Senior Category Specialist - MRO - J.D. Irving, Saint John

About the Role

J.D. Irving is seeking a Senior Category Specialist - MRO to join their dynamic JDI Supply Chain team in Saint John, New Brunswick. This pivotal role is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive category strategies for Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) materials and services across the organization. The successful candidate will lead strategic sourcing initiatives, manage supplier relationships, conduct contract negotiations, perform spend analysis, and drive continuous improvement activities to deliver sustainable value, mitigate risk, and support operational excellence.

In this capacity, the Senior Category Specialist will collaborate closely with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to identify sourcing opportunities, develop robust category plans, and lead competitive sourcing processes. The role involves negotiating commercial agreements and optimizing supplier performance. Leveraging spend analytics and market intelligence is key to informed decision-making, consolidating spend, standardizing products and services where appropriate, and maximizing the value of procurement investments while ensuring compliance with company policies and supply management standards. This position is critical for driving meaningful business outcomes within a fast-paced environment.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

The Senior Category Specialist will manage a diverse range of responsibilities, balancing strategic initiatives with operational priorities to ensure efficient and effective procurement practices. Key daily activities include:

• Support the development and implementation of category strategies for assigned MRO materials and service categories.
• Lead competitive sourcing initiatives including RFx development, supplier engagement, proposal evaluation, commercial analysis, and recommendation development.
• Lead contract negotiations, execution, amendments, renewals, and ongoing contract administration activities.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to support operational requirements and strategic business objectives.
• Identify and implement opportunities to consolidate spend, standardize products and services, and improve supplier performance across business units.
• Conduct spend analysis and market research to identify sourcing opportunities, supply market trends, and total cost of ownership reduction initiatives.
• Manage supplier performance management activities, including KPI development, performance reviews, issue resolution, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Champion supplier innovation and value creation efforts that improve operational efficiency, reliability, and business performance.
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of procurement documentation, contracts, supplier records, and master data in accordance with procurement policies and governance requirements.
• Manage complex sourcing projects and competing priorities while responding to operational needs, business initiatives, and time-sensitive procurement requirements.
• Monitor industry trends, supplier markets, and emerging risks to proactively identify opportunities and recommend sourcing strategies that support organizational objectives.

Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate for this Senior Category Specialist role is a self-motivated procurement professional with a proven track record in strategic sourcing and supplier management. Strong analytical, negotiation, and relationship management skills are essential to thrive in this role and influence stakeholders effectively.

• Post-secondary education in Supply Chain Management, Business, Commerce, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management, or supplier relationship management.
• Demonstrated experience leading competitive sourcing initiatives, including RFx development, supplier evaluation, commercial analysis, and supplier selection.
• Proven ability to negotiate supplier agreements and manage contract lifecycles to achieve favourable business outcomes.
• Strong understanding of category management, strategic sourcing, and supplier relationship management principles.
• Experience analyzing spend data and identifying opportunities for cost optimization, risk mitigation, and value creation.
• Proven ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders across multiple business units.

Assets that would further strengthen a candidate's application include:

• Experience within industrial, manufacturing, MRO, maintenance, or operational procurement environments.
• Professional designation such as SCMP, CPSM, or progress toward completion.