Senior Category Strategist

Service New Brunswick

Senior Category Strategist / Pay Band 6

Permanent, Full-Time

Flexible within New Brunswick

Open Competition

Service New Brunswick is looking to create an inventory of Senior Category Strategists to join our Strategic Procurement Branch based in Fredericton with team members working across the province. An immediate bilingual opening is available, with future bilingual and English opportunities.

The Strategic Procurement Division is responsible for delivering procurement services for Part 1 (GNB departments) and Part 2 (school districts). The division also provides support to the broader NB public sector such as municipalities, Crown corporations, community colleges and universities.

The Strategic Procurement Division is driven to provide excellence in service delivery to its valued customers. With the organization's dynamic team spirit, results orientation and enthusiasm for innovation, we welcome candidates who thrive in this type of environment. Encouraging a culture of work/life balance and healthy living, Strategic Procurement believes its people are one of their greatest investments.

Reporting to the Director of Strategic Procurement, the successful candidate will be part of a dynamic team and responsible for the development of strategy, leading complex procurements and projects, and management of corporate contracts within the assigned portfolio.

Key responsibilities of this position included but are not limited to:

• Leading the development of comprehensive category procurement strategies and leading, overseeing, directing and/or executing those strategies as they relate to corporate or client initiatives in the tendering or RFx process
• Providing support and direction to client departments in RFx drafting process
• Leading large or complex projects designed to achieve government-wide strategic objectives for optimizing procurement activities and/or specific goals for cost-savings or improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement activities
• Leading, supporting, or directing the development of business cases (including facilitating steering committees and preparing briefing notes) to support decisions related to procurement strategy by senior leaders
• Collaborating with Senior Category Specialists and Category Specialists to support the procurement cycle from initiation (including market research), to award (including negotiating contracts) for complex initiatives
• Conducting research and engaging in information gathering activities into innovative or leading-edge public procurement practices to identify the potential of adopting or adapting them for use in New Brunswick
• Serving as a subject matter expert regarding public procurement activities related to the industry or sector the department or agency is working in to leverage best practices and explore innovative approaches to addressing procurement challenges
• All other duties as assigned
• Co-leading or supporting joint procurement initiatives with the broader public sector or other provinces (particularly the Atlantic Provinces)
• Providing strategic procurement advice and decision support to senior leaders in client departments with the goal of optimizing procurement activities and developing strategic and/or innovative approaches to meet budget and operational goals
• Leading or co-leading complex negotiations on behalf of the Strategic Procurement Branch and its internal client departments

Please ensure that you indicate the competition number R85-2025/26-554 when applying.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS: A university degree in a related field and a minimum of six (6) years of experience working in a strategic sourcing, category management or project management capacity. Subject to the response to this competition, an equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered, or the required years of experience may be increased.

The immediate vacancy requires written and spoken competence in English and French, while future vacancies require English competency only. Please state your language capability.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate the essential qualifications to be given further consideration. Please state your language capability on your application and ensure that preferred language for assessment is clearly identified.

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS: Preference may be given to candidates that demonstrate:

• Purchasing Designation(s) (CPPB, PSPP, and SCMP) or similar certifications
• Contract negotiation experience
• Experience working with the Procurement Act and Regulation
• Experience in data collection and analysis
• Experience in developing and delivering training
• Experience in public procurement sourcing

Subject to the response to this competition, candidates may be required to demonstrate on their application one or more of the asset qualifications in addition to the essential qualifications in order to be given further consideration.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

This position may require some travelling within the province therefore candidates must possess a valid New Brunswick driver's license.

Candidates will be required to undergo Criminal History Clearance prior to appointment.

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES: The successful candidate will possess the following behavioral competencies:

• Analytical Thinking/Judgment
• Client Service Orientation
• Effective Interactive Communication
• Strategic Thinking
• Results Orientation

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES: The successful candidate will possess the following technical competencies:

• Presentation Skills
• Planning and Organizing Skills
• Written Communication
• Specialized Subject Matter Expertise and Knowledge

Résumés should be in chronological order specifying education and employment in months and years including part-time and full-time employment.

Salary: $77,766 - $ 103, 454 annually – Pay Band 6 - Management and Non-Union Pay Plan

We strongly encourage you to submit your application via the online portal https://www.ere.gnb.ca/competition.aspx by using the "Apply Online" button, before November 19^th, 2025 indicating competition number R85-2025/26-554. In the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties or are unable to complete your application online, contact [email protected].

We thank all those who apply however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Candidates registered with the Equal Employment Opportunity Program and veterans, who demonstrate they are among the most qualified, shall be given preference at the time of appointment.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The New Brunswick Public Service: Improving the lives of New Brunswickers every day!