Manager, Vendor Management and Procurement

State of Wisconsin Investment Board • Madison, WI

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) is seeking a Manager, Vendor Management and Procurement to lead the Vendor Engagement and Oversight (VEO) function. This role reports directly to SWIB’s Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for coordinating all vendor-related activities, including procurement support, vendor intake, diligence coordination, lifecycle administration, renewals, reporting, and issue tracking. The VEO team facilitates consistent execution across the vendor lifecycle by helping business teams engage appropriate partners early, including Legal, Operational Risk, Technology, Compliance, and Finance. This position supports disciplined process management, documentation, escalation, and follow-through while ensuring decision-making authority remains with business owners and subject-matter experts.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of experience, with varied and progressively increasing responsibilities in financial services, vendor management, or project management roles.
• Holds a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Confidently manages enterprise-level relationships and can command an executive audience.
• Thrives in a project management role and can reliably coordinate varied processes.
• Is driven by results while being highly focused on process and adherence to policies.
• Is a self-starter with the ability to nimbly manage competing priorities.
• Can efficiently consume, distill, and communicate complex issues.
• Leverages their intellectual curiosity to continuously learn and develop their skills.
• Approaches situations thoughtfully, and consistently engages with and values diverse perspectives from others.
• Maintains composure and demonstrates adaptability when navigating unexpected situations.
• Has led enterprise-level relationship formation and oversight.
• Challenges the status quo when appropriate.
• Maintains strategic focus while evaluating tactical challenges.
• Requires U.S. work authorization.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the central coordinator for vendor-related activity, including intake, procurement support, diligence coordination, lifecycle administration, renewals, reporting, and issue tracking.
• Maintain a clear and consistent vendor intake process that helps business teams engage the appropriate partners early, including Legal, Operational Risk, Technology, Compliance, and Finance.
• Partner with Operational Risk in assessing vendor criticality, risk tiering, ongoing monitoring expectations, resilience planning, risk acceptance, and exit planning.
• Collaborate with Legal to engage vendors, coordinate renewals and terminations, select appropriate RFP routes, and manage vendor contract matters.
• Facilitate all elements of vendor lifecycle administration, including onboarding, contract and renewal tracking, vendor records, segmentation support, and coordination of termination or offboarding activities.
• Support vendor issue management by maintaining escalation processes, tracking open items, coordinating stakeholder follow-up, and ensuring contractual, risk, service, or termination matters are elevated to the appropriate parties.
• Coordinate procurement-related processes, including RFx coordination, sole-source or simplified-bid documentation, supplier setup support, purchase-order coordination, budget impacts, and related reporting.
• Lead continuous improvement of vendor management processes, reporting, templates, and governance practices to improve transparency, accountability, timeliness, documentation quality, and cross-functional collaboration.

Benefits

• Competitive total cash compensation, based on AON (formerly McLagan) industry benchmarks
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Educational and training opportunities
• Tuition reimbursement
• Challenging work in a professional environment
• Hybrid work environment
• Relocation reimbursement to the Dane County area

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager