Vendor Operations Manager

Apkudo•Coppell, TX

17h•Onsite

About The Position

Apkudo is a rapidly scaling software- and robotics-as-a-service company focused on transforming reverse logistics for mobile phones and other connected devices. We deliver our robotics and operations with the help of managed service providers, OEMs, field service vendors, and regional support partners across the US and internationally. Keeping those partners performing is central to how we deliver for our customers. New partnerships are built and launched by our Partnerships team. This role will be the go to person for managing key service and hardware partnerships day to day. You will onboard new vendors and partners, hold them to the service levels in their agreements, work escalations to resolution, report on how they are performing, negotiate new commercials, and run the regular business reviews that keep everyone aligned. This is a hands-on execution role.

Requirements

BA/BS or equivalent operating experience.
5+ years in vendor/partner management, supplier or partner operations, or managed services delivery
2+ years of experience in the mobile/connected device, supply chain (reverse or forward), consumer electronics,, and/or technology industries is desired
Direct experience managing third-party vendors — OEMs, staffing, field services, or logistics
Expert with Project Management tools and AI tools
Experience onboarding new vendors or partners and getting them running
Strong analytical and reporting skills; Excel/Sheets required, SQL or Power BI a plus
Strong written and verbal communication, including working directly with vendor leadership
Has administered a services agreement, not just managed a relationship — SLAs, credits, rate cards, escalation clauses
Comfortable holding a vendor to account without damaging the relationship
Organized, process-driven, execution-focused, and comfortable with ambiguity
Willing to travel to US and international sites as needed

Nice To Haves

Managing vendors across multiple countries or regions
Managed services or BPO environments
Supporting hardware or robotics deployments in the field

Responsibilities

Lead new vendor and partner relationships at the point they move from launch into execution, and manage performance, communication, and issue resolution from that point forward
Onboard new vendors and partners: gather what they need to operate, coordinate documentation and system access, set up reporting and communication schedules
Manage the day-to-day performance of our managed service, field service, and hardware vendors across US and international sites, holding each to the service levels in their agreements
Act as the daily point of contact for vendor site and regional management; log, triage, and work escalations through to closure
Manage the global partner network supporting product deployments, including regional coverage, response expectations, and partner readiness as new markets come online
Monitor whether vendors are delivering what their agreements require, and drive any gaps to correction
Own the SLA regime: build and publish the monthly performance scorecard, calculate credits earned under each agreement, and drive them to claim
Validate vendor invoices against contracted rates, volumes, and escalators; identify and resolve billing discrepancies
Administer rate cards, escalators, and headcount true-ups; track cost per unit against plan and flag drift
Work with partners and internal stakeholders to develop monthly business reviews, maintain action logs, and drive open items to completion