Biomass Purchaser (Forestry)
Salary Range: $95,000 – $115,000
Location: Prince George
If you have a post-secondary undergraduate degree or diploma in natural resource management, a preferred qualification is a registered Professional Forester or Registered Forest Technologist designation. Please Apply Today!
In the role of Biomass Purchaser, your responsibilities include sourcing sustainable fibre to complement existing contracts, fostering relationships with suppliers, and seeking new opportunities. You will negotiate and secure services from various parties to ensure the processing and delivery of additional fibre to pellet plants. As the main point of contact for Drax with regional suppliers, it will be important for you to understand their businesses and develop solutions that meet their needs as well as those of Drax. Additionally, you will serve as the primary point of contact for the fibre team with colleagues in your region.


Key Responsibilities

• Procurement & Operations: Support business operations by actively monitoring and maintaining the delivery of biomass from approved fiber vendors to meet production needs.
• Vendor Relations: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with First Nations, community forests, private landowners, government officials, and progressive licensees to secure a reliable and sustainable supply of biomass.
• Sustainability: Collaborate with Sustainability and Operations teams to ensure that biomass procurement aligns with sustainability goals, delivering quality materials safely and cost-effectively.
• Program Management: Oversee all aspects of procurement program management, including contract negotiation, vendor and contractor management, and the safety and quality control of sustainable roundwood and bush grind programs.
• Planning & Coordination: Develop and manage seasonal and multi-year procurement plans, including offsite storage solutions and haul programs, to ensure continuous supply and operational efficiency.
• Compliance & Reporting: Lead efforts to ensure compliance with provincial standards, particularly WWIZBC and HBS, and manage accurate reporting in line with regulatory requirements.
• Relationship Building: Actively build and nurture relationships within the industry, with government entities, and with First Nations to explore and secure new procurement opportunities.
• Hands-On Role: Engage directly in field operations, spending approximately 40% of your time travelling and on-site to oversee procurement activities, monitor vendor performance, and ensure alignment with company standards.

About you
You'll possess the following skills, abilities, and experience:

• Education: Must hold a post-secondary undergraduate degree or diploma in natural resource management. A registered Professional Forester or Registered Forest Technologist designation is preferred.
  
• Experience: Minimum 5 years in a field of natural resources, preferably in the forest industry. A combination of education and experience related to natural resources will be considered.
  
Outstanding negotiation and analytical skills.

Contract negotiation and management in a complex industry.

Business and financial acumen with knowledge of financial processes (FP&A, P2P, budgeting).

Advanced MS Office skills (Power Point, Excel, Word).

Influencing and team-building capabilities to drive results.

Adaptability to meet demanding deadlines amid conflicting business metrics.

Strong communication, critical thinking, project management, and time management skills.

• Impeccable personal integrity and professionalism.

Key Accountabilities
Leadership & Management

• Coverage: Oversee procurement activities across 3-4 pellet plants, including 2 partnerships, and manage offsite storage locations.
• Region: Pellet plants are situated in Smithers, Houston, Burns Lake, and Quesnel, with the head office located in Prince George.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Internal: Collaborate closely with Safety, Sustainability, Operations, and Finance teams to ensure alignment with company goals. External: Maintain strong relationships with supply and hauling vendors, supporting contractors, government representatives, local First Nations, and strategic partners to ensure a steady supply of biomass.
• Super-User Role: Act as the key resource for the LIMS (Log Inventory Management System) and related business intelligence/reporting tools, ensuring accurate data management and reporting.
• Sustainable Feedstock Planning: Support the planning and sourcing of sustainable feedstock to meet production needs while adhering to environmental and sustainability standards.
• Vendor & Contract Management: Manage numerous active contracts with vendors, timber marks, and sale/trade agreements, ensuring compliance and favorable terms.
• Optimization: Develop and tailor supply plans for each plant to meet specific operational constraints, optimize costs, and ensure the supply of biomass that meets Drax pellet quality requirements.

How you need to act:

• We care about what matters – we help each other achieve the things that are important to each of us
  
• We’re a can-do kind of place – we’re empowered and encouraged to make informed decisions, take action and do the right thing
• We see things differently – we inspiration and insight right across Drax, and search for new ideas and ways of working
• We listen carefully – we make sure that people feel genuinely heard, and acknowledged and that what they say matters
• We do what we say we’ll do – we’re proactive, committed, and reliable –and trust others to be the same

About Drax
Drax is at the forefront of transforming energy generation, supply, and usage. Our mission is to drive a zero-carbon, lower-cost energy future. By joining Drax, you'll be part of a team that's making a significant impact on our collective future.
Apply today to help Drax discover the talented individuals we need to drive this change. A career at Drax is more than just a job—it's a chance to make a difference.
Curious to learn more about us? We recommend you connect with us on Linked In for more insights.
The Drax Resourcing team will never use third-party apps to make job offers. The recruitment process with Drax will always include at least one face-to-face interview, either in person or via an online video call, as well as several phone conversations. Drax will never ask you to download apps to enter timesheet details or ask you to purchase your own IT equipment. If you have any concerns during your recruitment process or suspect something isn’t right, please contact us via careers@drax.com to verify the application or details of the person you have been speaking to.
Please note that, whilst not expected, the company may pay at a rate outside of the band for this role where appropriate, considering the candidate’s experience, skills and other relevant factors.
The advertised salary range relates to British Columbia and is provided in accordance with the BC Pay Transparency Act. We recognize however that salaries are often driven by market forces in the local area where a candidate is based and accordingly the salary range may not apply outside of British Columbia.