Strategic Sourcing Lead

Surrey School District #36 Strategic Sourcing Lead

The Surrey School District respectfully acknowledges that our schools reside on the traditional, unceded, and shared territories of Coast Salish peoples:
The q̓íc̓əy̓ - Katzie, the q̓ʷa:n̓ƛ̓ən̓- Kwantlen and the SEMYOME - Semiahmoo First Nations, who have been stewards of this land since time immemorial.

Surrey Schools is the largest BC school district and the second-largest employer in Surrey. Surrey Schools provides quality education to over 82,000 students with 124 schools sites and a variety of other learning facilities, offering a broad range of innovative programs and services to support the learning of our students. The Surrey School District team of approximately 13,000 employees works tirelessly every day to ensure that children are getting the best start they can, providing the preparation to be our leaders of tomorrow.

Providing quality education extends beyond academic excellence; we are committed to creating and cultivating diverse, inclusive, and barrier-free environments for all applicants, employees, students, and their families.

Our identity, as Surrey Schools, is expressed in the shared values of openness, fairness and belonging and recognizes the importance of diversity of identity and thought. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We are committed to removing barriers and creating a workplace where everyone, regardless of their background, feels empowered to contribute their best.

Join us in our mission to provide the best start for children, preparing them to be the leaders of tomorrow. If you are passionate about education, diversity, and making a positive impact, we invite you to explore opportunities with Surrey Schools.

Reporting to the Manager, Purchasing, the Strategic Sourcing Lead plays a critical role in advancing the strategic procurement initiatives of Surrey Schools. This position is responsible for leading end-to-end sourcing activities, developing supplier relationships, and collaborating with internal stakeholders to ensure the acquisition of goods and services meets educational, operational, and financial goals. The Strategic Sourcing Lead will apply best practices in public sector procurement to achieve cost savings, operational efficiency, timely delivery and innovation while ensuring compliance with District policies, laws and regulations.

• Develop and implement procurement policies, strategies, and sourcing initiatives for assigned categories (i.e. Capital Projects, Education, Facilities, IT, etc.), demonstrating visionary leadership.
• Supervise and lead sourcing team, ensuring efficiency and compliance with procurement policies, laws, and regulations.
• Building and maintaining a team, including participating in the hiring process, training of new staff and ongoing mentorship and guidance of all staff.
• Lead cross-functional teams in executing category-specific strategies, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.
• Conduct market analysis and supplier assessments to identify cost‑saving opportunities and enhance process efficiencies.
• Vendor Management via relationship management, performance evaluations, risk assessments, etc.
• Developing and maintaining performance standards, ensuring clear deliverables and that service levels are met.
• Forge strong partnerships with internal stakeholders, leveraging active listening and effective communication to address procurement needs.
• Drive contract negotiations with suppliers, securing favorable terms while safeguarding organizational interests.
• Manage procurement projects from inception to completion, demonstrating strong project leadership skills to continuously improve processes and accelerate outcomes.
• Utilize data analytics, such as usage reports, vendor spending, order metrics, etc., to drive decision‑making and innovation.
• Stay updated on industry trends and regulatory changes, leading the department to adopt the best practices.

• Minimum of six years of progressive experience in procurement or a related…