Vendor Manager I/II

Essential Accountabilities

• Manages vendor portfolios and vendor relationships for small size business units / vendor portfolios with low complexity and risk.
• Owns all aspects of the vendor relationship for designated business area to ensure vendor performance meets contractual obligations and business partner expectations.
• Performs monthly reviews with business unit regarding vendor current activity and future plans and requirements for new vendor activity; share industry vendor insight on cost drivers, negotiation levers, competitors, and industry trends.
• Provides required vendor management support for business unit ongoing operational activities and projects.
• Annually updates and formally reviews a business unit’s vendor portfolio summary report covering overall portfolio vendor activity volumes, financials, dates, plans, issues, risks, opportunities, trending and industry insight.
• Facilitates upfront early engagement and initial planning with business units for ongoing renewals and new agreements.
• Directs activities for business unit vendor portfolio agreements, including renewals, amendments, and new contracts to drive quality, on-time delivery, competitive costs, contract execution; identifies key issues and required corrective actions while facilitating and escalating as needed.
• Leads, structures, and guides business units on major vendor sourcing, selection, negotiations, and contracting plan in partnership with internal stakeholders (Business Units, Legal, Finance, Security, EPMO, Sourcing, and Purchasing); facilitates management review and approval of plan scope, timing, costs, and sourcing approach; oversees overall plan execution per schedule.
• Leads sourcing and selection activities as planned through RFx competition and/or direct negotiations with industry advisement, as necessary.
• Leads commercial negotiations focused on vendor product and service obligations and competitive pricing by leveraging industry/benchmark pricing and advisement; formally tracks and reports negotiation results.
• Facilitates Legal, Finance, Executive Management, and Purchasing timely review and approvals; identifies key on-time execution issues and required corrective actions while facilitating and escalating as needed.
• Supports supplier diversity efforts with direct engagement of Minority and Woman owned businesses (MWBE) or through the development and capturing of second tier MWBE reporting.
• Supports formal governance framework to drive improvement for quality, delivery and support, flexibility and ease, cost and financials, risks and compliances, strategic partnership alignment and innovation for select vendors.
• Leads vendor escalations and contractual dispute resolutions by understanding the vendor’s contractual obligations and communicating appropriately with its stakeholders.
• Provides required vendor management support for Corporate Enterprise projects.
• Supports optimization of Vendor Management framework, process, data, system, reporting, and analytics.

Qualifications

• Two (2) or more years of experience with vendors in the areas of sourcing, negotiating, contracting, and vendor governance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, IT, or related field preferred.
• Previous experience driving and leading negotiations for low to medium complexity agreements.
• Experience executing competitive bids and negotiations with a track record of delivering cost efficiencies and value.
• Persuasive effective communication with a demonstrated ability to build, influence, and execute in all facets of relationship building, sourcing, negotiations, contracting, and governing vendors.
• Full cycle project management support experience.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proven ability to secure alignment and commitment with partners and/or stakeholders, ensuring deadlines are met, while communicating risks and necessary adjustments in a timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and create, develop, and drive robust operational action plans.
• Ability to perform work with minimal oversight and as part of a team.
• Ability to support or lead cross-functional teams.
• Basic skills in Microsoft Office programs.

Level II (in Addition To Level I)

• Five (5) or more years of experience with vendors in the areas of sourcing, negotiating, contracting, and vendor governance.
• Proficiency with procurement modules of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool.
• Experience driving and leading negotiations for moderate to complex agreements.
• Experience executing strategic competitive bids and negotiations with a track record of delivering cost efficiencies and value across a diverse portfolio of enterprise sourcing activities.
• Strong data analysis and strategic thinking skills.
• Project leadership experience that involves management of projects from inception to completion.
• Ability to work independently, including exercising considerable decision-making skills in determining objectives and approaches.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams, possibly directing the work of others.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office programs.

Level III (in Addition To Level II)

• Seven (7) or more years of experience with top tier enterprise vendors in the areas of sourcing, negotiating, contracting, and vendor governance.
• Advanced proficiency with procurement modules of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool.
• Demonstrated experience driving and leading negotiations for complex agreements with top tier enterprise vendors.
• Advanced experience executing strategic competitive bids and negotiations with a track record of delivering significant cost efficiencies and value across a diverse portfolio of enterprise sourcing activities.
• Demonstrated tact and poise in dealing with senior-level management and contract professionals.
• Advanced presentation skills and advanced teambuilding skills.
• Subject matter expert in one or more categories / commodities.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office programs.

Level IV (in Addition To Level III)

• Ten (10) or more years of experience with top tier enterprise vendors in the areas of sourcing, negotiating, contracting, and vendor governance.
• Expertise with procurement modules of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool.
• Demonstrated experience driving and leading negotiations for large complex agreements with top tier enterprise vendors.
• Proven expertise executing strategic competitive bids and negotiations with a track record of delivering benchmark cost efficiencies and value across a diverse portfolio of enterprise sourcing activities.
• Demonstrated tact and poise in dealing with executive level management and contract professionals.
• Exceptional ability to think strategically and create, develop, and drive robust operational action plans.
• Subject matter expert in multiple categories / commodities.
• Highly polished presentation skills, expert teambuilding and robust leadership skills.
• Expertise in Microsoft Office programs.
• Previous experience in mentoring and training.