Senior Officer, Procurement

Did you know that VIA Rail is carrying out ambitious projects to modernize its services and infrastructure? From our new ultramodern train fleet to ongoing improvement of our infrastructure, we’re building the future of transportation in Canada. Working for VIA Rail is being a part of a collective effort in sustainable mobility.

VIA Rail is transforming the future of passenger trains. The organization is moving toward more modern approaches as part of its ongoing effort to improve the customer and employee experience, and this process brings with it myriad projects and challenges. The planned transformations will affect everything from our trains and maintenance facilities to our reservation system, leaving virtually no part of our operations untouched.

All these transformational projects exist alongside our current operations and initiatives for the continuous improvement of our existing fleet. It is in this context that VIA Rail is seeking a Buyer, whose job will be to manage all sourcing and procurement activities for our existing fleet at the Montreal Maintenance Centre and to work in close collaboration with the Inventory, Engineering and Planning groups.

In This Position, You Can Expect To

• Be the subject matter expert for your commodities for operational and project overhaul requirement;
• Manage vendor supply chains (selection, progress, compliance, delivery) in order to guarantee quality levels and ensure operations are well supported;
• Work closely with the Inventory and Engineering groups to address commercial and technical issues.
  
  

Responsibilities

• Preparing requests for qualifications (RFQs) / tenders, evaluating bids and pricing received, negotiating terms and conditions with suppliers in accordance with procurement governance;
• Creating purchase orders, updating existing blanket agreements (price, details, terms and conditions) and supplier lead times in Oracle, addressing invoice discrepancies;
• Defining commodity strategies, identifying opportunities for improvement (cost reductions) and conducting business reviews to monitor supplier performance;
• Managing agreements (purchase orders, contracts) for different commodities by planning tendering and renewal activities for the upcoming year.
  
  

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree (administration, supply chain, logistics or engineering) or equivalent;
• A minimum of 5 – 7 years of experience in procurement in a manufacturing or industrial environment;
• Strong sourcing, negotiation and contract management skills;
• Experience in managing commodities such as electrical components, engines and motors, HVAC systems and build‑to‑print components;
• The ability to work with technical specifications and drawings, as well as experience with alternate sourcing activities;
• Knowledge of railway equipment components and suppliers (an asset);
• Experience with an ERP system (Oracle an asset);
• Professional working proficiency in both English and French.
  
  

Employees Enjoy

• Being involved in the maintenance centre’s core activities;
• Contributing to major projects that improve customer satisfaction;
• Being part of a seasoned team;
• Our generous compensation and benefits package;
• Working in an environment that fosters employee health and well‑being;
• Our options for hybrid remote work.
  
  

At VIA Rail, we are proud to be an employment-equity employer and we strive to form teams that reflect the diversity of Canadian society. We aim to remove barriers to employment accessibility and aspire to provide an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone is valued, regardless of their identity or differences, to enable them to reach their full potential.

If you need assistance in making the recruitment process or the position you are applying for more accessible, please let us know. Alternate arrangements may be offered to individuals who request them at any stage of the recruitment process. All information received in relation to arrangements will be kept confidential.

Note that we will only contact those who are selected for an interview.

Join our 3,000 other employees in helping provide Canadians with a safe, accessible, environmentally sustainable way to travel!