Category Specialist

About the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)

We’re here to help. When an injury or illness happens on the job, we move quickly to provide wage-loss benefits, medical coverage and support to help people get back to work. Funded by businesses, we also provide no-fault collective liability insurance and access to industry-specific health and safety information. We are one of the largest insurance organizations in North America covering over five million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario. For more information, visit wsib.ca.

At the WSIB, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• explore many career paths and follow your passion
• continuously learn and grow professionally
• be recognized for the great work you do
• participate in programs that support your health and wellbeing

You’ll also receive a competitive salary, along with a comprehensive benefit package and defined benefit pension plan. 

We are establishing our new head office in London and looking to grow our team! Candidates located in this region will be given preference.

Our people have different ways of working and lifestyles. We’re committed to a mix of working in the office, in the field and from home. You have some flexibility in terms of where and how work gets done to help you balance your personal life and career goals.

This job may require travel to London and Toronto, or in other locations across Ontario for in office days, training, or events.  In office days are typically held monthly.  Travel reimbursement will be provided in accordance with WSIB policies. 

Salary Grade:  N07        From:  $87,999.00 

Job Summary :

Develop and implement IT category sourcing strategies through the execution of standardized strategic sourcing processes ensuring seamless transition into the role and making meaningful contributions. Manage suppliers and contracts related to the IT category, identify  opportunities, evaluate potential sources, negotiate contracts and continually manage supplier relationships to achieve corporate goals.

Major Responsibilities:

Lead and manage the strategic sourcing activities for IT and other assigned category(s) by:

• Researching, assessing, and generating options in order to provide recommendations for course of action that will result in best value to the organization
• Managing the planning, development, implementation and delivery of complex and strategic procurement services
• Participating in RFxs and reviewing responses in concert with Sourcing Process Facilitators; analyzing the RFx responses and drive to the supplier selection decision; using agreed standard framework for RFx documents evaluation and for short listed suppliers, and tailoring as appropriate in association with the legal services team
• Making decisions and taking action contributing towards increased or de-creased cost, continuous supply of required goods/service, research and maintenance of long-term ethical supplier relations.
• Developing strategic sourcing projects for new clients before/until they fully transition to ongoing Supplier Management.
• Developing project/action plans, including resource allocation, time frames and deadlines based on scope of project; develop work plans to allocate work to project team members; set, monitor and adjust objectives and time frames and adjusting schedules to accommodate changes and to balance various demands
• Building negotiation plans, leading supplier negotiations and executing supplier agreement processes, managing negotiations or auction processes as appropriate; ensuring broad and active competitive processes appropriate to category strategy; preparing for fact based negotiations, planning least and most desired outcomes, arguments and responses.

Manage supplier relationships for IT and other assigned category(s) by:

• Creating, implementing and maintaining supplier segmentation and governance models while adhering to the supplier relationship framework.
• Managing supplier relationship and performance management for assigned categories and agreements to ensure that service levels and price competitiveness are maintained or enhanced.
• Resolving contractual and/or performance issues associated with the supplier agreements for which they are responsible
• Ensuring that market intelligence, benchmarking activities, and the supplier performance measurement process all deliver value-adding information.
• Maintaining a supplier profile list of critical and potentially critical suppliers to WSIB based on an annual standardized risk rating methodology including factors such as operational, financial, reputational, legal, privacy/confidentiality risks, the impacts and contingency plans for the assigned categories

Manage the contract process for IT and other assigned category(s) by:

• Managing the contract process used in assigned categories through standard contract templates and/or term sheet with preferred and minimum terms and conditions.
• Liasing with legal services to complete client agreements and any national/local affiliate contracts or exceptions.
• Developing service level agreements (SLA) with key suppliers including non-performance penalties and other performance based incentives.
• Reducing variability in demand by negotiation, consolidation of requirements across lines of business for similar materials and services, to maximize value for money over lifetime cost of products or services
• Ensuring that agreements are developed and managed in alignment with WSIB frameworks and goals as well as following required procurement processes

Provide line of business sourcing support by:

