Specialist, Supplier Relationship Management
- Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Sun Life Waterloo King, Canada
Hybrid
Full-time
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Job details
- Job type
- Full-time
- Workplace
- Hybrid
- Apply by
- Posting language
- English
- Posted
Original job description
You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do.
At Sun Life, we're driven by our Purpose: helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Our values shape how we work: caring, authentic, bold, inspiring, and impactful.
When you join Sun Life, you'll work with passionate colleagues and empowering leaders who support your growth and celebrate your contributions, so you can make a meaningful difference in our Clients' lives.
Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.
Job Description:
Location: hybrid
The Specialist, Supplier Relationship Management will report to the Manager, Supplier Relationship Management and will support the Operations team in the effective management of third-party supplier relationships. This role is responsible for monitoring supplier performance, supporting operational delivery, coordinating escalations, maintaining accurate documentation, and contributing to process improvement initiatives. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong relationship management skills, analytical capability, sound judgment, attention to detail, and clear professional communication.
What will you do?
- Serve as a subject matter expert for initiatives involving new technologies, supplier service changes, process enhancements, and operational improvements.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships with suppliers, internal business partners, and Operations teams to support business objectives.
- Monitor supplier performance, including service levels, quality results, KPIs, forecasts, volumes, defects, trends, and turnaround times, to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
- Collect, analyze, and maintain supplier data to support scorecards, service reports, Business Review meetings, and informed business decision-making.
- Collaborate with stakeholders and suppliers on production activities, including planning, scheduling, change validation, testing, issue management, and resolution.
- Manage end-to-end service provider escalation intake through resolution, ensuring timely follow-up, clear communication, and appropriate action.
- Support supplier contract renewals, compliance & audit activities, and related governance, security, and contractual requirements.
- Lead or support special projects that improve productivity, operational efficiency, administration, automation, centralization, and service delivery.
- Develop and maintain training materials, procedure documentation, and SRM system information, including access configuration, performance tracking, updates, and audit records.
- Provide training and guidance to internal business partners on SRM systems, processes, and responsibilities.
- Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, customer service, quality, innovation, and collaboration.
What do you need to succeed?
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage professionally with stakeholders at multiple levels, suppliers, and business partners.
- Proven ability to work effectively in a complex, fast-paced environment while managing competing priorities.
- Demonstrated accountability, ownership, and sound judgment in managing assigned responsibilities and outcomes.
- Strong client focus and collaborative approach, with the ability to build productive relationships across teams and suppliers.
- Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills, particularly in reviewing processes, managing escalations, and resolving operational issues.
- Ability to work independently, identify practical solutions, and provide clear recommendations to leadership.
- Strong attention to detail, with the ability to connect detailed analysis to broader business objectives.
- Experience supporting transactional print, commercial print, tax production, or comparable operational processes.
- Ability to learn quickly and adapt to new processes, tools, and evolving business needs.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Word.
Requirements
- This role requires Reliability Security Clearance. In addition to a law enforcement inquiry and a credit check, as part of your application, the Government of Canada will ask if you lived or travelled outside of Canada for 6-consecutive months during the last 5 years, and you must account for all activities during this time.
- Travel to other Sun Life/Supplier offices may be required.
Assets
- Advanced Excel skills or experience with reporting tools.
- Supply chain certification or contract management experience, including knowledge of pricing models.
- Project management skills or related experience.
Reasons why you should join us under the sun
- We’re committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment. Our goal is to make sure all our employees have the chance to live up to their full potential.
- Internal mobility is supported by leaders who are dedicated to fueling your professional growth.
- Flexible Benefits from the day you join to meet the needs of you and your family.
- Our unique Sabbatical Program gives you the opportunity to take up to 6 weeks off, every five years.
- We are proud to be on the 2026 Best Workplaces in Canada list by Great Place to Work.
The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.
Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.
Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to thebrightside@sunlife.com.
We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you.
We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling.
We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Salary Range:
62,000/62 000 - 93,000/93 000Job Category:
ProcurementPosting End Date:
18/11/2026More about this job
Responsibilities
The Specialist will monitor supplier performance, manage escalations, and maintain accurate documentation to support operational delivery. They will also serve as a subject matter expert for process enhancements and collaborate with internal partners to ensure business objectives are met.
Requirements
Candidates must possess strong analytical and communication skills with experience in operational processes such as transactional or commercial print. The role requires a Reliability Security Clearance and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, complex environment.
Skills
- Performance monitoring
- Data analysis
- Stakeholder management
- Process improvement
- Contract management
- Risk identification
- Operational support
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft OneNote
Benefits
- Flexible benefits
- Sabbatical program
- Internal mobility support
- Inclusive environment
Visa sponsorship
Not detected in the job text
Categories
- Management & Leadership
- Finance & Accounting
- Administrative
- Consulting
Keywords
- Operations
- KPIs
- Service Level Agreements
- Contract Renewals
- Compliance
- Audit
- Process Improvement
- Automation
- Transactional Print
- Commercial Print
- Tax Production
- Reliability Security Clearance
- Project Management
- Supply Chain
- Data Analysis
- Scorecards
- Business Review
- Microsoft Office
- Governance