Lead, Vendor Governance

Shopify

About The Position

Shopify is seeking an individual contributor to build and lead effective governance for global vendors and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) partners. The role owns complex commercial arrangements, financial oversight, partner accountability, and the governance frameworks that support vendor performance and merchant experiences. It leads through expertise, influence, and ownership of outcomes rather than direct reports, working alongside Delivery teams that manage day-to-day vendor performance and coaching. The Lead will strengthen commercial discipline and operational governance while using data, approved AI tools, automation, and analysis to reduce manual work and improve information access and audits. The role is expected to challenge assumptions, create practical solutions, protect sensitive information, preserve essential safeguards, and remove unnecessary process obstacles. Success is measured by stronger vendor outcomes, earlier visibility into risks, less manual effort and avoidable handoffs, and clear ownership and decision-making for partners and internal teams.

Requirements

At least 4 years of hands-on vendor or BPO experience, with evidence of governing complex partnerships in a contact centre, global technology, or similarly demanding environment.
A strong commercial track record across contracts, RFPs, negotiation, OPEX forecasting, and invoice controls.
Practical experience using data and AI to improve operational work, with clear examples of results and how they were validated.
Sound knowledge of security protocols, zero-trust principles, privacy, and third-party risk in outsourced environments, including knowing when specialist advice or approval is required.
Ability to turn messy information into a clear recommendation and influence people from frontline teams to vendor executives.
Experience delivering operational change, developing useful standards, and applying workforce-management principles without relying on heavy coordination or reporting.
Comfort working across global time zones, adapting to changing information, and learning alongside people with different expertise.

Responsibilities

Lead RFPs, contract reviews, Statements of Work, and change orders; improve rates, service commitments, and bonus/penalty structures within agreed Legal and financial approvals.
Own BPO OPEX planning, forecasting, and invoice oversight; investigate cost drivers and discrepancies, surface risks early, and make recommendations.
Develop metric definitions, baselines, and scorecards; partner with Delivery leaders on approved targets and consistent enforcement, linking commercial commitments to relevant outcomes.
Work with Information Security, IT, and Third-Party Risk on privacy, vendor tools, and incidents; make risks explicit and proportionate while preserving essential controls and removing ineffective steps.
Deliver cross-functional changes across BPO partners by clarifying owners and decisions, testing approaches, learning from results, and completing the work.
Use workforce-planning evidence to guide staffing decisions and govern vendor hiring and cohort readiness.
Audit staffing efficiency, attendance, attrition, and training standards, and work with Delivery on follow-through while respecting agreed decision rights.
Use approved AI tools, automation, and analysis to reduce manual work, improve audits, and make information easier to find; validate outputs, protect sensitive data, and measure results.
Build productive relationships with vendor executives and internal teams; communicate context, handle difficult conversations constructively, and resolve governance escalations without becoming an unnecessary gatekeeper.
Seek feedback, share learning, and build useful capabilities others can use and maintain.