Vendor Management Officer- Separation Project

Unilever; Kingston upon Thames; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free parking

Staff shop

Canteen

Gym access

Job summary

Unilever in Kingston upon Thames seeks an interim Vendor Management Officer to drive governance and transition within the Separation Programme. This full-time temporary role (12 months) is hybrid, with 3 days in the office and 2 remote, and offers a competitive £55,500 per annum pro rata depending on experience.

You'll work cross-functionally across Procurement, Finance, Legal, Digital, HR, Risk and Compliance to ensure vendor performance aligns with separation milestones, manage risk, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in business, procurement, finance, or related field.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and SharePoint.
• Professional procurement or contract management certification.
• Experience in vendor management and performance monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Support the vendor governance framework and day-to-day operation for the Separation Programme.
• Coordinate governance forums, meetings, reviews and performance discussions.
• Monitor performance against contracts, SoWs, SLAs and KPIs.
• Track issues, risks, dependencies, actions and escalations through to closure.
• Support TSA exit planning and transition activities with risk mitigation.

Skills

Vendor governance

Third-party management

Contract oversight

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Reporting

Communication

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Procurement/Contract Management certification

Project Management certification

CIPS/PRINCE2/ITIL certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

Manpower are currently seeking an interim Vendor Management Officer- Separation Project, to work with our global FMCG client and become an integral part of their fast-paced FMCG environment.

The position is based in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. This is a full-time temporary role to run for 12 months and it is a hybrid role requiring 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday working 3 days per week in the office (Wednesday to Friday). Compensation for this role is competitive, paying up to a maximum of £55,500 per annum, pro rata, depending upon experience.

The role currently offers a mix of remote and onsite working, subject to adjustment based on business requirements.

Job Summary

The Vendor Management Officer will support the effective governance, performance and transition of third-party vendors involved in the Separation Programme in UL.

Working across Procurement, Finance, Legal, Digital, HR, Risk, Compliance, programme teams and business stakeholders, the role will help ensure that vendor services remain stable, contractually compliant, financially controlled and aligned with separation milestones.

The role will coordinate vendor governance activities, maintain accurate documentation and reporting, track risks and actions, and support the transition from existing or Transitional Service Agreement arrangements to the future standalone operating model. The Vendor Management Officer will act as a central coordination point for vendor-related activities, ensuring clear ownership, timely escalation and effective follow-through.

Key Responsibilities:

Vendor Governance and Performance

• Support the implementation and day-to-day operation of the vendor governance framework for the Separation Programme.
• Coordinate vendor governance forums, operational meetings, service reviews and performance discussions.
• Monitor vendor performance against contracts, Statements of Work, Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators.
• Track vendor issues, risks, dependencies, actions and escalations through to closure.
• Identify performance gaps and support the development and monitoring of remediation or service improvement plans.
• Prepare concise updates on vendor performance, risks and decisions for programme and senior governance forums.

Separation and Transition Support

• Coordinate vendor activities against separation milestones and future-state operating-model plans.
• Support vendor onboarding, transition, migration, knowledge-transfer, stabilisation and offboarding activities.
• Maintain an integrated view of vendor dependencies, deliverables, critical dates and decision requirements.
• Support TSA exit planning, including readiness tracking, documentation, knowledge transfer and service-continuity controls.
• Escalate vendor delays, unresolved dependencies and transition risks that may affect separation timelines or business continuity.

Contract and Commercial Governance

• Maintain an accurate inventory of vendor contracts, Statements of Work, amendments, change requests, commercial commitments.
• Monitor vendor compliance with contractual obligations, deliverables and governance requirements.
• Support contract changes resulting from separation, including novation, assignment, scope changes and new legal-entity requirements.
• Coordinate with Procurement, Legal and Finance on commercial issues, approvals and contract documentation.
• Support spend tracking, purchase-order monitoring, invoice validation and financial reporting.

Vendor Risk, Controls and Compliance

• Support third-party risk assessments, due diligence, control reviews and ongoing vendor monitoring.
• Maintain vendor risk registers, action logs, mitigation plans and compliance documentation.
• Track risks relating to service continuity, data protection, information security, financial exposure, contractual obligations and regulatory requirements.
• Escalate material vendor risks, control gaps, compliance concerns and unresolved issues.
• Ensure vendor activities follow applicable company policies, separation governance and delegated authorities.

Stakeholder and Process Management

• Act as a central coordination point for vendor-related queries, actions and escalations across the programme.
• Facilitate cross-functional resolution of vendor issues involving Procurement, Legal, Finance, Digital, HR, Risk and Compliance.
• Support standardisation, automation and continuous-improvement initiatives across vendor-management activities.

Skills and Experience:

• Strong vendor governance, third-party management and contract oversight skills, including SoWs, SLAs, KPIs and change control. (at least 3 years)
• Excellent organisation, coordination and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced transformation environment.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret performance, commercial and risk information.
• Effective stakeholder management across functions, countries and seniority levels.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including concise management reporting.
• Proactive, delivery-focused and comfortable managing issues, risks, dependencies and ambiguity.
• Relevant experience in vendor management, supplier governance and performance, procurement governance, billing process, third-party risk, outsourcing or operational service management.
• Experience supporting contract lifecycle activities.
• Experience in business separation programmes is desirable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in Business, Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, Risk Management, Technology or a related discipline.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word and SharePoint.
• Professional qualification or certification in Procurement, Contract Management, Project Management, Risk Management or Service Management.
• CIPS, PRINCE2, Agile, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL or equivalent certification.

Additional Information

Kingston working environment:

• Contractors who are based at Kingston will be eligible to get free parking at a local carpark
• There is a Staff Shop located on the Ground Floor next to the main entrance, where Contingent Workers can buy discounted UL products.
• A canteen
• A Gym is available for use on the Ground Floor (with subscription).
• Facilities in the gym include cardiovascular equipment, resistance machines, spin bikes, free weights area, boxing equipment and a stretch/matted area. Classes are also available and can be booked directly with the Gym. Shower facilities are available in the changing rooms, along with hairdryers.