Vendor Manager III

The First Church of Christ, Scientist•Boston, MA

1d•$87,428 - $113,656•Onsite

About The Position

The Vendor Manager is a part of a team of engaged professionals supporting the diverse activities of a worldwide Church with a mission to bless humanity. This position is an integral part of the Church’s Procurement Services group focused on sourcing products and services needed by all areas of the Church. This position supports the vendor lifecycle by researching and supporting selection of vendors, managing the relationships of selected vendors from onboarding through service delivery, renewals, evaluation of performance, and escalating issues where identified in order to mitigate risk. They will work with and manage third party vendors through different stages of the RASCIF, in alignment with relevant frameworks, policies, and standards. Vendor Managers are experts in their understanding and maintenance of Business arrangement terms, technology concepts, procurement practices, and the activities produced through the engagement of business segments and church functionality. This position is responsible for providing vendor management guidance throughout the lifecycle to the organization. The management of these relationships leads the organization in controlling costs, driving service excellence, and mitigating risks to gain increased value from our vendors throughout the life of the relationship.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience is required.
The incumbent should have 3-5 years in vendor management, a thorough understanding of the procurement process as it relates to third-party management lifecycle, 2 years of project management and negotiation experience
Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential.
This position requires strong leadership experience, the ability to diffuse issues and the ability to motivate a team towards a resolution.
Must have the ability to resolve issues in a manner that coincides with the practice of Christian Science.
Must be diplomatic in approach and engender confidence in his/her ability as a results-oriented individual.
Must remain calm and effective in stressful or deadline-driven situations.
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher) and Google Docs skills are required.
This is a Boston-based position that will be required to be in the Boston office for the regular onsite work schedule.

Nice To Haves

former experience with an emphasis on technology-related procurement and client/vendor relationships
experience in working in a technology-based organization is preferred.
Membership in The Mother Church and Primary Class instruction preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct industry research, leverage existing relationships, and vet potential vendors
Lead the vendor selection process, including interviews, RFPs, reference checks, etc.
Supports technology procurement by working closely with the Office of the CIO (OCIO) and relevant subject matter experts to understand their procurement timeline and to gather technical requirements
Participates in sourcing lodging and procurement of other services for group events
Professional level role requiring knowledge of vendor engagement, product discovery against requirements, and negotiations with potential vendors.
Recommends course of action and best practices to improve products, processes, or services.
Interprets internal challenges to external vendors and reverse communicates services, processes, or products into presentation of recommended best approaches or solutions.
Supports advanced methods to contribute new solutions, recommendations, or operational goals.
Works autonomously as a lead and guides others within area of expertise
Knowledge of Risk Management practices, standards, and regulations
Coordinate with the Procurement team, financial analysts, legal, technology, and Information Security departments to complete the contracting process for new vendors.
Review, Understand, and Compare multiple contractual terms when working with internal legal staff on behalf of internal client departments when representing the Church.
Ability to negotiate, influence, collaborate and effectively communicate to build relationships
Educate new vendors on Church culture and historical context including thorough explanations of how their work fits into the broader mission of the Church
Manage contract renewals and negotiations
Maintain regular communication with strategic vendors
Conduct regular assessments of all existing vendors
Serve as an escalation point for delivery and relationship issues
Meet regularly with OCIO managers and subject matter experts to stay informed of their current and upcoming procurement needs and the overall timeline for scheduled maintenance projects and new initiatives.
Advise client departments on best practices for working with strategic vendors
Leverage industry knowledge to support the Church’s annual budget process