Vendor Conflicts Lead

Metrolinx is connecting communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Metrolinx operates GO Transit and UP Express, as well as the PRESTO fare payment system. We are also building new and improved rapid transit, including GO Expansion, Light Rail Transit routes, and major expansions to Toronto’s subway system, to get people where they need to go, better, faster and easier. Metrolinx is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

At Metrolinx, equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to living our values of serving with passion, thinking forward and playing as a team.

This role is an in‑office position based at 20 Bay Street office. Our team is highly collaborative, and much of our work benefits from in‑person co‑creation, relationship‑building, and hands‑on partnership with leaders across the organization.

Our Procurement Services/Finance office is seeking a Vendor Conflicts Lead reporting to the Manager, Conflicts of Interest, provides strategic advice and planning to drive the success of the Metrolinx Vendor Conflict of Interest (COI) policy and program. Supports the Manager in the development, tracking, and reporting of COI key performance indicators (KPIs) and leads subject matter expertise advisory services. Develops educational materials and facilitates training to Metrolinx staff to embed understanding and knowledge of vendor COI principles at an enterprise level. Responsible for providing expert advice, planning, and guidance to client groups across Metrolinx (CPG, AM&M, Planning, Operations, etc.) in relation to vendor COI. Supports the Manager, Conflicts of Interest in liaising with Procurement and client groups on strategy, ad hoc requests, and complex cases. Supports Vendor COI Specialists as a senior resource, consulting, guiding, and escalating issues related to cases under the COI framework. Leveraging legal, policy, and procurement expertise, creates and maintains database of conflict decisions and generates reports as required. Provides leadership on the administration and tracking of cases for the COI program, identifies risks and issues by escalating to the Manager, supports the Manager in the development of continuous improvement projects, and leads the development and/or review of COI standards, processes, and policies.

What will I be doing?

• Analyzes team capacity and priority management and leads the COI Specialists on day-to-day work prioritization and effort sizing based on business needs and materiality (reputational, political, etc.)

• Serves as an initial point of contact for client escalations and complex cases requiring consultation and guidance; acts as a trusted and senior advisor to the Manager, COI regarding contentious, complicated, or otherwise difficult cases and/or scenarios.

• Act as a trusted advisor and counsellor to Procurement Services stakeholders (up to and including senior management), staff, and external or vendor staff in the context of COI matters; provide guidance and advice for complex problem solving of COI matters, mitigations, risks, and purpose of the Metrolinx program. Promote the Vendor COI program as a Centre of Excellence and key risk mitigation component of the procurement cycle.

• As a subject matter expert, support the Manager, COI in developing and delivering educational content to broader Metrolinx population; provide stakeholder training and ongoing education on COI process and governance, ensures consistency in tone, language, and guidance in applicable training materials.

• Upon initiation of a tender, submission of a disclosure, or ad hoc request, proactively liaises with Vendor Conflicts of Interest Specialists to assign and oversee caseload, oversees and updates the case management system, and works with sourcing team members and client departments across the organization as an internal subject matter expert on conflict matters, ensuring potential conflicts of interest are considered during that specific tender transaction, communicates actively to effectively convey to stakeholders potential conflicts and implications

• Drafts briefing and communications materials up to VP-level regarding contentious or escalated cases, including defined risks, issues, background, and materiality to Metrolinx exposure (reputational, legal, financial). In some scenarios, works closely with Legal counsel, Finance, and/or business areas to articulate and define key concerns and areas of risk, and potential remedies.

• Assesses all submitted cases to determine level and complexity of COI as defined by the Policy; leads comprehensive discovery process including but not limited to investigative questions, meeting with project teams for verbal inquiries, and liaising with vendors or proponents to gather and document information to be used in a determination on conflicts matters. Professionally challenges and drives business areas to disclose relevant information or materials, and maintains high level of quality of investigations undertaken by the Vendor COI team.

• Recommends and proposes solutions and communicates with vendors on any mitigation measure requirements suggested by the COI committee

• Communicates directly with vendor community on conflict matters, including issuing formal correspondence related to conflicts determinations, facilitating debrief and appeals sessions, ad hoc questions related to COI concerns, and explanation associated with mitigations or restrictions; receives and files proof of mitigation from vendors and/or Metrolinx employees to records management standards.

• Leads, organizes, coordinates and schedules Conflict of Interest Committee meetings and drafts and circulates minutes as required

• Lead the database process development build and continuously improve decision database to contribute to KPI analysis and to ensure consistent approaches to conflict of interest situations

• Generates reports on conflict status and progress for management teams on Annually, Semi-Annually, Quarterly or Monthly basis

What Skills and Qualifications Do I Need?

• Completion of a university degree in business, commerce, supply chain management, public policy, law or a related discipline – or a combination of education, training and experience deemed equivalent. A post-graduate degree is an asset.

• Demonstrated years of experience administering or leading a procurement, commercial, government and / or contract related conflict of interest program. Paralegal or legal experience is preferred.

• Experience in proactively managing stakeholders’ expectations and effectively responding to stakeholders’ requests for information. Project management experience to lead, drive, and implement continuous improvement projects and identify opportunities for efficiencies within the Vendor COI program. Leadership experience to guide and mentor team members in the completion of highly technical, high exposure assessments. Substantial experience in reporting to senior leadership teams and delivering presentations to internal and external stakeholders while maintaining confidentiality and commercial sensitivity

Don’t Meet Every Requirement? 

If you’re excited about working with Metrolinx but your past experience doesn’t quite align with every qualification of this posting, we encourage you to apply. You just might be the right candidate for this or other roles. We are always looking for great talent to join our team.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from members of equity-deserving communities, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, women, people with disabilities, and people with diverse gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations.

Accommodation:

We value the unique skills and experiences each person brings to Metrolinx and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment. We are committed to the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and other applicable legislation so if you require accommodation during the hiring process, please let our Recruitment team know by contacting us at: 416-202-5601 or email hr.recruitment@metrolinx.com.

Application Process:

All applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada. Metrolinx will be using email to communicate with you for all job competitions. It is your responsibility to include an updated email address that is checked daily and accepts emails from unknown users. As we send time sensitive correspondence, we recommend that you check your email regularly. If no response is received, we will assume you are no longer interested in pursuing the opportunity. Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate.

For Internal applicants, with the recent implementation of the Internal Mobility Policy, the internal recruitment process has changed for non-union roles. Candidates must be in their current role for 12 months prior to applying for another role and each applicant must be in good standing (not participating in a Performance Improvement Plan). Please review all provisions of the policy before submitting your application. 

Should it be determined that any background information provided be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, Metrolinx reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of your application.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

WE ARE AN EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER.