Category & Third Party Manager Investments

at  Robeco

Department
The Global Procurement & Third Party Management department within Robeco plays a critical role in ensuring the smooth operation of Robeco. As the financial industry evolves and regulations such as the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) come into effect, the focus of this department is shifting towards third party risk management and operational resilience.
In this context, the Procurement & Third Party Management department is responsible for overseeing and managing relationships with third-party service providers, ensuring that they comply with relevant regulations and internal policies. This includes conducting comprehensive risk assessments, developing and implementing effective risk mitigation strategies, and monitoring third-party performance, risk, and resilience.
The department also plays a key role in ensuring that the firm is in control of its outsourcing partners and can demonstrate compliance to clients, auditors, and regulators. This involves staying up-to-date with the latest regulatory developments and industry standards and adapting processes and procedures accordingly.
Overall, the Procurement & Third Party Management department is responsible for ensuring that Robeco’s third-party relationships contribute to its overall success while meeting the highest standards of operational resilience in the digital era and meeting our financial objectives.
Position & Requirements
Position
As a Procurement & Third Party Manager in the category “Investments” your main priority will be to service our Investments and Operations teams by procuring outsourcing- and ICT-services, products and licenses and select, onboard and manage service providers.

You will be working closely with various teams and departments within the organization (Investments, IT, Legal, Compliance and Risk Management), as well as with external service providers. It is important to have strong communication skills to effectively collaborate, negotiate, and manage relationships. You will be responsible for ensuring that our third parties comply with the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and other relevant regulations, as well as our internal policies and standards. You will also monitor and assess the performance, risk, and resilience of our third parties, and report on any issues or incidents that may affect our operations or reputation. To be successful in this role, you should demonstrate the following characteristics:

• Risk management: skilled in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with third-party service providers. This includes conducting comprehensive risk assessments and effectively executing risk mitigation strategies.
• Relationship management: proficient in establishing and maintaining strategic relationships with third-party vendors, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
• Regulatory compliance: knowledgeable about relevant regulations and industry standards related to third-party management, and be able to ensure strict adherence and compliance across all vendor relationships.
• Performance monitoring: able to monitor and assess the performance, risk, and resilience of vendors, and report on any issues or incidents that may affect the organization’s operations or reputation.
• Collaboration: able to work effectively with various teams and departments within the organization, as well as with external service providers, to achieve common goals and objectives. This requires strong communication and collaboration skills.

You will become part of a team of 12 Category & Third Party Managers and 5 Operational Procurement Support Officers, and will report into the Senior Manager Category & Third Party Risk Management.
Requirements
The ideal candidate for the position is a skilled and experienced professional with a background in Investment related IT Solutions. Knowledge of the third party landscape of investment solutions is required. Procurement, risk management, relationship management, regulatory compliance and performance monitoring are preferred. They should have at least 4 years of relevant experience as a Vendor Manager or Third Party Risk Manager, preferably in the financial services industry.
The candidate should have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree education and be proficient in both Dutch and English (written and spoken). You should have proven hands-on experience in monitoring of vendors and third parties, including performing Vendor Due Diligence assessments, assurance report assessments and vendor performance monitoring. Experience with (P2P) procurement processes or Workday as a procurement system is preferred.
The ideal candidate should be positive, accurate, and flexible, with an analytical mindset and problem-solving aptitude. They should be adept at adapting to the fast-paced and dynamic nature of the asset management sector, with a forward-looking approach to incorporating innovative solutions for effective third-party management and operational resilience.
The candidate should have a ‘can do’ mentality and be eager to contribute to the organization’s success. They should be able to work effectively in a small team where knowledge sharing and collaboration are very important. Overall, the ideal candidate should bring a blend of strategic thinking, risk management acumen, and a proactive approach.
All applications will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. An assessment and integrity test may be used in the selection procedure.
Robeco Recruiting Team
About Us
As a Dutch asset manager operating globally, Robeco has always combined the best of both worlds. We have global reach and ambitions, while retaining our head office in our hometown of Rotterdam. Employees at Robeco share that combination: we hire and nurture people who can think internationally and put the client first, while keeping their feet firmly on the ground. We have strong links with academia, which underpin the research in our robust quantitative and sustainability investing strategies. Our people have backgrounds in finance but also in economics and geography. Likewise, as pioneers in emerging markets investing, our diverse backgrounds also add local knowledge. We offer an informal and flexible office atmosphere that gives people the room to be themselves, to grow and to perform to the best of their ability.

• Risk management: skilled in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with third-party service providers. This includes conducting comprehensive risk assessments and effectively executing risk mitigation strategies.
• Relationship management: proficient in establishing and maintaining strategic relationships with third-party vendors, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
• Regulatory compliance: knowledgeable about relevant regulations and industry standards related to third-party management, and be able to ensure strict adherence and compliance across all vendor relationships.
• Performance monitoring: able to monitor and assess the performance, risk, and resilience of vendors, and report on any issues or incidents that may affect the organization’s operations or reputation.
• Collaboration: able to work effectively with various teams and departments within the organization, as well as with external service providers, to achieve common goals and objectives. This requires strong communication and collaboration skills