Procurement Advisor

Location: Vancouver, BC

Department: Procurement

Employment Type: Full Time / Hybrid / Term (3-year fixed term contract)

Language Designation: English Essential

Posting Close Date: March 9, 2025

About Destination Canada

Tourism is the heartbeat of communities from coast to coast to coast. At Destination Canada, our aspiration for the tourism industry is to generate wealth and wellbeing for all of Canada and enrich the lives of our guests. Our mission is to influence supply and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad. We seek diverse, ingenious thinkers teeming with intellectual curiosity and a deep desire to grow Canada’s tourism industry – strengthening the socio-cultural, environmental and economic vitality tourism brings to Canada.

About the role:

Working under the leadership of the Senior Director, Global Procurement and Environmental Programs, the Procurement Advisor will deliver a broad range of procurement and contracting services throughout all phases of competitive bidding and contract negotiation for clients within the Canadian Tourism Commission, doing business as Destination Canada (DC). Duties will include providing advice and recommendations, developing strategies, advising on scopes of work and evaluation criteria for competitive bids, negotiating agreements, contributing to procurement policies, procedures, preparing reports on the procurement function, training clients, and other projects as assigned.

Key accountabilities

• Delivers and controls a broad range of procurement and contracting activities throughout all phases of a contract/agreement (e.g. solicitation documentation, bid proposals, bid evaluations; contractual documentation, compliance monitoring, conflict resolution, procurement) and associated training services for assigned client groups within DC and its partners.
• Provides advice and recommendations to DC staff and management (i.e. negotiates and administers the supply requirements of assigned contracts and leads complex and major procurement and contract transactions including contractual requirements stemming from partnership agreements between DC and other stakeholders and partners in Canada’s tourism sector including both domestic and international issues).
• Represents DC and negotiates and obtains agreement with suppliers, other government departments, other levels of government, international offices and other stakeholders, partners and clients on the administration of procurement and contractual transactions.
• Contributes to the development of, and provides input or advice on procurement and contracting strategies, policies, procedures and systems governing the delivery of services to the Commission.
• Provides procurement services that are not always standard in nature and that do not strictly rely on applying our processes and procedures in a mindless fashion. They are required to think critically about what it being requested and make sure that the request, the process we use to meet the client’s needs and the contract that results are all aligned with the true purpose of our policies and procedures. In other words, they are required to think creatively at times and spot and close loopholes that might otherwise be taken advantage of.

Other responsibilities include:

• Maintain and enhance vendor relationships, ensuring compliance with our standards for quality, efficiency, and performance.
• Undertake market research to stay ahead of industry trends and maintain a competitive edge.
• Negotiate, draft and manage contracts, ensuring they meet legal, regulatory, and company standards.
• Collaborate closely with internal business units to ensure alignment of procurement strategies with departmental needs.
• Implement and maintain procurement reporting systems, including dashboards and data analysis, primarily utilizing SAP.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes and personal professional development through training and embracing best practices.
• Support the performance management of vendors, ensuring alignment with company objectives and compliance.
• Assist in auditing tasks as needed, ensuring proper records and processes are maintained to meet Office of the Auditor General (OAG) standards.
• Contributes to the development of training materials and tools, and delivers training on procurement and contracting systems, procedures and policies.
• Contributes to the development of reports for key internal and external stakeholders.
• Participates in, and leads project teams, committees and working groups with support from the Senior Director, as required.

What you need

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in procurement or supply chain management, including 2+ years in an advisory or senior role.
• Experience in public procurement, preferably with Federal or Provincial Crown corporations.
• Knowledge of applicable trade agreements, trends and developments in the contracting, supply management and procurement fields in the private and public sectors.
• Knowledge of contracting costing principles, cost benefit analysis, risk analysis, total cost of ownership, etc.
• Knowledge of market research and analysis methods.
• Knowledge of the generally acceptable financial and administrative policies and practices.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement effective procurement strategies.
• Experience with regulatory compliance and risk management in procurement.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills in addition to experience in managing complex contracts.
• Advanced proficiency in SAP, data analytics, and financial reporting.
• Exceptional analytical and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on building relationships with business units.

It would be great if you also had

• Enrolled in or have completed SCMP (Supply Chain Management Professional) designations or equivalent procurement/purchasing training/ education. Please note that DC does NOT recognize individual Provincial supply chain designations.
• Knowledge of the tourism industry Compensation

Salary range: $72,177 - $90,221

Within the range, the base pay offered is determined by multiple factors, including job-related skills and relevant education/experience. Please note starting salaries for new hires typically fall between the minimum and mid-point of the range, to support internal equity and allow room for progression as employees grow and excel in their roles. The range above reflects base pay only and does not include the competitive at-risk pay program and benefits that we offer!

Other components of our total rewards offerings include:

• Extended health and dental benefits
• Minimum 3 weeks of accrued vacation plus other paid time off
• Employee assistance program
• Defined contribution pension plan
• Generous parenthood top-up
• Flexible working options like compressed workweek and hybrid model
• Support towards your professional growth with learning and development opportunities, mentorship and more.

Things you should know:

• This role follows a hybrid work arrangement, where work is performed onsite at least 2-3 days per week. Please note the work arrangement is subject to change.
• This is a three-year term role, with a fixed end date.
• This is a unionized role
• This role may require travel at least 1-2x per year

At Destination Canada, we believe that Canada's diversity is its greatest asset and is what touches travellers' hearts most deeply. To that end, we are committed to inclusive leadership within our workplace, workforce, and interactions with partners and travellers alike. Destination Canada is an equal opportunity employer committed to reflecting Canada's diversity through fair and accessible hiring and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. If you require accommodations at any point in the recruitment process, please reach out to accessibility@destinationcanada.com.

We know that applying for a new job can be both exciting and intimidating, and we sincerely appreciate your interest and effort. Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted.

Privacy Policy Acknowledgement

Personal information collected in relation to your application is collected pursuant to the Canadian Tourism Commission Act and under the Privacy Act. It will be used to evaluate your application and maintain an inventory of candidates for work opportunities and staffing pursuant to Destination Canada’s personal information banks PSU 911 and PSE 902. Information will be retained for a minimum of 2 years.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree to our Privacy Policy.