Senior Supplier Relationship Manager

BMO•Toronto, ON

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Supplier Relationship Manager role involves developing, promoting, maintaining, and managing an assigned business/group vendor management program. This program focuses on partnerships with suppliers/service providers to improve productivity, service delivery, and quality. Key responsibilities include performing periodic reviews, analyzing program outcomes, providing insights, and recommending enhancements. The role ensures the effective execution of all program components, including change management, communications, and risk mitigation, working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders as a trusted advisor. The manager will also support the implementation of documentation, process controls, and knowledge assets, coordinate budgets, and prepare financial reconciliations. This position reviews and enhances vendor management processes, participates in the design, negotiation, and renewal of service level agreements (SLAs), technical service agreements (TSAs), or business partner agreements (BPAs), and assesses performance against these agreements. Contract administration, potential oversight of invoice/billing activities, and validation of business continuity and disaster recovery plans for supplier arrangements are also part of the role. The manager will educate and cross-train team members, develop solutions based on business strategy, and provide advice on supplier arrangement implementation. The role involves participating in relationship management between BMO internal partners and suppliers, monitoring supplier performance, and executing timely and accurate service for program execution. Building effective relationships, ensuring stakeholder alignment, analyzing data for program insights, and producing reports and dashboards are crucial. The focus is primarily on business/group within BMO, with potential for broader enterprise-wide impact. The role requires specialized consulting, analytical, and technical support, exercising judgment to solve problems, and working independently on non-routine situations, while applying the Risk Management Framework and making risk-informed decisions. The AIR MILES Reward Program, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank of Montreal (BMO), is one of Canada’s most recognized loyalty programs with over 10 million active collector accounts. BMO is Canada’s oldest bank and the 8th largest in North America, serving over 12 million customers globally. As part of the AIR MILES team, employees are valued and supported with tools and resources for growth and impact. BMO's purpose is to "Boldly Grow the Good in business and life," focusing on building, investing, and transforming to drive performance.

Requirements

Typically between 5 - 7 years of relevant experience.
Post-secondary degree in related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Knowledge and experience managing vendor programs - In-depth.
Deep knowledge and technical proficiency gained through extensive education and business experience.
Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth.
Collaboration & team skills - In-depth.
Analytical and problem solving skills - In-depth.
Influence skills - In-depth.
Data driven decision making - In-depth.

Responsibilities

Develops, promotes, maintains and manages an assigned business/group vendor management program for the management of partnerships with suppliers/service providers that improve productivity, service delivery and quality.
Performs periodic reviews, analyzing program outcomes, providing insights and making recommendations for enhancement and changes as required.
Ensures the effective and efficient execution of all program components, including ensuring change management & communications are in place for any enhancements / changes and mitigating any risk.
Works collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
Acts as a trusted advisor to assigned business/group.
Participates in initiatives as a subject matter expert for an aspect(s) of vendor arrangement or business process.
Influences and negotiates to achieve business objectives.
Identifies emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making.
Assists in the development of strategic plans.
Provides input to vendor management policy and procedures.
Prepares quarterly management interpretation documents.
Develops and manages business/group vendor management programs.
Provides specialized support to investigate and resolve complex issues as escalated by end-users or assigned by management.
Supports management and implementation of documentation / process controls / knowledge assets required for the program operations.
Coordinates budgets and reporting to track actual results vs budget.
Prepares financial reconciliations and attestation certificates as required.
Reviews the vendor management program/processes for effectiveness, considers industry trends and recommends enhancements; makes changes as required.
Participates in the design and negotiation and renewal of service level agreement (SLA), technical service agreement (TSA) or business partner agreement (BPA).
Assess performance against SLAs/ TSAs/ BPAs.
Manages and administers supplier/service provider contracts in accordance with the Bank’s Outsourcing Model.
May oversee supplier and service provider invoice/ billing activities to monitor cost expectations and resolve billing and payment issues.
Validates, prepares, and tests business continuity and disaster recovery plans for supplier arrangements.
Educates and cross trains other team members as required.
Supports the development and promotion of a business/group vendor management program solution.
Develops solutions and makes recommendations based on an understanding of the business strategy and stakeholder needs.
Provides advice and guidance to assigned business/group on implementation of supplier arrangements.
Participates in the relationship management between BMO internal business/group partners and suppliers/service providers.
Supports the management of the vendor program, including developing program components, promoting the program and ensuring the execution of all program components and product(s)/service(s) are delivered according to the contractual SLAs, TSAs, and BPAs in compliance with standards.
Monitors and tracks supplier performance and addresses any issues.
Executes work to deliver timely, accurate, and efficient service for routine & non-routine transactions related to the program execution.
Builds effective relationships with internal/external stakeholders.
Ensures alignment between stakeholders.
Breaks down strategic problems, and analyses data and information to provide program insights and recommendations.
Designs and produces regular and ad-hoc reports, and dashboards.
Applies our Risk Management Framework in the execution of your role, in line with our Risk Culture and within our approved Risk Appetite, making sound and risk informed decisions that align to business strategy, protect assets, and adhere to applicable policy documents (Frameworks, Policies, Standards, Procedures and Supporting documents), laws and regulations.