Lead Procurement and Category Specialist

JOB INFORMATION

Requisition ID: [[id]]
Number of Vacancies: [[numberOpenings]]
Department: [[division]] - [[department]]
Salary Information: [[custJOAnnualizedSalary1]] - [[custJOAnnualizedSalary2]]
Pay Scale Group: [[custPayscaleGroup]]
Employment Type: [[jobGrade3]]
New or Existing Vacancy:Existing

Weekly Hours: [[custStandardHours]] Off Days: [[custOffDays]] Shift: [[custShift]]
Posted On: November 13, 2026
Last Day to Apply: November 22, 2026

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), North America's third largest transit system and recognized as one of the top places to work in the GTA has introduced its new 2024-2028 TTC Corporate Plan - Moving Toronto, Connecting Communities which continues the TTC’s legacy of delivering service to hundreds of millions of customers a year. The TTC’s new vision and mission statements also help promote the many environmental, social equity and economic benefits that the TTC provides:

Vision: Moving Toronto towards a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous future.

Mission: To serve the needs of transit riders by providing a safe, reliable, efficient, and accessible mass public transit service through a seamless integrated network to create access to opportunity for everyone.

The full Plan can be viewed on ttc.ca.

Career Opportunity

Looking to lead high-value, strategic procurements that support TTC's critical operations and capital programs? We are seeking a Lead Procurement & Category Specialist to manage complex procurements across areas such as Construction, Major Projects, Professional Services, Information Technology, Specialized Engineered Equipment, and Revenue Vehicles.

In this role, you will lead end-to-end procurement activities, including sourcing strategy, competitive and negotiated procurements, contract development, stakeholder engagement, supplier negotiations, and contract award. You will act as a trusted advisor to internal clients, providing expert guidance on procurement strategy, market conditions, risk management, commercial terms, and procurement best practices.

As a subject matter expert, you will oversee high-profile and high-risk procurement initiatives, develop category strategies, support continuous improvement initiatives, and provide mentorship and guidance to procurement staff. This role offers an opportunity to influence major business decisions, support organizational priorities, and drive value through effective procurement and supplier management.

What You Will Do

Reporting to the Category Manager, you will lead and manage complex, high-value procurement initiatives from planning through contract award and execution. You will partner with internal stakeholders to develop sourcing strategies, procurement plans, evaluation methodologies, contract structures, and commercial approaches that align with business objectives and procurement best practices.

You will lead competitive and negotiated procurement processes, including RFPs, NRFPs, RFBs, RFIs, ACANs, prequalification initiatives, and sole-source procurements. This includes coordinating evaluations, facilitating negotiations, managing bidder communications, preparing award recommendations, and supporting approvals through TTC governance processes.

You will serve as the procurement lead and subject matter expert for your assigned category, providing strategic advice on procurement approaches, contract terms, risk management, market conditions, supplier capabilities, and commercial negotiations. You will also support category management activities by conducting market research, evaluating industry trends, identifying sourcing opportunities, and developing long-term procurement strategies.

As a senior member of the team, you will mentor procurement staff, contribute to policy and process improvements, lead training initiatives, and support the continuous evolution of procurement practices across the department.

What Skills Do You Bring?

Apply accounting principles and practices

Apply analytical skills

Communicate in a variety of mediums

Create, document, and manage information and records

Demonstrate knowledge of the industry and / or sector

Demonstrate specialized expertise and knowledge in the assigned field

Use office technology, software and applications

Understand and apply administrative policies, processes, and procedures

What Qualifications Do You Bring?

• University degree or college diploma in Business, Commerce, Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, Engineering, Public Administration, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Significant experience leading complex public-sector procurements from planning through award and contract execution.
• Strong experience supporting construction, engineering services, professional services, major capital projects, IT, transit vehicles, or specialized equipment procurements.
• Extensive knowledge of public procurement principles, strategic sourcing, contract management, category management, and procurement governance.
• Experience developing and administering RFPs, NRFPs, RFBs, RFIs, ACANs, prequalification processes, and negotiated procurements.
• Strong understanding of procurement law, contract law, construction law, CFTA, CETA, and public-sector procurement requirements.
• Demonstrated experience developing procurement strategies, evaluation methodologies, commercial terms, and negotiation approaches.
• Experience leading commercial negotiations involving legal, technical, operational, and financial considerations.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to interpret technical specifications, scopes of work, construction documents, engineering requirements, and complex commercial agreements.
• Proven ability to manage multiple high-priority procurements while balancing competing stakeholder needs.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and electronic procurement platforms.

Assets

• SCMP, CPPB, CPPO, NISCL, or similar procurement designation.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) designation.
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation.
• Experience with high-value infrastructure, transit, engineering, construction, fleet, or technology procurements.
• Experience facilitating Commercial Confidential Meetings (CCMs) and complex negotiated procurements.
• Experience developing procurement policies, procedures, governance frameworks, and training programs.

What We Offer

• Commitment to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture that promotes a sense of belonging, representation and reflects the needs of the communities we serve.
• A flexible, hybrid work approach that allows colleagues to find balance between their professional and personal lives and making the most of the benefits of working remotely and purpose-driven in-person collaboration opportunities.
• One of the great benefits of being a full-time TTC employee is becoming a member of TTC defined pension plan.
• A comprehensive package that covers health, dental, vision and more.
• Support for professional development opportunities for all colleagues through a broad range of learning programs that include in-person and online training, leadership development, and support for colleagues’ well-being.

Commitment to EDI

The TTC is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, anti-racism and inclusion in the delivery of its services and in its workplaces. The TTC is committed to fostering a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities it serves at all levels of the organization and supports an inclusive environment where diverse employee and community perspectives and experiences bring value to the organization. The TTC encourages applications from all applicants, including members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including but not limited to, Indigenous, Black and racialized groups, people with disabilities, women and people from the LGBTQIA+ community. The TTC values and supports an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process. Accommodations for applicants are available upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process, including for those who identify as having a disability. Please contact Talent Management at (416) 393-4570 or [email protected] . Any information received related to an accommodation will be addressed confidentially.

General Prohibition in Hiring Process

The TTC is also committed to a fair hiring process based on job related qualifications, merit, and abilities. You are expected to write your own materials and provide your own qualifications and experiences during the hiring process. The TTC will not tolerate the use of artificial intelligence or external resources in any of your submissions or responses, or the disclosure of interview questions to others. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

• The use of any artificial intelligence (AI) tool including, but not limited to, ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, to generate or produce any information or materials to be submitted or any response to any assessment question or any interview question, is prohibited.
• All information and materials you submit, including resume, cover letter, and assessment responses, are your own original work without the use of any AI tool
• During any interview, your response to any interview question is your own without the use or assistance of any AI tool or any person.
• You will not disseminate or disclose to any person any interview question.

Should you breach the prohibition of AI tool use, or information dissemination or disclosure, you will be in violation of TTC’s hiring process and TTC may withdraw your application and may prohibit you from participation in the TTC hiring process.

Relatives of TTC Employees

The TTC’s policy prohibits relatives of current TTC employees from being hired, assigned, transferred or promoted into positions, where there is a conflict of interest due to a relationship. Should you be selected for an interview, you will be required to disclose the name, relationship and position of any relative who is a current TTC employee.

We thank all applicants for their interest but advise only those selected for an interview will be contacted.