Director Vendor Management

Position Overview

The Director of Vendor Management is accountable for managing relationships with Burlington’s merchandise vendors and Merchant teams. This role represents Burlington as a key point of contact for operational assistance, including facilitating vendor onboarding, troubleshooting performance opportunities and conveying best practices to suppliers. The individual leads a team consisting of managers, supervisors and front-line contributors, and ensures that all departmental procedures and SLAs are fully documented, maintained and followed.

A Day in the Life

Leadership

• Successfully drives business results though positive, influential leadership by demonstrating high professional and personal standards
• Identifies and resolves challenges in a proactive and decisive manner
• Creates an environment where people are encouraged to reach their full potential:
• being accountable for coaching-in-the-moment, engagement and associate development
• recognizing and rewarding the successes of others
• attracting, identifying, developing and retaining the next generation of leaders
• Advocate change through proactive process adjustments and changes to support the organization through continuous partnership with all appropriate cross-functional teams
• Empowers leadership team to make decisions and drives engagement in support of their own goals and those of the team 
• Acts as a leader among their peers driving cross-functional projects  
• Strategic vision and decision making

Relationship Management

• Strong focus on initiating and leading virtual and in-person meetings with vendors (domestic, international, agents and factories); support buyers’ vendor meetings to address and resolve issues.
• Attend trade shows, visit vendors in NY, CA AND NJ markets and represent Burlington at industry events.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to support vendor compliance and communication initiatives; reinforce supply chain standards and processes with vendor community.
• Partner with legal, supply chain, buying and finance teams to address and resolve disputes related to Burlington's vendor agreements.
• Maintain a network of internal and external contacts to foster partnership and drive results.

Business Acumen

• Is recognized as Subject Matter Expert (SME) in departmental processes, tools, and integration points across the company as they relate to the success of the business model.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the cross-functional business processes in quantifying benefits and prioritizing the team's projects; align with leadership on company goals and priorities.
• Demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit by generating ideas, insights and solutions utilizing analytical reasoning; anticipate issues and develop appropriate solutions.
• Engage team leaders regularly regarding project statuses, deadline readiness and risk factors; address potential roadblocks and develop solutions to avoid missed targets and project failure.
• Lead change management initiatives for team members and business stakeholders; explain to Vendor Management team how change impacts the company and define their role in supporting the effort; get buy-in from the team as to the importance and business impact of special projects and new processes; work closely with senior leadership to report team results upward and track status.

Analysis

• Analyze vendor performance data, develop recommendations to raise accuracy levels and present findings to vendors and merchants and recommend best-practices.
• Identify process improvement opportunities for team and provide guidance on implementation.
• Advise managers on team roles and consult on modifications to job scope as workflows and responsibilities evolve; discuss updates to team’s workflow procedures with manager before rollout.
• Oversee publication of reports to advise internal stakeholders on status of daily work and special projects.
• Review updates to all policies, standards and procedures related to Vendor Management found within business reference guides prior to publication.

Operational Excellence & Driving Change

• Research, analyze, develop and manage special projects; provide regular status reports to senior leadership, call out potential issues, and recommend relevant changes to existing SOPs and SLAs.
• Manage and provide insight on strategic programs supporting the Burlington 2.5 initiatives; work with third-party partners to develop and enhance vendor portal.
• Identifies and aligns with merchandising senior leadership to establish sustainable standards of practice; updates and maintains all vendor facing documents and manuals accordingly 
• Constantly working with and influencing business partners (internal and external) to drive efficiency and simplify processes to make Burlington the retailer of choice for our vendors 
• Works closely with peers for development and implementation of standardized Best Practices related to Vendor Onboarding, Vendor Performance and Vendor Relations.  
• Develops and drives the strategy of the Vendor Management team in support of the enterprise goals
• Works closely with peers to identify, develop and monitor standardized communication processes
• Identifying and leading cross-functional special projects

You'll Come With

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in a business discipline preferably Supply Chain, Logistics, Retail Buying

Experience: Minimum 10 years’ management experience in domestic/international Vendor Management. Demonstrate a progressive track record of increasing responsibility in supply chain, retail, or international logistics fields. Possess expert knowledge of Vendor Relations, Finance and Supply Chain procedures, and have extensive experience identifying and implementing process improvements. Work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic operational retail environment.  Have extensive experience and success developing and implementing high service support teams.

Skills and Abilities 

• Must be strategically astute and forward-looking.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills with ability to think strategically.
• Proficient with MS Office suite and vendor support platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire confidence, communicate and operate effectively with vendors, buyers and other cross-functional partners.
• Strong track record of success in people leadership including attracting, developing, motivating, and retaining industry leading talent.  
• Highest personal and professional integrity.
• Accountability for key results and deliverables.
• Self-confidence managing business issues in conflict and facilitating key stakeholders to achieve best resolution for overall business.
• Demonstrated ability to focus, prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects under deadline.
• Customer-focused with a strong sense of urgency.
• Ability to influence cross functionally and manage complex situations with vendors.
• Data, process and results driven.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• High energy and enthusiasm—must possess a passion for helping others and solving problems.

Travel: Periodic travel required, including vendor onsite visits, corporate offices (CA, NY and NJ), DC facilities, industry conferences, trade shows, etc.

Come join our team. You’re going to like it here! 

Compensation Range: $135,000.00 - $175,000.00