Purchaser - Accounting & Finance

Are you looking for an inviting and exciting career opportunity? Do you have a passion for working collaboratively and making a difference? If the answer is “Yes”, this is the job for you!
Catholic Social Services is currently seeking a full-time 40 hours per week, Purchasing Analyst in EDMONTON to join our Finance department. Providing excellent client-centered care, you are confident, thoughtful, and motivated to achieve success when supporting others in your community!
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Controller and supporting the Senior Procurement Specialist, the Purchaser coordinates with Agency departments and programs to ensure operational procurement requirements are met efficiently and effectively. The role includes procuring goods, materials, and services required for the effective operation of the Agency, managing vendor relationships, and identifying opportunities for cost savings and process improvements.
Procurement
• Procures goods, materials, and services required for the effective operation of the Agency
• Processes purchase requests and prepares purchase orders within the Business Central purchasing system
• Generates, tracks, maintains, and closes purchase orders in accordance with Agency procedures
• Verifies specifications, pricing, and product requirements, and obtains the necessary approvals from requisitioning departments
• Sources products and services by researching suppliers and evaluating quality, pricing, service levels, and overall value
• Requests and evaluates Requests for Information (RFIs) and Requests for Quotations (RFQs) from potential vendors
• Negotiates pricing, delivery schedules, and service terms with suppliers
• Monitors vendor performance and maintains positive supplier relationships
• Manages vendor contracts and procurement-related documentation
• Coordinates deliveries and confirms compliance with purchase order requirements
• Investigates and resolves discrepancies between purchase orders, invoices, deliveries, and supplier commitments
• Follows up on damaged, defective, or non-conforming goods and coordinates corrective actions with suppliers
• Applies financial coding to purchasing records
• Manages delivery confirmations and compliance
Financial & Administrative
• Processes purchase-related payments and purchasing card transactions in accordance with Agency policies and approval authorities
• Works with Accounts Payable (AP) to resolve invoice discrepancies
• Maintains accurate procurement records and documentation in Agency systems
• Identifies opportunities for cost savings, process improvements, and procurement efficiencies
• Ensures appropriate and confidential handling and storage of Agency information and documentation in accordance with Agency policies, procedures, and standards
Collaboration
• Understands, supports, promotes, and adheres to the Agency’s vision, mission, values, and organizational ethics, and treat all persons with humility, compassion, and respect
• Presents as a positive and professional role model and ambassador for the Agency in interactions with internal and external stakeholders. Maintains respectful personal boundaries
• Communicates effectively and respectfully in a professional and confidential manner with all employees and external stakeholders; both verbally and in writing
• Establishes and maintains respectful, collaborative working relationships with employees and external stakeholders, as applicable
General
• Provides procurement guidance and operational support to Agency departments and programs
• Maintains professional and productive relationships with key suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Reports incidents to manager or designate in a timely manner
• Follows health and safety protocols while adhering to Agency policies and procedures
• Maintains a pleasant and safe work environment, ensuring high levels of cleanliness, comfort, and safety
• Performs other related duties as required
What This Job Requires:
• A minimum of three years' experience in a purchasing role
• Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, or a related field and combinations of experience and other education will be considered as well.
