Sr Manager, Vendor Relationship Management

McDonald's Corporation • Chicago, IL

2d • $145,504 - $181,880

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Vendor Relationship Management & Contract Relations leads the strategic management of key U.S. Technology supplier relationships and provides leadership across the contract lifecycle. The role ensures supplier relationships, contractual commitments, commercial terms, service-level expectations, and renewal strategies align with U.S. Technology priorities and deliver measurable business value.

Serving as a senior relationship owner and contract governance leader, this position connects U.S. Technology, IS&P, Finance, business stakeholders, and strategic suppliers. It strengthens accountability, proactively manages contractual and commercial risk, and improves supplier performance. The role builds on the Supplier Accountability target-state model, providing senior leadership over strategic vendor relationships, contract renewals and standards, negotiations, SOW approvals, financial management, and supplier accountability.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in vendor management, supplier management, technology sourcing, contract management, procurement, commercial management, or related disciplines.
• 3+ years of experience leading teams, complex supplier relationships, or enterprise-level cross-functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience managing strategic technology suppliers and complex commercial relationships.
• Strong understanding of contract lifecycle management, including RFPs, SOWs, amendments, change requests, renewals, SLAs, commercial terms, and contract governance.
• Experience partnering with Procurement/Sourcing, Legal, Finance, and Technology organizations.
• Proven ability to lead complex negotiations and resolve supplier or contractual escalations.
• Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, analytical, and influencing skills.
• Ability to translate contractual and commercial issues into clear business risks, options, and recommendations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing large-scale technology suppliers in a complex enterprise or global environment.
• Experience establishing Vendor Relationship Management, Supplier Relationship Management, or Contract Lifecycle Management operating models.
• Experience with strategic sourcing, supplier performance frameworks, financial management, and technology vendor governance.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related discipline; an advanced degree or relevant professional certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the U.S. Technology contract renewal strategy and provide visibility into upcoming renewals, amendments, change requests, and other significant commercial events.
• Lead the contract lifecycle, from business requirements and sourcing through negotiation, execution, performance management, renewal, and exit.
• Partner with IS&P on sourcing, RFP, negotiation, and contracting activities while representing U.S. Technology's business and operational requirements.
• Establish and continuously improve U.S. Technology contracting standards, including terms, SLA expectations, commercial requirements, and governance principles.
• Ensure new contracts, renewals, amendments, and Statements of Work align with approved U.S. Technology standards and strategic objectives.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for contractual interpretation, supplier obligations, commercial terms, or business expectations requiring resolution.
• Act as an SME for U.S. Technology's SOW approval and contract governance processes.
• Partner with Finance and business leaders on supplier forecasting, budgeting, commercial commitments, and actual spend.
• Evaluate price increases, tariffs, scope changes, renewals, and other commercial requests to understand business impact and support informed decisions.
• Identify opportunities to optimize commercial arrangements while protecting service quality, business continuity, and strategic capabilities.
• Establish visibility into contractual obligations, financial commitments, renewal dates, and key commercial risks.
• Establish governance expectations for strategic suppliers, including executive reviews, operational reviews, SLA management, risk management, and escalation.
• Ensure vendor performance and contractual obligations are evaluated together, grounding performance discussions in agreed commitments.
• Provide leadership with visibility into supplier health, contractual exposure, emerging risks, significant escalations, and required decisions.
• Use supplier and contract trends to identify systemic issues and recommend improvements to contracting standards, governance, and supplier management practices.
• Drive resolution of cross-supplier and cross-functional issues requiring senior-level coordination.
• Lead and develop team members responsible for vendor management, contract coordination, and supplier accountability activities.
• Build partnerships across U.S. Technology, IS&P, Finance, Legal, Global Technology, and other relevant functions.
• Establish clear ways of working among Vendor Relationship Management, Vendor Performance Management, Contract Management, Procurement/Sourcing, and technology teams.
• Provide executive-ready insights and recommendations to U.S. Technology leadership regarding supplier strategy, performance, contracts, risk, and commercial decisions.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health insurance, including medical, prescription drug, mental health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life insurance.
• Bonus eligibility based on individual and company performance.
• Eligibility for stock or other equity grants under McDonald’s long-term incentive plan.
• Sabbatical program.
• Tuition assistance.
• Flexible work arrangements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed