Senior Contract & Vendor Management Specialist

BC Ferries; Vancouver, Victoria; Hybrid; CAD 105,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work flexibility

Career development

Defined benefit pension plan

Vacation entitlement

Job summary

BC Ferries is seeking a Senior IT Contract & Vendor Management Specialist to strengthen how we manage technology partnerships and contracts. You will lead end-to-end vendor lifecycle, negotiate terms, monitor performance, and collaborate with IT leadership, Procurement & Supply Chain, Legal and Finance.

The role emphasizes strategic relationship management, risk mitigation, and cost optimization across our IT portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, IT Management, or a related field.
• 5+ years of proven experience in vendor management, contract negotiation, and procurement within an IT industry or IT function.
• Strong ability to interpret and manage complex contracts, terms, and legal documentation.
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements related to privacy, security, and data protection.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary point of contact for IT vendor communications, issue resolution and escalations.
• Negotiate IT contracts, SLAs, and pricing structures to achieve favorable terms and cost optimization.
• Manage end-to-end IT vendor lifecycle including onboarding, performance reviews, risk mitigation and renewals.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to assess IT service needs and requirements.

Skills

Vendor management

Contract negotiation

Procurement

IT contracts

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/IT Management

Tools

Microsoft

Adobe

IBM

Oracle

Job description

SENIOR IT CONTRACT & VENDOR MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Information Technology

Victoria or Vancouver Lower Mainland

The Opportunity

BC Ferries is transforming how we deliver technology across one of the largest and most complex marine transportation networks in the world. We are seeking a strategic and relationship-focused Senior IT Contract & Vendor Management Specialist to strengthen how we manage our technology partnerships and contracts. Reporting to the Executive Director, Business Transformation, you’ll bring commercial insight, strong negotiation skills and a proactive approach to managing vendor relationships, optimizing costs and ensuring the services we receive deliver value to our organization.

Working closely with IT leadership and our Procurement & Supply Chain, Legal and Finance teams, you’ll help shape vendor strategies, manage contractual risks and identify opportunities to improve performance, efficiency and value across our IT portfolio.

In this role, you will lead the end-to-end IT vendor and contract lifecycle; from vendor selection and onboarding through performance management, risk mitigation, and renewal. You’ll work closely with IT leadership, Procurement & Supply Chain, Legal, Finance, and external partners to drive strong outcomes for the organization.

If you’re a strategic, relationship-driven leader with a passion for optimizing IT vendor ecosystems, we want to hear from you.

The Role

Reporting to the Executive Director, Business Transformation, you add value and are energized by key areas of oversight such as:

• Acting as the primary point of contact for all IT vendor communications, issue resolution and escalations;
• Establishing regular vendor performance reviews and conduct these vendor performance reviews with the intent of providing feedback to vendors as required;
• Negotiating IT contracts, service level agreements, and pricing structures with vendors to achieve favorable terms and conditions & cost optimization;
• Reviewing and analyzing contract terms to ensure compliance with legal and Procurement & Supply Chain and regulatory requirements;
• Monitoring contract expiration dates and renewal deadlines, proactively managing contract renewals and terminations;
• Collaborating with internal stakeholders to assess business needs and requirements for IT services and solutions;
• Leading the vendor selection process in partnership with Procurement & Supply Chain, including vendor evaluation, RFx development and vendor scoring on behalf of IT;
• Facilitating onboarding process for new vendors, ensuring smooth transition and integration into existing IT operations;
• Identifying and assessing vendor-related risks, including cybersecurity, data privacy, financial stability and any industry activities that may impact the quality or performance of the vendor's services or products;
• Developing risk mitigation strategies and contingency plans to address potential vendor
• Disruptions;
• Establishing key performance indicators and metrics to measure and monitor vendor performance and service quality;
• Conducting regular performance reviews and audits to monitor vendor compliance and service delivery;
• Conducting regular compliance reviews internally to ensure IT compliance against vendor's terms and conditions;
• Implementing corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure compliance, enhance performance and customer satisfaction;
• Leveraging current spend to identify opportunities for cost reduction;
• Assisting in the translation of commercial commitments into contractual agreements between the bank and suppliers in order to manage billing and ensure contractual obligations are met to set standards of operation;
• Developing effective contract negotiation strategies to meet the needs of the technology organization;
• Proactively managing the contract lifecycle for technology contracts including tracking renewals;
• Analyzing and communicates issues affecting contracts, including all relevant terms and conditions, amendments, etc. to ensure clarity, accuracy and consistency;
• Liaising with the vendors and software implementers;

What you bring to the team

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, IT Management, or a related field
• 5+ years of proven experience in vendor management, contract negotiation, and procurement within an IT industry or IT function as well as ability to analyze complex contracts and legal documents
• Strong ability to interpret and manage complex contracts, terms, and legal documentation
• Practical knowledge of enterprise IT products and vendors (e.g., Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, Oracle)
• Understanding of regulatory and compliance requirements related to privacy, security, and data protection (e.g. GDPR, HIPAA, Privacy, Security)
• Experience with IT service management frameworks and vendor management tools
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders, manage ambiguity, and build trusted vendor partnerships

What we offer

This is a regular full-time position with a target salary range of$105,200 - $131,500per annum.The starting salary isdeterminedbased on the successful candidate’sknowledge,experienceand internal equity.

Taking care of our employees is a top priority for us, and to do that, we offer benefits that help you stay healthy in all ways. Some of our great benefits include:

• Career development and learning opportunities
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits
• Defined benefit Public Service Pension Plan
• Minimum four weeks’ vacation
• Hybrid work flexibility
• Wellness programs and employee discounts

"We sail to serve and connect the people and the coast of BC"

At BC Ferries, our people are at the heart of delivering safe and reliable service along 1,600 km of coastline. Every day, we connect communities and move tens of thousands of passengers and vehicles across our 25 routes through the dedication, expertise and hard work of our teams. Guided by a shared commitment to safety, service, inclusion and local commitment, we offer meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and the chance to make a positive impact. Whether you work onboard our vessels, in our terminals or behind the scenes, you'll play an important role in connecting people, supporting communities, and keeping coastal BC moving.

We support employment equity and diversity in the workplace and encourage applications from all qualified individuals including women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (LGBTQ2S+) and others who reflect our ever-changing workplace.

We appreciate the interest of all applicants; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.