• High school diploma will be considered with a minimum of 5 years' experience in a purchasing role
• Familiarity with supply chain procedures
• Practical experience with purchasing software
• Police Information Check current within six (6) months
Police Information Check within the last 6 months is a condition of employment and the financial responsibility of the candidate.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Strong analytical skills
• Sound research and networking skills
• Excellent interpersonal and social skills
• Positive and professional demeanor
• Great written, verbal, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to perform well under pressure and a good work ethic
• Proficient in use of other Agency-assigned computer applications, systems, and databases (such as Business Central)
• Strong customer-relation skills, client-service attitude, and commitment to providing exceptional service and quality results with empathy and compassion
• Strong English-language communication skills, both verbal and written, to communicate using active listening, to understand, comprehend, and comply with all job requirements
• Awareness of and sensitivity towards individuals with diverse needs
• Ability and willingness to work in and contribute to a diverse and inclusive team environment that may include a wide range of beliefs, lifestyles, languages, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds
• Comfortable working in a Catholic environment, being respectful of relevant Catholic teachings and practices
• Strong interpersonal and conflict management skills to facilitate working effectively with a wide range of people, including employees, vendors, and external stakeholders
• Strong negotiation, persuasion, and listening skills to facilitate successful resolution of vendor and Agency requests and concerns
• Knowledge of and effective collaboration with diverse groups of people, including internal and external stakeholders and vendors
• Collaborative skills: willingness to work as a team member, consulting and sharing information with colleagues and stakeholders
• Ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team as well as independently with minimal supervision
• Attentiveness to details and ability to process high volumes of transactions while maintaining strong internal control and high service standards within a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions
• Applies systematic, logical reasoning, problem solving, critical thinking, and sound judgment to address problems or situations to arrive at an appropriate solution or outcome
• High level of professionalism, confidentiality, and diplomacy; with ability to manage sensitive and confidential information and comply with all regulatory requirements and Agency Privacy and Confidentiality policies and procedures
• Up-to-date knowledge of Agency policies, procedures, and standards; as well as relevant legislation, regulations, practice standards, and practice guidelines
• Resourcefulness and flexibility to adapt to changing needs of vendors, circumstances, and Agency
• Strong ability to multi-task, establish priorities, and take initiative
• Ability and willingness to work outside of regular business hours as required to meet Agency needs. Advance notice will be provided when possible
Core Competencies
• Analytical Thinking: Applies systematic, logical reasoning when addressing problems or situations in order to arrive at an appropriate solution or outcome. Considers the various issues and components of the problem; develops sequential steps to address the situation and determines appropriate timeframes and priorities
• Decision Making: Makes concrete, well-informed and thought out decisions that support the overall organization. Able to make quick effective decisions even when data and details are limited. When making unfavorable decisions that might have negative consequences, will examine the impacts and potential implications to ensure that decision is valid for the situation
• Problem Solving: Demonstrates the ability to break a situation down into smaller pieces to identify key issues, figuring out cause and effect relationships in order to reach a resolution. Uses logic and analytical methods to come to a realistic solution
• Customer Focus: Ensures and maintains customer satisfaction with the services offered. Determines customer needs-asks open ended and probing questions, listens, allow clients to express themselves, confirms understanding, and uses positive aptitude
• Communication: Expresses and transmits information with consistency and clarity. Uses active listening techniques in order to effectively understand and provide feedback. Summarizes information according to the audience in order to promote engagement and increase understanding
• Ethics and Integrity: Earns the trust and respect of others through consistent honesty and professionalism in all interactions. Diplomatically handles challenging or tense interpersonal situations
Working Conditions
• Works in a standard office environment with standard office equipment, or from home office with standard office equipment and reliable internet connection
• Regular, and frequently prolonged, use of computer
• Regular interactions with external contacts including vendors, funders, and key stakeholders
• Regular interactions with internal employees
What We Offer:
• The annual salary for this position is from $59,006.88 to $66,398.4 and will be based on qualifications and experience.
• We offer flexibility and a supportive working environment.
• Comprehensive benefit plan and company pensions options
• Work within a highly collaborative, team-oriented organization, where your ideas are heard, and you can see your impact daily.
• Growth Opportunities: Apply and grow your skills within a dynamic, innovative, and expanding Agency that is taking a leadership role in our industry.
About Catholic Social Services:
You will be joining an established Agency that is guided by faith to care for and bring hope to people in need with humility, compassion and respect.
With 65 years of service delivery experience, Catholic Social Services is one of the largest multi-function social services agencies in Canada, with nearly 2000 staff, and hundreds of volunteers delivering over 100 different programs to people in need throughout Central Alberta and Edmonton.
Our values are at the core of everything we do!
• Humility: We acknowledge with gratitude our human abilities and limitations. We demonstrate humility by doing the best that we can with the resources that we have.
• Compassion: We respond to people in need with love. We demonstrate our compassion by caring for people without judgment and without condition.
• Respect: We demonstrate our respect by being personally present, open and attentive to those we care for and by honouring their dignity and freedom.
We thank all applicants. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Catholic Social Services is committed to fostering a diverse and representative workforce. In an effort to enrich our agency and reflect the communities we serve, we welcome applications from qualified individuals of all diverse groups and backgrounds.