OVERVIEW
Reporting directly to the CEO, the Vice President, Procurement & Vendor Management is a member of the executive leadership team and is accountable for the enterprise-wide procurement strategy, governance framework, and vendor ecosystem for Circular Materials across Canada. As the executive accountable for the procurement function that underpins CM’s value proposition to producers, the VP sets the strategy for sourcing the services and infrastructure that deliver Canada’s packaging and paper EPR programs across NS, NB, ON, AB and YT.
This role represents a strategic shift for Procurement from a primarily administrative support function to an enterprise value-creation function focused on strategic cost savings, disciplined spend management, supplier performance, and long-term financial stewardship. The role is accountable for enterprise procurement across a national vendor ecosystem, including third-party spend management, service provider performance, and contract oversight for the services and infrastructure that support CM’s EPR programs.
This is a full-time, salary paid position, which requires residency in Canada.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Enterprise Procurement Strategy & Executive Leadership
• Develop and execute a multi-year, enterprise procurement and vendor management strategy aligned with organizational strategy, regulatory obligations, and sustainability commitments.
• Provide executive oversight of a national procurement and vendor management portfolio consisting of 2,500+ contracts and 1,000+ service providers, ensuring procurement strategies support operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and service continuity.
• Serve as the executive authority on procurement governance, supply market strategy, and vendor risk across all provinces and territories.
• Provide strategic counsel to the CEO and executive team on market dynamics, supply chain risk, cost forecasting, and long-term sourcing strategy.
• Reposition procurement from an administrative function to a strategic enterprise function, driving supplier value, innovation, operational reliability, and risk mitigation.
• Lead procurement transformation initiatives including systems modernization, analytics, category management maturity, and process optimization.
• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing national procurement organization with clear succession planning and leadership development.
• Provide leadership while operating within complex, multi-party governance environments where key operational, commercial, and procurement decisions incorporate the contributions of multiple independent organizations.
Procurement Governance, Risk & Compliance
• Design and steward a robust, enterprise-wide procurement governance framework ensuring fairness, transparency, audit readiness, and compliance with federal and provincial regulatory requirements.
• Establish risk management protocols addressing contractual, operational, financial, reputational, and ESG exposure.
• Oversee competitive bidding standards, contract templates, delegated authorities, policy adherence, and procurement controls.
• Provide enterprise-wide market intelligence and supply market assessments to support strategic decision making.
• Provide enterprise procurement reporting, strategic insights, and recommendations to the CEO and Board.
• Ensure procurement processes withstand regulatory review and producer/public transparency expectations.
• Ensure procurement practices uphold the highest standards of ethics, accountability, and public trust.
Strategic Sourcing & Category Management
• Oversee the full lifecycle of high-value, complex, and nationally significant sourcing initiatives – including collection services, post-collection processing contracts, transportation & transfer, and IT technology and services.
• Approve category strategies that optimize total cost of ownership and long-term service reliability.
• Lead complex negotiations involving multi-year, multi-jurisdictional contracts.
• Drive supplier innovation and market development strategies aligned with Circular Materials ’ long-term objectives.
• Ensure disciplined contract lifecycle management, performance monitoring, renewal planning, and compliance oversight.
Vendor Ecosystem & Performance Leadership
• Establish a national supplier performance management framework incorporating KPIs, scorecards, ESG metrics, and continuous improvement mechanisms. Key performance measures may include material recovery rates, curbside contamination rates, service reliability, and missed collections.
• Establish and oversee an enterprise vendor management framework, including supplier segmentation, governance, performance management, and strategic relationship management.
• Oversee supplier continuity planning and concentration-risk management to ensure long-term service reliability and operational continuity.
• Cultivate strategic, long-term partnerships with critical suppliers and service providers.
• Lead executive-level issue resolution and escalation management where required.
• Oversee reporting on supplier performance, service outcomes, and value realization.
Financial Stewardship & Enterprise Value Creation
• Partner with Finance and executive leadership to align procurement strategy with financial planning, budgeting, and cost forecasting.
• Implement advanced analytics and competitive benchmarking to inform sourcing decisions.
• Ensure procurement decisions reflect long-term sustainability and sound financial stewardship.
Cross-Functional & National Collaboration
• Partner with Operations, Legal, Finance, Technology, Communications, and provincial program leaders to ensure procurement enables program execution.
• Lead alignment across provincial stewardship requirements and regulatory frameworks.
• Design and execute procurement strategies that balance commercial objectives with regulatory requirements, Indigenous participation commitments, municipal interests, and broader stakeholder expectations within a complex public-facing environment.
• Champion ESG integration across supplier selection, evaluation, and ongoing performance management.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
• Post secondary education/Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field is required.
• A Master of Business Administration (MBA), law degree or engineering degree, is an asset.
• Certified Professional in Supply Management (SCMP), Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (MCIPS/FCIPS), Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), or equivalent senior procurement designation required.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Advanced procurement, finance, analytics, or transformation-related education or certification is considered an asset, particularly where it supports strategic cost management, value realization, and enterprise procurement modernization.
Experience
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in procurement or contract management, including leading enterprise transformation initiatives within highly regulated sectors such as:
• waste management, recycling, or circular economy;
• regulated utilities or infrastructure services;
• public-sector or municipal procurement; or
• EPR / stewardship programs.
• 7+ years' experience building procurement frameworks, processes and teams.
• Demonstrated experience transforming procurement from a transactional or administrative service function into a strategic business partner, accountable for enterprise cost savings, cost avoidance, supplier value creation, and measurable financial outcomes.
• Proven track record establishing procurement performance metrics, savings methodologies, benefits realization processes, and executive-level reporting to demonstrate procurement’s contribution to organizational value.
• Experience working within complex, multi-stakeholder environments involving numerous internal and external partners, including Boards of Directors, is essential.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale procurement organizations with accountability for extensive supplier ecosystems, complex contract portfolios, and geographically dispersed service delivery networks, ideally involving thousands of active contracts and suppliers.
• Strong understanding of contract law, procurement policies and risk management practices.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
Knowledge/Competencies/Skills
• Proven ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization, including executives, Board members, regulators, and technical experts.
• Exceptional negotiation and problem resolution skills, with the ability to build relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, including executive leadership.
• Expertise in competitive procurement within complex, multi-stakeholder or regulatory environments with knowledge of