Marketing Manager, Vendor Relations

H.W. Kaufman Group•Farmington Hills, MI

About The Position

The Marketing Manager, Vendor Relations owns the company’s promotional products, corporate gifting, and branded apparel function. This role is responsible for strategy and execution within this domain, including vendor management, sourcing, program development, and system optimization. Acting as a key partner to marketing and business stakeholders, this individual drives cost-effective, scalable solutions while ensuring high-quality brand representation and a seamless internal customer experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Supply Chain, Business, or related field
5–8+ years of experience in procurement, marketing operations, vendor management, or related field
Strong negotiation and vendor management experience
Experience managing budgets and procurement or e-commerce systems preferred
Ability to operate independently and own a functional area

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end promotional products and corporate gifting function, including vendor strategy, product selection, and program development
Develop and evolve sourcing strategies to support marketing programs, events, and employee engagement initiatives
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance program effectiveness
Build, manage, and grow a network of vendors for promotional items, corporate gifts, and branded apparel
Lead vendor negotiations, securing competitive pricing, service levels, and deliverables
Evaluate vendor performance and drive continuous improvement
As assigned, work with other areas of marketing on RFPs, vendor evaluations, and contract negotiations
Design and execute company-wide client gifting programs 2–3 times annually
Own the lifecycle and curation of gifting selections available through the internal platform
Proactively develop new programs to meet evolving marketing and business needs
Serve as the primary point of contact for marketing teams and executives for all promotional, apparel, and gifting needs
Consult with stakeholders to recommend solutions aligned with brand, budget, and program goals
Influence decision-making across teams to ensure consistency and efficiency
Own and continuously improve the online marketing procurement/shopping system
Manage integrations with external vendors for global fulfillment to offices and clients
Enhance user experience, product availability, and operational efficiency
Manage spend within the promotional and gifting category
Oversee billing and chargebacks to business units
Track budgets, analyze spend, and identify cost-saving opportunities
Partner with fulfillment vendors to ensure timely, accurate global delivery
Monitor order execution, inventory (if applicable), and service levels
Resolve issues and ensure a high-quality end-user experience