Category Lead - Rogers, Toronto

About this opportunity

Rogers is committed to connecting Canadians through unique partnerships, a world-class network, and engaging content. Our innovative corporate team is growing, and we are looking for dedicated team members to join our business units, including Supply Chain, Communications, HR, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Finance, and Real Estate. If you are considering your next career step, come build a rewarding path at Rogers and be a driving force behind our success story.

Reporting to the Senior Category Manager Customer Experience, Procurement, the Category Lead works closely with business partners and fellow colleagues to support the strategic direction of the overall team objectives. Your tasks will support the establishment of commercial arrangements, lead competitive sourcing events, analyze critical data, and execute contractual documents aligned with our strategic business objectives.

What you'll do

• Responsible for building, maintaining, and enhancing solid relationships with key internal stakeholders across the organization to ensure suppliers within the category and the category strategy are meeting business needs.
• Execute competitive sourcing events and evaluate supplier performance based on quality, cost, delivery, and innovation.
• Negotiate contracts and agreements with suppliers to ensure favorable terms for the organization.
• Develop and implement supplier development programs for continuous improvement.
• Provide support to the team by gathering and analyzing necessary category details including category spend and existing contractual arrangements.
• Support the creation of pivotal category strategies and advance key supplier partnerships aligned with such strategies with a focus on strategic opportunities.
• Provide guidance to business partners on best-in-class procurement practices, ongoing advancements, and opportunities associated with assigned categories, and strategic category insights to support delivery of company objectives.
• Manage assigned supplier issue and dispute escalations to settlement, including negotiations and settlement agreement execution.
• Challenge the status quo by searching for continuous improvement, implementation of innovations, and automations to create best-in-class procurement practices that are intuitive and user-friendly for internal stakeholders and suppliers.
• Implement and champion ethical procurement practices, procurement policies, supplier social responsibility objectives, and supplier diversity and sustainability programs.
• Act as an internal consultant to business owners on sourcing practices, supplier performance, compliance, and risk management policies, processes, and procurement standard practices.

Skills and experience

• 3-5 years of relevant work experience in telco / media / cable or comparative in a procurement setting.
• Knowledge of category's market trends and impacts to cost structures.
• Experience with any one or more of the following services: Contact Centres, Credit Operations, Collections, Sales, Banking or Back Office.
• Strong relationship building and business acumen, with the ability to quickly establish credibility and influence with business stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to present complex topics to executive leaders and influence their thinking and decisions.
• Ability to deal effectively with ambiguity and resolve multi-party conflicts to get to the right answer.
• Ability to be resilient when faced with opposition with a solutionist mentality.
• Works collaboratively with members of their team and stakeholders across the business and seeks input as needed.
• Understands the power dynamic within the spend category and will create his/her own network for success.
• Must be a motivated self-starter and quick study of complicated technical topics.
• Experience leading or supporting high level negotiations.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as excellent attention to accuracy and detail.
• Proven ability to be adaptable in a fast-paced, consistently changing environment.
• Must be able to create comprehensive project plans and execute with discipline.
• Requires proficiency in Microsoft products including PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Project.

Perks and benefits

We believe in investing in our people and helping them reach their potential. As part of our team, you will have access to a wide range of resources, growth opportunities, discounts, and perks:

• Competitive salary and annual bonus.
• Competitive and flexible health and dental benefits, pension plan, RRSP, TFSA, and stock matching programs.
• Discounts including up to 50% off Rogers Services and Blue Jays Tickets, 25% off TSC items, and a 20% discount on all wireless accessories sold in Rogers stores.
• Paid time off for volunteering.
• Company matching contributions to charities you support.
• Growth and development opportunities including the My Path self-driven career development program and Rogers First priority in applying to internal roles.
• Wellness programs including the Homewood employee and family assistance program, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, virtual therapy sessions, and low or no-cost fitness memberships.