Manager, Vendor Operations

Premera Blue Cross•Mountlake Terrace, WA

2d•$101,900 - $173,200•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager of Vendor Operations leads performance and governance for the Contact Center’s strategic partners. The role leads work transitions from readiness through stabilization while ensuring service is high-quality, compliant, and cost-effective. It manages a high-performing Partner Management Team, partners across the enterprise, handles key escalations, and drives accountability for supplier performance, financial outcomes, and continuous improvement. The manager also has a voice in readiness-based transition decisions. Some travel is required. The position oversees vendor performance and governance, transition readiness, workforce alignment, financial management, contract lifecycle activities, process improvement, audit readiness, and business continuity for offshore operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, management, or a related field, or four years of equivalent related experience.
Five years of progressively responsible operations experience, including three years of people leadership; experience managing programs, processes, or operational workflows and leading teams through performance management and development.
Two years of demonstrated experience managing external vendor-based and/or globally distributed teams, including vendor relationship management, performance oversight, issue escalation, and contract compliance support.
Experience managing external or third-party vendor operations in a highly regulated environment.
Demonstrated experience developing and leading vendor governance practices, including scorecards, KPI/SLA management, escalation frameworks, and monthly or quarterly business reviews.
Experience leading process improvement, operational transformation, and/or automation initiatives.
Experience leading large-scale work transitions and change management, including defining readiness criteria, approving transition gates, and validating post-transition stabilization metrics.
Experience partnering with Workforce Management on forecasting, staffing models, capacity planning, ramp readiness, and skill coverage to ensure vendor delivery meets demand and contractual commitments.
Experience supporting system implementations and UAT, operational transformations, and cross-functional work with Operations, IT, Finance, Compliance, and Legal to support operational readiness and/or work transitions.

Nice To Haves

Health insurance and/or operations experience, including work in a highly regulated environment.

Responsibilities

Set performance expectations for the Contact Center’s strategic partners, monitor results, and conduct regular reviews using scorecards, KPIs/SLAs, and escalation pathways.
Design and manage governance and readiness frameworks for work transitions, coordinating execution with the business.
Lead people management for the Partner Management Team, including hiring, talent development, succession planning, performance calibration, and coaching.
Partner with Workforce Management to align vendor capacity, staffing, schedules, and ramp plans with forecasted demand, and hold vendors accountable to staffing models.
Serve as the primary liaison among internal teams, vendors, business units, and external stakeholders; manage escalations with executive-ready communication.
Manage vendor financials, including budget planning, invoice validation, cost adherence, and cost optimization.
Partner with Strategic Sourcing/Procurement and Legal on contract lifecycle activities, including SOWs, change control, renewals, and SLA/penalty recommendations.
Identify process gaps and implement best practices to improve efficiency and quality, including standardization, Lean, and automation.
Ensure vendor audit readiness by validating controls, evidence retention, and corrective action plans with Compliance, Privacy, and Security.
Maintain business continuity and risk mitigation plans for offshore operations, including vendor dependency risk and stabilization criteria.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Medical, vision, and dental coverage with low employee premiums.
Voluntary benefits, including pet insurance.
Life and disability insurance.
Retirement programs, including a 401(k) employer match and a pension plan vested after three years of service.
Wellness incentives and mental well-being resources for employees and dependents, including counseling, stress management, and mindfulness programs.
Generous paid time off.
Tuition assistance for undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Employee recognition program.
Hybrid employees have access to on-campus resources, networking opportunities, and team engagement.
Commuter perks.
Free on-site parking.
Subsidized on-campus cafes.
On-site activities, including health and wellness events, coffee connects, and disaster preparedness fairs.
Fitness and well-being center with in-person and virtual workouts and nutritional counseling.