Senior Advisor, Information and Operational Technology, Procurement and Supply Management

Job Summary

The Senior Advisor, Information and Operational Technology, Procurement and Supply Management (P&SM) is responsible for advising and supporting the P&SM Information and Operational Technology (I&T / OT) team in strategic category procurement decisions, technology-related project procurement and contract requirements.

As such, the position is actively engaging Information and Technology (I&T) business management, internal customers and stakeholders to get a thorough understanding of requirements as well as applying market knowledge in order to advise and support the team with procurement process.

Furthermore, the role provides technical procurement expertise on policies, procedures, systems and standards to support the team to undertake procurement planning, development, sourcing and management to make strategic decisions and effectively meet CN’s and P&SM’s objectives.

Main Responsibilities

Strategic Decisions

• Act as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for I&T / OT procurement by having in-depth knowledge of P&SM procedures and CN’s I&T function
• Advise and support the team by applying knowledge and expertise to procurement and commercial elements of category procurement activity
• Advise business management, internal customers and stakeholders in the application of best practices and in line with the Procurement Policy
• Support onboarding of new team members by job shadowing, delivery of targeted training sessions and coaching

Procurement Initiatives

• Conduct full procurement activity on selected key initiatives in collaboration with the Category Managers, the Category Analysts or the Contract Specialists
• Lead negotiations of complex contracts with a multitude of vendors for CN corporate strategic programs and I&T / OT projects (master services and purchase agreements, license agreements, maintenance & support agreement including Service Level Agreement , and statements of work)
• Ensure contractual protections are put in place to protect CN’s interest and mitigate project risks (including data ownership, derivative data, intellectual property rights and ownership)
• Participate actively in the definition of requirements, vendor analysis, RFX full process, negotiation strategy and playbook, final recommendation and award process
• Contribute to reporting requirements and contract management activities

Procurement and Supply Management, I&T Trends and Market Knowledge

• Provide market intelligence, insight and advice to assist in strategic procurement activity
• Interact with key internal customers and management at different levels to keep current with priorities and business requirements and to identify efficiencies
• Be fully aware of I&T related new topics and challenges (, I&T Security, rapid expansion of cloud environments, and new technologies applied to business and operations)
• Provide coaching and support to the Category Managers, the Category Analysts or the Contract Specialists in performing their procurement activities.

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions in an office environment with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday. The role requires occasional travel (20 to 40%) within Canada and the United States.

Due to the nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure, and stress.

Requirements

Experience

Business and I&T

Minimum 15 years of procurement and / or relevant I&T experience

oExperience in category management and contract management

oExperience in drafting and negotiating technology contracts for major projects (from initial implementation to maintenance), including hardware, software licensing and professional services

oExperience or background in Information Technology or Operational Technology

Education / Certification / Designation

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Science, Finance or Law

Competencies

• Demonstrates agility and drives change
• Knows the business and stays current on industry needs
• Applies critical thinking
• Collaborates with others and shares information
• Seeks and values all perspectives
• Sets direction and inspires others
• Communicates with impact
• Demonstrates active listening
• Solves problems to create value

Technical Skills / Knowledge

• Knowledge of I&T / OT procurement
• Good understanding of technology landscape and suppliers
• Negotiation skills
• Communicate effectively at various level
• Ability to coach and mentor peers and business stakeholders on key concepts
14 days ago