Vendor & Contract Management Principal Analyst

FINRA • Rockville, MD

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

FINRA is the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority—a not-for-profit organization dedicated to investor protection and market integrity. We oversee broker-dealers operating in the United States, writing and enforcing rules, examining firms for compliance, and fostering market transparency. Our work ensures fairness and confidence in the financial markets, making a real difference for millions of investors every day. Principal Analyst, Transparency Services – Vendor and Contract Management Make an Impact Where Markets Meet Mission Join Transparency Services at FINRA, where your contract management expertise directly supports the integrity and transparency of U.S. financial markets. As a Principal Analyst in Vendor and Contract Management, you'll be at the intersection of business strategy, legal operations, and technology—managing the critical relationships and agreements that power our market data and transparency initiatives. What You'll Do You'll be the strategic partner managing the full lifecycle of vendor and client contracts for Transparency Services. From initial negotiations through ongoing service delivery, you'll ensure our third-party relationships run smoothly and deliver value. In this dynamic role, you'll: Serve as the primary liaison between legal, procurement, senior management, and key stakeholders throughout the contract preparation and negotiation process Drive contract lifecycle management from sourcing and execution through monitoring, renewal, and closeout Collaborate cross-functionally with business subject matter experts and vendors to gather and analyze data, providing timely contract updates and status information to stakeholders Ensure financial accuracy by verifying that invoices align with contract terms and partnering with Finance for timely payment processing Monitor vendor performance through periodic review meetings, continuously improving vendor effectiveness and ensuring service delivery issues, challenges, or risks are proactively mitigated Support strategic planning by assisting leadership with exit strategies for contracts that terminate prematurely or expire naturally Escalate complex matters to leadership when needed, while following established procedures for contracting, invoicing, and vendor management Champion FINRA's values and collaborate both in-person and virtually in furtherance of our mission Why This Role Matters Your work ensures that the contracts supporting FINRA's transparency mission are well-managed, compliant, and aligned with organizational goals. You'll have visibility across the organization, building relationships with diverse teams while developing deep expertise in regulatory technology and financial services operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and 7 years of contractor/vendor management experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
• Relationship-building expertise with vendors, clients, and stakeholders, including strong communication, problem-solving, flexibility, and interpersonal skills
• Detail-oriented analytical approach with ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex requirements
• Strong analytical skills in technical, organizational, and business process areas
• Multitasking capability to administer several open, ongoing assignments simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with business and industry leaders to craft appropriate solutions to contract-related challenges

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary liaison between legal, procurement, senior management, and key stakeholders throughout the contract preparation and negotiation process
• Drive contract lifecycle management from sourcing and execution through monitoring, renewal, and closeout
• Collaborate cross-functionally with business subject matter experts and vendors to gather and analyze data, providing timely contract updates and status information to stakeholders
• Ensure financial accuracy by verifying that invoices align with contract terms and partnering with Finance for timely payment processing
• Monitor vendor performance through periodic review meetings, continuously improving vendor effectiveness and ensuring service delivery issues, challenges, or risks are proactively mitigated
• Support strategic planning by assisting leadership with exit strategies for contracts that terminate prematurely or expire naturally
• Escalate complex matters to leadership when needed, while following established procedures for contracting, invoicing, and vendor management
• Champion FINRA's values and collaborate both in-person and virtually in furtherance of our mission

Benefits

• comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance
• basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal
• immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match
• eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution
• tuition reimbursement
• commuter benefits
• adoption assistance
• backup family care
• surrogacy benefits
• employee assistance
• wellness programs
• 15 days of paid time off
• 5 personal days
• 9 sick days
• two volunteer service days
• military leave
• jury duty leave
• bereavement leave
• voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections
• care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment)
• childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment)
• nine paid holidays

What This Job Offers

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