Vendor Relationship Manager

ROLE OVERVIEW

The VMO Analyst (Level III - Subject Matter Expert) serves as the primary strategic and governance coordination point for the global vendor, software contract, and hardware supply chain ecosystems. 

Positioned above tactical queue operations, this role oversees contract metadata accuracy, high-value spend compliance, external workforce governance, and vendor performance audits. The Level III Analyst acts as the ultimate escalation point for transaction anomalies, coordinates critical M&A integration tracks, and anchors the Semi-Annual Supplier Business Review (SBR) cycle.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1.  Supplier Governance & Performance Management (SBR):

• Project manage the end-to-end Semi-Annual Supplier Business Review cycle for major global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and value-added resellers (VARs). Design and collect performance feedback surveys, conduct live stakeholder polling to eliminate bias, and compile unified supplier performance scorecards. Formally record action items and due dates during reviews and track post-SBR deliverables.

2.  Contract Lifecycle & Financial Compliance:

• Manage high-value contract records and track critical compliance milestones—including contract executions, renewals, true-ups, and expirations—within the enterprise Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) database. Enforce strict financial governance, ensuring no deal over $2M USD proceeds to contract signature without an approved spend authority approval artifact verified and uploaded. Audit complex prepaid software and hardware contracts to verify amortization schedules and ensure general ledger (GL) accuracy.

3.  M&A Contract & License Integration:

• Standardize, triage, and map software and hardware portfolios acquired during Mergers & Acquisitions using specialized trackers. Maintain the master integration register and run validation audits to isolate and filter out out-of-scope third-party embedded technology. Coordinate pre-close and post-close software deprovisioning, verifying Personally Identifiable Information (PII) constraints and securing formal Data Deletion Notices.

4.  External Workforce Policy Governance:

• Serve as the final compliance gatekeeper for contingent workforce onboarding and extension requests. Audit request submissions daily to verify manager hierarchies, confirm budget approvals, and enforce strict country-specific Length of Service and tenure policies before authorizing engagements.

5.  External Workforce Policy Governance:

• Act as the primary escalation point for complex purchase order pricing or quantity disputes raised by suppliers. Isolate commercial discussions by managing secure child ticketing workflows to shield internal strategy discussions from external vendors. Troubleshoot back-end system errors (such as missing supplier-item mappings or catalog blocks) to push correct records live in the procurement database.

PERFORMANCE & SERVICE LEVELS

Indicative performance targets for the role; final service levels are confirmed on engagement and measured by location per service line.

• Contract Compliance: ensure 100% of reviewed supplier and software contracts comply with the client's agreed criteria (tracked as a KPI).
• Renewal Timeliness: complete contract renewals and milestone registrations ahead of expiry for ≥98% of in-scope agreements, with zero unintended lapses or auto-renewals.
• Repository Accuracy: maintain ≥99% accuracy across contract records, key dates and obligation metadata.
• Ticket Quality: ensure ≥95–97% of completed requests pass quality-assurance checks, with complete and accurate documentation, correct categorization, and full adherence to the approved SOP for the request type.
• SLA Response by Ticket Priority: Acknowledge and assign incoming VMO escalations within standard windows: 1 hour for high-priority issues, 3 hours for normal requests, and 6 hours for standard tickets.
• Workforce Audit SLA: Validate and process standard external worker and extension compliance reviews within 3 business days.
• Contract & Catalog Accuracy: Maintain a strict 100% compliance rate on all reviewed contracts and ensure 99% or higher data accuracy across storefront catalog and purchase information record updates.
• Queue Discipline: Perform detailed follow-up actions and update statuses on all open or pending VMO, contract, and escalation cases every 3 days to prevent backlog build-up.
• Workforce Audit SLA: validate and process standard temporary worker and extension compliance reviews within 3 business days.

TOOLS & SYSTEMS

• Contract Repositories: Enterprise Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) databases and supplier-contract tracking systems.
• ERP & Procurement Systems: SAP ERP (specifically Materials Management, Finance/Accounts Payable, and Procure-to-Pay modules) and enterprise guided buying networks.
• Workforce Management Platforms: Specialized vendor management applications (such as SAP Fieldglass) and organization directories.
• Ticketing & Collaboration Tools: Advanced enterprise ITSM platforms, collaborative spreadsheet logs, and secure project communication channels.

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Mandatory

• 5 to 8 years of professional experience in supplier relationship management, corporate contract lifecycle administration, procurement, or external workforce compliance.
• Expert-level understanding of global import/export regulations, Incoterms, trade classifications, and corporate capitalization thresholds.
• Hands-on expertise executing transactions, managing Purchase Information Records, and maintaining catalog master data in SAP or major ERP systems.
• Proven experience project-managing complex supplier business reviews, aligning diverse stakeholder feedback, and tracking post-review action items.

Preferred

• Experience with CLM / VMO tooling and supplier-management systems.
• Exposure to software-contract and licensing arrangements, including EULA review for security/legal risk.
• M&A contract-review experience, including triaging acquired vendor contracts and coordinating legacy software terminations.
• Familiarity with contingent workforce onboarding procedures, Length of Service policies and vendor engagement compliance.
• Relevant industry credentials: CSAM (Certified Software Asset Manager), CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management), PMP, or Lean Six Sigma.
• Direct experience with M&A contract integrations, software deprovisioning, and contingent labor regulations.