• Documenting spend, usage and recording the range of products and/or services for different subcategories and documenting the category procedure to provide clarity to all demand owners.
• Leading, managing, coordinating and carrying out a wide range of projects and assignments individually or as a project team member working under project leader(s), including independent review and analysis of special initiatives, understanding and management of sensitive and high profile issues.
• Understanding business drivers for WSIB alignment of project work across all client groups and regional offices in scope to plan category review timing, drawing up timelines and project plans
• Undertaking business analysis capturing demand and capturing differing requirements for each client, category and producing opportunity assessments
• Leading or assisting the client as appropriate, in the operational transition/implementation of new suppliers/agreements and/or programs which may include defining, implementing and managing the communications and transactional purchase and delivery processes and controls
• Conducting independent review and analysis of special initiatives as appropriate for management regarding sensitive and high profile issues/cases which may result in outsourcing or alteration of work of employees.

Contribute to Procurement Services branch’s market and procurement intelligence by:

• Researching the supply market to identify and understand the potential supply base using supplier cost drivers analysis and trends in the industries; analyzing the different options by ease and benefit and provide full market analysis and differences in all covered demand points within the line of business client(s).
• Remaining current in relevant industry trends, market conditions, and informed about key market leaders.
• Researching suppliers, building selection criteria & performing supplier analysis; identifying, ranking and weighting supplier selection criteria, and accounting for regulatory and legal issues in the supply area.
• Remaining aware of new market & economic offers for specialized services in all respects affecting the WSIB, providing alternatives for service delivery opportunities from current and previous market experience and receive these offers on an ongoing basis as part of supplier responses.
• Investigating potential opportunities and compare and assess them with existing methods and/or approaches for purposes of making recommendations to management as to an appropriate courses of action.

Contribute to and drives continuous improvement within Procurement services branch by:

• Participating in the introduction and promotion of innovative procurement initiatives and solutions that will deliver significant cost reduction and/or service improvement opportunities.
• Investigating, assessing and recommending strategic options to management of the organization on sourcing methods, service delivery and savings opportunities
• Categorizing critical cost models and include activity based and supply chain mapping.
• Maintaining quality and service standards in Sourcing and Category Management to support existing customer relationships and to deliver continuous improvement.
• Monitoring performance for continuous improvement in the processes used to transact order, deliver, and pay for category concerned.

Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned or required

Job Requirements:

1. Education requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business/commerce or Bachelor’s degree with supporting courses in business/commerce

2. Experience:

• 2-4 years in IT strategic sourcing and supplier management role
• Knowledge of strategic sourcing and advanced procurement and purchasing concepts

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We respect and value the diversity of our people. We strive to create an environment where employees can be themselves and where our differences are celebrated.

The WSIB is committed to being accessible and inclusive, and following barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know when we contact you and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Disclosing conflicts of interest

As public servants, employees at the WSIB have a responsibility to act in an ethical way at all times to create a respectful workplace and maintain public trust. Job applicants are required to disclose any circumstance that could result in a real, potential or perceived conflict of interest. A conflict of interest is any situation where your private interests may impair or be perceived to impair the decisions you make in your official capacity. This may include: political activity, directorship, other outside employment and certain personal relationships (e.g. with current WSIB employees, customers and/or stakeholders). If you have any questions about conflict of interest obligations and/or how to make a disclosure, please contact the Talent Acquisition Centre at talentacquisitioncentre@wsib.on.ca.

Privacy information

We collect personal information from your resume, application, cover letter and references under the authority of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. The Talent Acquisition Centre and WSIB hiring parties will used this information to assess/validate your qualifications, determine if you meet the requirements of vacant positions and/or gather information relevant for recruitment purposes. If you have questions or concerns regarding the collection and use of your personal information, please contact the WSIB’s Privacy Office at privacy_office@wsib.on.ca. The Privacy Office cannot provide information about the status of your application.

As a precondition of employment, the WSIB requires that prospective candidates undergo a criminal records name check any time before or after they are hired.

To apply for this position, please submit your application by the closing date.