Vendor Conflicts Specialist

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.

Our Procurement - Governance & Oversight office is seeking a Vendor Conflicts Lead who analyses and makes recommendations of simple and complex conflicts of interests during all stages of the procurement cycle. Educates and trains the organization on how to recognize and address conflict of interest (COI) situations, and in the application of the Vendor COI Policy. Works directly with Business teams across Metrolinx to assess information material to conflict of interest cases, including fact-gathering through discovery questions and interview sessions with Metrolinx employees and vendors/bidders related to procurement conflicts of interest, analysis and presentation of facts and recommendations, and correspondence back to relevant parties. Provides advisory services to Metrolinx staff and external stakeholders on Policy application, COI scenarios, and mitigation strategies.

What will I be doing?

• Upon initiation of a tender or through the submission of a disclosure from either internal or external stakeholders, proactively liaises with clients across the organization as an internal subject matter expert on conflicts of interest and independently begins assessing cases through applicable discovery questions.
• Works closely with the Manager, Conflicts of Interest on daily basis, providing input into future program and department improvements, identifying COI risks, escalating issues with internal and external stakeholders, and clarifying complex or contentious scenarios. 
• and clarifying complex or contentious scenarios. 
• Attends meetings with client(s) up to and including VP-level, develops correspondence and prepares presentation for committee meetings, summarizes and briefs management and client teams, and provides recommendations. 
• Undertakes a comprehensive review of any suspected or declared conflict, including meeting with project teams and liaising with vendors or proponents to gather and document information, verifying fact finding and clarifying vague aspects, reviewing contractual terms and conditions, reviewing procurement tender documents, and generating a summary containing COI concerns with an applicable recommendation to guide a final determination.
• For complex COIs, uses strong subject matter knowledge to assess relevant and material information / facts through investigative and analytical process to develop recommendations to inform the Conflicts Committee determination. Includes the determination of whether conflicts arise from impaired objectivity and/or unfair access to information, and any applicable mitigation measures, up to and including restricting parties. 
• Leverages knowledge of contract terms and conditions, tenders and government procurement processes, risk management, and internal and external policies, directives, legislation, and regulations to analyze, challenge, and discuss conflict of interest cases
• Facilitates debrief sessions with external stakeholders following determinations restricting or applying conditions to vendors; briefs and provides speaking notes to Committee members and/or Portfolio Director to lead forum. 

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.
• Demonstrated years of experience administering a procurement and / or contract related conflict of interest program. Paralegal or legal experience is preferred. 
• Demonstrated years of experience interpreting and applying confidentiality or conflict of interest policies to contractual negotiations, procurement tenders, and/or conflicts of interest in a government setting.
• Experience in proactively managing stakeholders’ expectations and responding to stakeholders’ requests for information
• Experience with MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio) 
• Knowledge and understanding of vendor conflict management at various procurement phases (from sourcing to contract execution) and legal implication of COI determination

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:
Metrolinx is an equal opportunity employer and committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are also committed to offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants in accordance with applicable legislation. If you require assistance or an accommodation at any point during the hiring process, please contact 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 is 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.