technology vendor relationship manager (Seattle, WA - U.S.)

Starbucks • Seattle, WA

13d • Onsite

About The Position

This job contributes to Starbucks strategic success by building, maintaining and improving relationships with important (business critical, high-value and high-dependency) technology vendors and internal stakeholders (such as global technology leadership, their teams, and business users). The VRM is tasked with evaluating vendors for selection, ensuring vendors meet contractual performance obligations, supporting strategic objectives and managing non-performing relationships back to health. A VRM is aligned to a specified Starbucks Technology vertical (Ex: Retail, Partner Resources, Customer technology), providing the ability to become highly knowledgeable about their vertical’s long-term vision, build trusted relationships, and manage vendors within context of an ecosystem where, as applicable, allows for the ability to ensure vendors collaborate to achieve the expected business results.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in general business, economics, psychology, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics
• Technology Vendor Management – multiple tech vendors, Interpersonal Relationship and Dispute Resolution, Technology Market Landscape, Presentation, Project Management, Contract Management, Negotiation and ability to conduct Analysis
• 5+ years of experience in specific field or utilizing designated skills
• Vendor Relationship Management of multiple technology vendors
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, high commitment to quality, self-starter, problem solver and decisive
• Proven diplomacy and problem-solving skills
• Strong critical thinking skills, curious mindset and strategic agility
• Ability to work in a high energy, fast paced environment

Responsibilities

• Identifiy, develop and formalize relationships with multiple vendors
• Maintain knowledge about their assigned Technology vertical to enable continued alignment with strategic technology and/or business priorities
• Develop and lead key relationship meetings: Quarterly Business Reviews, Monthly Performance Reviews, Executive Briefings, Annual CTO Vendor Forum
• Manage and measure performance of the overall relationship between internal technology teams and the vendor
• Provide coaching, direction and leadership to drive proper alignment on business and operational topics
• Assess internal technology and business satisfaction levels through the execution of a vendor scorecard
• Set goals for the relationship, and advocates for ongoing continuous improvement
• Lead by example, to all internal teams, a model of how to work together with the vendor
• Facilitate and maintain relationships between managed vendors, executive sponsors, and technology teams
• Manage escalation and arbitration of relationship and operational issues if other avenues fail
• Launch and manage vendor ‘Get Well’ programs until performance stability is achieved
• Guide effective communication between the organization and managed vendors
• Partner with global counterparts to manage global vendor relationships, and support global expansion of technologies from these vendors
• Contribute to ongoing continuous improvement of Vendor Management practices and standards
• Influence vendor strategy based on a strong understanding of the vendor, their competitors, market trends and pricing models
• Extract maximum value from the relationship that allows for a mutually beneficial exchange: promote optimization, innovation and relationships with the vendor’s top thought leaders
• Participate as a key stakeholder in, evaluating and selecting via Request for Proposal (RFP) events, and contractual terms that speak to vendor performance and resiliency
• Draw a clear line-of-sight from business objectives to vendor performance management metrics
• Perform contract oversight and hold managed vendor’s accountable to their contractual obligations
• Execute analysis, and provides key vendor reports and dashboards

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• basic and supplemental life insurance
• voluntary insurance benefits
• short-term and long-term disability
• paid parental leave
• family expansion reimbursement
• paid vacation from date of hire
• sick time
• eight paid holidays
• two personal days per year
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• discounted company stock program (S.I.P.)
• Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock)
• incentivized emergency savings
• financial well-being tools
• 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan
• student loan management resources
• access to other educational opportunities
• backup care
• DACA reimbursement

What This Job Offers

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