Profile: Marnie Waller

Team leader aims to procure best and brightest

Marnie Waller speaks with enthusiasm when she describes some of the recent procurement innovations introduced at Natural Resources Canada. And she’s also proud of the role she has played in these innovations.

As a team leader in NRCan’s Procurement, Contracting and Assets Management Services Unit, Marnie heads a staff of nine contracting officers and procurement clerks. She is also the primary contact for clients in the Minister’s office, Deputy Minister’s office and the Energy Sector.

 “We were one of the first departments to adopt a shared approach to internal service delivery for administrative services such as finance and procurement, human resources management and information technology,” Marnie says.

Unexpected honour

She worked on the team to develop the blueprint that set the new strategic direction for the department’s Shared Services Office. The blueprint was designed to turn “our burgeoning organization into a high-performing example of the efficiencies that can be achieved with a common approach,” Marnie says.

Marnie also provided new ideas to improve her unit’s processing efficiency and
e-procurement initiatives by using time-saving technology and tools that “allow us to concentrate on activities that add more value.”

Because of these accomplishments, and others, she was honoured during National Public Service Week with a Departmental Merit Award for Exceptional Accomplishment, recognizing her contributions to various NRCan initiatives.  “It was an unexpected honour that touched me deeply,” she says.

Future leaders

Marnie, who joined NRCan five years ago after completing a bachelor of administration at the University of Regina, is also active in NRCan’s Young Professionals Network. Last spring, she was one of four NRCan employees selected to attend the original Future Leaders Forum hosted by the Canada School of Public Service.

After that event, a Lunch and Learn series was organized at NRCan to promote dialogue between future and current senior leaders within the department, facilitate networking and create opportunities for input into management committees that are looking at recruitment, retention and renewal.

Marnie now represents the network on the department’s Human Resources Renewal Committee. “NRCan has embraced a collaborative leadership approach,” says Marnie, “so employees at all levels of the organization are encouraged to get engaged and contribute to the decision-making processes of the department.  It is an exciting time to work at NRCan!”

 “Every day brings new and exciting challenges. I get the chance to work on a wide variety of projects, teaming up with colleagues from across the department to help shape the NRCan of tomorrow,” Marnie says. “I aspire to be an agent of change as we work together to optimize the services we provide to all Canadians.”

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