Sr Vendor Management Specialist

Mercury Insurance Services, LLC•Rancho Cucamonga, CA

4d•$83,670 - $161,815

About The Position

The Senior Vendor Management Specialist oversees a portion of the vendor network supporting property claims, including contractors and service providers such as mitigation, restoration, temporary housing, environmental testing, and contents vendors. The specialist sources and onboards vendors, supports contract maintenance, monitors performance and compliance with service-level standards, and addresses escalations and quality issues. In collaboration with adjusters and leadership, this role helps ensure vendors provide timely, cost-effective, high-quality services consistent with company guidelines and supportive of the policyholder experience. The role combines vendor portfolio oversight, performance analytics, vendor risk management, and process and technology improvement. It includes developing scorecards and KPI/SLA frameworks, analyzing vendor performance, leading strategic vendor reviews, investigating complex incidents and disputes, and coordinating remediation plans. The specialist also conducts physical, video, or photo inspections, including travel to customers’ homes or vendor corporate locations. Special projects and pilots may include new service lines, revised service standards, and technology or reporting capabilities, from planning through post-implementation review. The position seeks candidates who reside in Southern California. An in-person interview may be required. A company car is provided for field inspections. The California typical hiring range is $110,468 to $135,016; other listed state-specific pay scales range from $83,670 to $161,815. The posted overall pay range is $83,670 to $161,815 per year.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to obtain state-specific or service-specific property claims licensing, as required.
Must successfully participate in and complete a formal property claims training program, which may be in person, virtual, or a combination of both.
Prior experience using estimating software such as Xactimate.
At least 5 years of successful Property Claims leadership, quality assurance, and/or vendor management experience.
Experience in a related field, such as property claims, a customer service environment, construction, restoration, or mitigation.
Demonstrated experience leading vendor portfolio strategy, complex vendor escalations, and/or analytics-driven performance improvement initiatives.
Clear and professional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to amicably resolve customer concerns.
Ability to work independently with limited or no supervision while managing daily workload.
Ability to review and interpret vendor contractual agreements.
Strong negotiation and conflict-resolution skills, including leading complex, multi-party dispute resolution and vendor remediation efforts.

Nice To Haves

Property vendor experience.
Technical ability to assess vendor performance and make recommendations that support strong vendor relationships.

Responsibilities

Oversee the development, execution, compliance, maintenance, and monitoring of assigned vendor partners in the Property Claims network.
Monitor approved vendors’ performance and compliance with KPIs and SLAs through performance audits, estimate reviews, qualifications monitoring, and dispute resolution.
Monitor vendor qualifications, including licensing, insurance, good standing, financial status, criminal background checks, online reviews, and social media.
Develop performance scorecards and reporting, and recommend network enhancements and strategic improvements to Vendor Management and Claims leaders.
Design and maintain analytic frameworks and KPI/SLA thresholds for vendor portfolios; analyze performance by region and vendor cohort; and present actionable insights to leadership.
Improve technology and data-driven tools for KPI/SLA monitoring; conduct market research; and source and vet alternative vendors and products.
Monitor industry trends and transformations to help maintain an up-to-date, high-quality vendor network.
Champion vendor-related tools and AI capabilities, gather user feedback, partner with technology teams on enhancements, and support user acceptance testing and broader organizational rollout.
Assist the Vendor Manager with vendor risk management, manage invoice processing, and support other teams with integrations and enhancements as needed.
Compare and evaluate competing vendor products and support identification, registration, prioritization, and resolution of vendor risk and incident items.
Lead complex vendor risk and incident matters, including root-cause analysis, formal remediation plans, and recommendations for contract modification, escalation, or vendor exit where appropriate.
Report results and provide performance-improvement action plans to the Claims organization.
Conduct physical, video, or photo inspections related to vendor performance management or dispute resolution, including travel to customer homes or vendor corporate locations.
Hold vendor meetings on performance standards and strategic initiatives, and lead strategic business reviews with key partners, scorecards, trend and risk discussions, action plans, and follow-up timelines.
Execute special projects and initiatives; plan and coordinate tasks; and lead pilots from concept through post-implementation review, measuring impact on cost, quality, and customer experience.
Perform other assigned functions.

Benefits

Competitive compensation.
Paid time off, including vacation time, sick time, nine paid company holidays, and volunteer hours.
Incentive bonus programs, potentially including holiday, referral, and performance-based bonuses.
Medical, dental, vision, life, and pet insurance.
401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.
Education assistance.
Professional and personal development opportunities.
Company recognition program.
Health and wellbeing resources, including free mental wellbeing therapy or coaching sessions and child and eldercare resources.
Flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States for most positions.
Engaging work environment and promotional opportunities.