Project Buyer

Project Buyer

Location:

Ottawa, Canada

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow’s possible.

For decades, Ottawa has been a global technology leader. Today, Canada’s capital holds one of the brightest and most diverse technological ecosystems in North America. Voted as Canada’s best place to live 2017 by Maclean's, Ottawa offers a low cost of living with a high quality of life. The Thales Ottawa office has been a major supplier and long-term trusted partner to DND, enabling the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard to achieve mission success.

The Project Buyer is responsible for coordinating and executing procurement activities for assigned projects, ensuring all goods and services are sourced to meet project specifications, timelines, and budgetary requirements. This role manages the full purchase cycle, engages in supplier negotiations, fosters supplier relationships, and collaborates with cross‑functional teams to support project goals while adhering to company policies and ethical standards.

• Manage the end‑to‑end procurement activities for project‑specific goods and services, including sourcing, RFx/RFP administration, local negotiations, order creation, purchase order (PO) management, and invoice resolution.
• Mentor and provide guidance to other buyers and support knowledge sharing across the team.
• Transform purchase requisitions (PR) into accurate and compliant purchase orders (PO), verifying commodity codes, ship‑to locations, supplier information, and relevant documentation.
• Proactively expedite, track, and follow up on purchase orders to guarantee timely delivery and adherence to contractual terms and quality standards.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, such as project management, engineering, and senior leadership, to define procurement needs, set priorities, and align sourcing strategies with business and project objectives.
• Engage with suppliers to ensure PO acknowledgment, secure delivery commitments, and maintain strong supplier relationships to drive ongoing performance improvements, cost reductions, and risk mitigation.
• Monitor and report on purchasing activities, including cost analysis, status updates on open orders, and strategic sourcing opportunities.
• Manage and resolve order discrepancies, supplier disputes, and elevate significant procurement issues to Supply Chain Manager, Category Buyers/Managers, or Procurement Project Managers as required.
• Support implementation of best practices, process improvements, and ERP/SAP functionality upgrades to enhance operational efficiency in procurement activities.
• Maintain accurate documentation and records for audit and compliance purposes, ensuring alignment with company policies, ISO quality standards, defense regulatory requirements, and effective part management.
• Collect and prioritize purchase requisitions (PR) in coordination with project planning and industry requirements.
• Monitor performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) in collaboration with the Supply Chain Manager and drive continuous improvement within the function.
• Work proactively within the buying team to support departmental objectives and provide input on process or policy enhancements.
• Uphold ethical standards and compliance in all purchasing activities in accordance with Thales policies.
• Support all additional aspects of the supply chain department as required.

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience performing similar activities within a supply chain environment.
• Experience and ability to understand contract terms & conditions.
• Previous experience using SAP or other Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
• Able to prioritize tasks while meeting deadlines in a high‑pressure environment.
• Ability to work individually and as part of a team & cross‑functional team.
• Knowledge of export regulations an asset.
• Open minded and able to listen, share…