Procurement Specialist

About Us At Canadian Dental Services (CDS), we are committed to exceptional patient care and to supporting dental professionals across Canada. Our mission is to enhance practice performance through innovative management systems and programs, enabling dentists and orthodontists to deliver the best care possible. We value diversity of thought, innovation, accountability, and performance, and we offer rewarding career opportunities with comprehensive training focused on leadership development. Position Overview Canadian Dental Services Corporation (CDS) is building one of Canada's leading dental organizations – and we are looking for a commercially minded, relationship-focused Procurement Specialist to join our growing corporate team. Working across our national network of dental practices, this role will help strengthen how we source, negotiate, manage suppliers and support our clinics with the products and equipment they need to deliver exceptional patient care. Working closely with clinical teams, Practice Managers, Operations, Finance and suppliers, the role balances cost, quality, service, continuity of supply and clinical requirements. The successful candidate will bring strong business acumen, analytical ability, above-average communication skills, and a collaborative, relationship-oriented approach. Previous dental clinical experience, including CDA/RDA, CDA II, RDH or equivalent, and familiarity with dental supplies, equipment and clinic workflows are valuable assets, but are not required. Key Responsibilities Strategic Sourcing, Spend & Vendor Management * Analyze dental supply spend, historical purchasing and clinic production trends; support budgeting and identify opportunities for savings, standardization and improved purchasing efficiency. * Conduct RFQs, supplier comparisons and commercial evaluations for significant purchases; assess total cost, quality, service, reliability and clinical suitability, and negotiate pricing, rebates, volume incentives, terms, warranties and service levels. * Manage key supplier relationships and periodic business reviews, including national contract incentives and commitments, rebates, service performance and corrective actions where required. * Identify and bring forward new business technology, AI and innovation opportunities, and support their evaluation, piloting and implementation through data analysis, business case assessment and structured testing. * Monitor market pricing, product alternatives and supplier developments; identify vendor or category consolidation opportunities and quantify procurement savings and cost avoidance. Procurement Operations & Systems * Administer Dentira and other procurement platforms, including supplier catalogues, white labels, pricing, approved products, user access, workflows and training. * Review and approve purchases above established thresholds; resolve pricing discrepancies, backorders, substitutions and other ordering issues. * Prepare weekly/monthly dental supply reporting, update budgets and follow up on material variances with clinic and Operations leaders. * Promote appropriate use of preferred vendors and products and continuously improve procurement workflows, controls and user experience. Contracts, CAPEX & Clinic Onboarding * Maintain the master vendor contract register; monitor renewal dates, notice periods and pricing changes, and coordinate renewals, renegotiations or terminations with internal stakeholders. * Coordinate CAPEX procurement from request and RFQ through approval, purchase order and delivery; compare alternatives based on clinical needs, total cost, warranty, maintenance and vendor support. * Complete monthly CAPEX reconciliation with NetSuite and support annual capital budget and equipment planning. * Support new and acquired clinic onboarding by establishing vendor accounts and corporate pricing, setting up procurement users/workflows, training clinic teams and transitioning existing vendor agreements. * Coordinate approved vendor sponsorship requests, invoicing, collection tracking and related supplier communications for corporate education initiatives. Controls, Compliance & Reporting * Coordinate year-end inventory counts and support controls over high-value, expired, obsolete or excess supplies. * Maintain organized procurement documentation and ensure purchasing decisions appropriately consider Health Canada medical device requirements, IPAC, manufacturer specifications, authorized suppliers and applicable safety requirements. * Support product recall or discontinuation matters as needed and maintain accurate procurement data and reporting for spend, supplier performance, contracts and CAPEX. Stakeholder Partnership & Influence * Build trusted relationships with clinical team, Practice Managers, Operations, Finance and suppliers. * Understand clinical requirements and communicate the business rationale behind procurement decisions in a practical and respectful manner. * Use data, commercial judgment and relationship skills to influence decisions, support standardization and constructively challenge purchasing practices when better alternatives are available. Qualifications & Experience * 3-5 years of relevant experience in procurement, purchasing, vendor management, dental operations, healthcare operations or a combination thereof. * College diploma or university degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Healthcare Administration or a related discipline * Dental clinical experience and/or CDA/RDA, CDA II, RDH or similar credentials are a strong asset * Strong negotiation, persuasion, relationship-building and communication skills, with the confidence to work effectively across clinical, operational, financial and supplier stakeholders. * Strong analytical and organizational skills, proficiency in Excel and data analysis * Experience with procurement platforms, workflows and accounting concepts preferred. * Experience in a multi-location roll up healthcare operating environment is an asset. Ideal Candidate Profile The ideal candidate can move comfortably between a clinic conversation and a commercial negotiation. They are commercially curious, analytical and organized; communicate very well; enjoy building relationships; and have the judgment to balance clinical needs with financial discipline while respectfully challenging suppliers and internal stakeholders when better outcomes are achievable. This candidate also brings the flexibility and strong desire to consistently and when necessary visit our clinics and our teams to effectively and meaningfully support all of the above in an in-person manner where appropriate.