Vendor Management Lead

E.ON Next; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy company is seeking a Vendor Management Lead to oversee the contract lifecycle and manage vendor relationships across the organization. This role involves establishing standard practices, monitoring vendor performance, and ensuring compliance with business needs. The ideal candidate will possess strong experience in vendor selection, budget management, and stakeholder engagement. This position requires monthly travel to Nottingham and may involve international trips.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Opportunities for career development

Inclusive talent networks

Qualifications

• Experience in managing the end-to-end contract lifecycle.
• Skilled in vendor selection and onboarding.
• Strong budget management capabilities.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain contract and vendor management practices.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage vendor contracts.
• Monitor and manage vendor performance and compliance.
• Collaborate with stakeholders on procurement activities.

Skills

Vendor management

Contract lifecycle management

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Job description

We're looking for a Vendor Management Lead to take ownership of contracts and drive best-in‑class vendor and contract management across E.ON Next. In this role, you'll be responsible for leading the full contract lifecycle ensuring alignment with business needs and regulatory standards. You'll work closely with cross‑functional teams to manage supplier relationships, oversee spend and mitigate commercial and operational risks. This role requires monthly travel to Nottingham or partner sites, with the potential for overseas trips. Here's a taste of what you'll be doing

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain standardised contract and vendor management practices, including spend tracking, governance frameworks, and adherence to procurement policies to prevent maverick spend.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage vendor contracts and schedules, ensuring alignment with E.ON Next's operational needs, commercial objectives, and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor and manage vendor performance and compliance, implementing regular review cadences, validating risk/reward outcomes, and ensuring contracts remain fit for purpose.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain and other stakeholders on tenders, procurement activities, and contract change management, ensuring robust risk assessment and governance throughout.
• Lead commercial processes including PR/PO, GRN, and invoice validation, ensuring accuracy, appropriate fund allocation, and timely payment to suppliers.
• Develop and maintain internal manuals and guidance materials, supporting consistent contract adherence and operational alignment across the business.
• Identify and mitigate commercial, regulatory, and operational risks, proactively reporting and collaborating with internal teams to drive continuous improvement and issue resolution.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for vendors and monitor their performance against contractual obligations.
• Provide regular reports on contract status, vendor performance, and cost savings.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in managing the end‑to‑end contract lifecycle.
• Skilled in vendor selection, onboarding and third‑party relationship management.
• Strong budget management and reporting capabilities.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels.
• Collaborative and solution‑oriented, leveraging team input to resolve issues and drive results.
• Growth‑oriented mindset, continuously challenging and refining processes and ways of working for improvement.

Additional Information

• Role may close earlier due to high applications.
• Questions about the role? Please reach out to [e-mail] or the hiring manager directly – [e-mail].
• Competitive salary.
• We've exciting opportunities for everyone to develop their talent at E.ON. Our open access, inclusive talent networks provide networking, learning and development for all, building your skills, qualifications, and capabilities throughout your career.