POSITION SUMMARY

The Vendor Manager is responsible for overseeing vendor portfolios and fostering productive vendor relationships across assigned business units. This role serves as a strategic partner to internal stakeholders, leading activities related to sourcing, vendor selection, negotiations, contracting, and ongoing governance. The Vendor Manager plays a key role in ensuring optimal vendor performance, cost efficiency, risk mitigation, and alignment with business objectives. The ideal candidate will bring high energy, strong experience, and the ability to hit the ground running in a fast-moving environment.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, IT, Supply Chain Management, or related field
• OR equivalent experience (7–10 years) in lieu of degree
• 5+ years of experience managing enterprise-level vendors, including contract negotiation, sourcing, and governance
• Enterprise IT experience is required, with a deep understanding of vendor impacts on large-scale IT systems and projects
• Demonstrated experience managing vendor governance at scale and executing complex contracts
• Experience supporting corporate integrations or mergers involving third-party vendors is a strong plus

SKILLS & CHARACTERISTICS:

• High energy, self-starter, and fast-moving with the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities
• Proven project management (PM) skills with the ability to lead initiatives from initiation through execution
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships across departments and with vendors
• Analytical and detail-oriented, with strong problem-solving capabilities
• Comfortable working independently and making informed decisions
• Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and lead through collaboration
• Culture fit is critical — must thrive in a values-driven, collaborative environment

PHYSICAL & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work seated or standing at a computer for extended periods
• Occasional travel within the service region may be required for meetings or training

• Serve as the primary point of contact between vendors and business units, managing vendor performance, risk, cost, and relationship strategy.
• Drive the end-to-end lifecycle of sourcing, selecting, negotiating, and managing contracts, ensuring alignment with business needs.
• Lead monthly and annual reviews with business units to assess current vendor activities, financials, and strategic direction.
• Provide industry insights on cost drivers, vendor trends, and negotiation levers.
• Oversee the execution and governance of contracts for over 100 vendors, ensuring compliance and performance across all touchpoints.
• Facilitate initial planning for contract renewals, new agreements, and upcoming vendor initiatives.
• Play a critical role in merger-related contract negotiations, particularly involving CDHP affiliates, ensuring seamless integration and strategic alignment.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Legal, Finance, Security, Procurement, and executive stakeholders to ensure timely contract execution and governance compliance.
• Manage commercial negotiations with a focus on cost, service quality, and value.
• Execute and maintain governance frameworks for priority vendors, including scorecard reviews, performance evaluations, and corrective action plans.
• Support enterprise-wide projects, including vendor consolidation, optimization, and IT initiatives, by providing vendor management leadership.
• Maintain vendor summaries and dashboards, covering vendor contacts, contract terms, financials, and performance insights.
• Lead formal escalations and resolve disputes, including pricing, service delivery, and compliance issues.
• Support process improvement efforts within the vendor management function, including systems, data, analytics, and reporting enhancements.
• Collaborate effectively with internal departments, partners, and vendors to ensure alignment and shared accountability.
• Demonstrate flexibility and leadership in a high-paced, collaborative environment.