Supplier Relationship Manager

Supplier Relationship Manager

The Supplier Relationship Manager will build and maintain positive relationships with third party vendors to monitor and manage vendor performance as well as collaborate with internal stakeholders to drive and deliver upon strategic sourcing and transformation plans. This role will influence change in a highly matrixed organization while ensuring timelines and objectives of departmental strategies and initiatives are met. This role will identify trends to drive informed decision making and address challenges and recommend innovative solutions at the account and national levels.

This role will also be tasked with developing and executing managed service agreements.

• Provide vendor management lifecycle oversight of critical and complex third‑party relationships. Monitors and manages the performance of their vendor portfolio to ensure agreed‑upon deliverables and service level commitments are met.
• Establish clear expectations, define key performance indicators (KPIs), and regularly evaluate vendor performance against these benchmarks. Maintains open communication lines with vendors to address any issues or discrepancies promptly.
• Track and report vendor deliverables and service level agreements, ensure accountability, mitigate potential risks, and uphold the organization's standards of quality and timeliness.
• Perform as a functional bridge amongst external vendors as well as internal stakeholders, collaborating across the organization to coordinate the planning and execution of short‑ and long‑term outcomes and projects to meet client and company current and future needs.
• Create, document, and facilitate internal change management processes and routines to introduce and drive adherence to vendor management operational rigor and routines, creating conditions for success by removing obstacles and championing evolution of how work is delivered.
• Proactively assess and analyze vendor operations to identify any potential risks that may impact the organization's performance, business continuity, brand and reputation, and security.
• Uses quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends in issues and create strategies and recommendations for improvement and resolution.
• Identifies process improvements that will result in positive outcomes for all stakeholders.
• Fosters partnerships with vendors, the broader Procurement team members, and internal business stakeholders to foster collaboration and to identify and recommend improvement opportunities.
• Research business strategies and recommends best practices and changes in technology related to the performance of Academic Programs initiatives.
• Ensures overall quality, consistency, and functionality of all work by team members to ensure a high level of performance and engagement from all team members in each functional group.
• Establishes appropriate performance metrics for direct reports and ensures accountability.
• Works with cross‑functional teams to determine current and future direction and to foster collaboration.
• Collaborates with cross‑functional teams regarding contract, billing validity and escalated issues.
• Ensures compliance with policies and procedures pertaining to vendor relations by Academic Programs employees.
• Works with team members and other internal stakeholders to conduct regular vendor business reviews.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Exceptional relationship management skills and ability to influence decisions at executive leadership levels.
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategic and organizational change delivering intended results and outcomes.
• Strong executive‑level communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively navigate and mediate conflict and foster direct dialog with vendors, external clients, employees, account partners, and internal business teams.
• Strong analytical skillset and critical thinking (i.e., ability to compile, interpret and analyze data to make fact‑based recommendations and decisions).
• Ability to organize, coordinate, and direct team activities and results.
• Ability to recognize and execute on…