Vendor Manager

Vendor Manager - Hybrid - Boston, MA This Robert Half partner is offering an exciting opportunity for a Vendor Manager III to join their growing team located in Boston, Massachusetts. This role involves managing the complete vendor lifecycle within the procurement services group of the organization. As a Vendor Manager III, you will be responsible for sourcing products and services, managing vendor relationships, and mitigating risks to ensure value throughout the vendor relationship.

Perks and Benefits:

• Culture - great place to work with a friendly professional atmosphere
• Work/life balance
• PTO, 13 holidays, 7 recess days, 3 personal days, the week off in between Xmas and new years, 3% match on 403B with up to a 5% match.
• Beautiful building. Offices are 2-8th floor and this role sites on 2nd floor - open floor building.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Vendor Management

• Vendor Research and Selection
• Conduct industry research, leverage existing relationships, and vet potential vendors
• Lead the vendor selection process, including interviews, RFPs, reference checks, etc.
• Supports technology procurement by working closely with the Office of the CIO (OCIO) and relevant subject matter experts to understand their procurement timeline and to gather technical requirements
• Participates in sourcing lodging and procurement of other services for group events
• Professional level role requiring knowledge of vendor engagement, product discovery against requirements, and negotiations with potential vendors.
• Recommends course of action and best practices to improve products, processes, or services.
• Interprets internal challenges to external vendors and reverse communicates services, processes, or products into presentation of recommended best approaches or solutions.
• Supports advanced methods to contribute new solutions, recommendations, or operational goals.
• Works autonomously as a lead and guides others within area of expertise
• Knowledge of Risk Management practices, standards, and regulations
• Coordinate with the Procurement team, financial analysts, legal, technology, and Information Security departments to complete the contracting process for new vendors
• Review, Understand, and Compare multiple contractual terms when working with internal legal staff on behalf of internal client departments when representing the organization
• Vendor Onboarding
• Ability to negotiate, influence, collaborate and effectively communicate to build relationships
• Educate new vendors on organizational culture and historical context including thorough explanations of how their work fits into the broader mission of the team
• Vendor Relationship Governance
• Manage contract renewals and negotiations
• Maintain regular communication with strategic vendors
• Conduct regular assessments of all existing vendors
• Serve as an escalation point for delivery and relationship issues
• Department Relations
• Meet regularly with OCIO managers and subject matter experts to stay informed of their current and upcoming procurement needs and the overall timeline for scheduled maintenance projects and new initiatives.
• Advise client departments on best practices for working with strategic vendors
• Leverage industry knowledge to support the organizations annual budget process

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience is required.
• The incumbent should have 3-5 years in vendor management, a thorough understanding of the procurement process as it relates to third-party management
• Lifecycle, 2 years of project management and negotiation experience, former experience with an emphasis on technology-related procurement and client/vendor relationships; experience in working in a technology-based organization is preferred
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher) and Google Docs skills are required