enabler of:
- Financial sustainability
- Risk management and internal controls
- Value for money
- Supply chain resilience
- Operational efficiency and innovation
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Procurement Leadership
- Promote procurement from Ontario and Canadian businesses whenever feasible to support domestic supply chains and economic resilience
- Lead strategic sourcing initiatives for high-value, complex, or high-risk procurements
- Identify opportunities for cost optimization, supplier consolidation, and preferred vendor arrangements
- Integrate digital tools and technology to enhance procurement efficiency and reporting
Governance, Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with the Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive and other applicable government directives
- Maintain and continuously improve procurement policies, procedures, and tools
- Strengthen internal controls, documentation standards, and audit readiness
- Support proactive fraud risk mitigation and contract risk management practices
- Provide oversight to ensure fair, open, and transparent competitive procurement processes
Decentralized Procurement Oversight
- Provide training, advisory support, and guidance to staff across all divisions
- Ensure consistent policy application within a decentralized purchasing model
- Act as enterprise steward of procurement standards and practices
- Foster a collaborative approach that balances compliance, service excellence, and operational agility
- Lead and manage large and/or complex procurements (RFPs, RFQs, tenders)
Vendor & Contract Management
- Develop and oversee a structured vendor performance management framework including KPI tracking and evaluation tools
- Establish and manage preferred supplier programs where appropriate
- Monitor supplier performance, contract compliance, and renewal strategies
- Assess supplier concentration risk and support supply chain resilience planning
Reporting & Analytics
- Develop procurement dashboards and spend analytics
- Analyze spending patterns to identify strategic sourcing opportunities and cost avoidance
- Provide quarterly and annual procurement reporting to senior leadership
- Support Board and Ministry reporting requirements through performance metrics and data insights
Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Apply lean methodologies to reduce unnecessary administrative burden while maintaining compliance
- Identify opportunities to enhance efficiency and improve user experience in procurement processes
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry best practices and emerging procurement innovations
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
- 5-10+ years of experience and transferable skills relevant to leading an enterprise procurement function
- Demonstrated strength in an area such as; contract management, financial analysis, vendor negotiations, policy development, risk management, governance, compliance, or operational leadership
- Direct procurement experience, particularly within the Ontario public or broader public sector (BPS), is considered a strong asset,
- Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply policy frameworks and regulatory requirements, including public sector directives
- Possess a foundational understanding of contract principles
Keys to Success
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Strong relationship-building capability
- Demonstrated use of sound judgement and strict confidentiality
- Proven strengths in problem solving, organization, strategic thinking, and negotiation
Compensation Highlights:
- Competitive salary package range ($53,700 to $80,000)
- Annual performance and merit increase consideration
- Participation in the Science North Employee Incentive Plan
- Flexible work arrangements
- Comprehensive group benefit package including medical, dental, vision, paramedical, life/travel insurance, short and long-term disability coverage, 24/7 telemedicine access, wellness spending account/ onsite physio/chiro services
- Pension plan following one year
- Science North annual family membership
- Onsite gym
- Free or discounted admission to other attractions outside Sudbury, Science North facilities and program discounts
- Professional development opportunities
- Minimum 4 weeks vacation with incremental entitlements of one week after 5 and 10 yrs of service
- Free onsite parking
This opportunity is not suitable for remote or hybrid work.
The successful candidate must be able and available to report to 100 Ramsey Lake Rd.
Don’t meet every single requirement? At Science North, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Apply online at http://sciencenorth.ca/careers. An early application represents your best opportunity for consideration. Science North is committed to an inclusive workplace and invites applications from all qualified individuals to join our diverse team. Accommodations are available upon request in all aspects of Science North’s selection process. We thank all interested candidates; only those selected for interviews will be contacted.
Science North is grateful to work with First Nations across Northern Ontario and we give thanks to the Indigenous Peoples who have cared for this land since time immemorial. We pay respect to their traditions, ways of knowing, and acknowledge their many contributions to innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, past and present. We also recognize the Métis Nation of Ontario for their historic and ongoing contributions. Science North commits to deepening engagement, relationships and partnerships in order to advance truth and reconciliation, honour and reflect Indigenous ways of knowing, grow economic opportunities, and collaborate with Indigenous peoples as partners in order to inspire all people to be engaged with science in the world around them.
Science North is a registered charity
Science North is an agency of the Government of Ontario
