Vendor Manager

WEP Clinical; Chiswick; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A clinical research organization in the UK is seeking a Vendor Manager to oversee the lifecycle of third-party vendors supporting core services. The ideal candidate should have at least 3 years of experience in vendor management and a relevant degree, with strong negotiation skills. This role involves leading vendor performance oversight, ensuring compliance with GCP and ICH standards, and collaborating with internal teams. The organization offers comprehensive benefits including private healthcare and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Private healthcare insurance

Long-term illness cover

Death in service cover

Salary sacrifice pension

Paid maternity & paternity leave

Volunteer day

Great social events

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years experience in clinical vendor management, clinical operations, procurement, or related oversight function.
• Comprehensive knowledge of GCP, ICH, and regulatory expectations related to vendor oversight and clinical delivery.
• Demonstrated experience managing CRO's, clinical service providers, and/or enterprise-level vendors.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full vendor lifecycle, including qualification, onboarding, performance oversight, and periodic reviews.
• Identify, evaluate, and select qualified vendors through structured RFI/RFP processes.
• Negotiate and support execution of MSAs, scopes of work, and pricing structures.

Skills

Project Management

Strong Negotiation skills

Vendor Relationship Management

Contract Interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Business Administration, or related discipline

Master's degree or professional certification (e.g., PMP)

Tools

Clinical systems

Vendor management platforms

Project tracking tools

SharePoint

Job description

Are you looking for an exciting and fulfilling new position? Join our dynamic team at WEP Clinical, where your contributions will play a key role in driving impactful solutions and improving outcomes for clients and patients. We encourage innovation and collaboration, challenging our team to bring forward ideas that make a real difference. Be part of a mission-driven organization dedicated to advancing clinical research and transforming lives.

Role Objectives:

The WEP Clinical Vendor Manager is responsible for the coordinated selection, governance, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement of third-party vendors that support WEP Clinical’s core service lines, including Expanded Access Programs (EAP/NPP), clinical trials, nursing services, logistics and warehousing, and key corporate functions.

This role ensures that all external service providers deliver high-quality, compliant, and cost-effective services that align with operational objectives, regulatory expectations, and contractual commitments. The Vendor Manager will partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders in Operations, QA, Finance, Legal, HR, and IT to ensure strong oversight and strategic relationship management.

The Ideal Candidate

• Project Management
• Strong Negotiation skills
• Vendor Relationship Management
• Contract Interpretation

What You'll Do:

• Lead the full vendor lifecycle, including qualification, onboarding, performance oversight, periodic reviews, and re-evaluation to ensure compliance and operational readiness.
• Identify, evaluate, and select qualified vendors through structured RFI/RFP processes in collaboration with Operations, Quality Assurance, Finance, Legal, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure vendor capabilities, systems, and processes meet scientific, operational, regulatory, and commercial requirements, including GCP, ICH, and data privacy standards.
• Negotiate, review, and support execution of MSAs, scopes of work, pricing structures, renewals, and related contractual documents with Finance and Legal partnership.
• Maintain oversight of vendor KPIs, SLAs, contractual commitments, and financial performance, providing regular insights and reports to WEP leadership.
• Coordinate and document governance activities, including vendor audits, annual reviews, operational touchpoints, issue escalations, meeting minutes, action items, and continuous improvement plans.
• Maintain accurate, compliant vendor documentation within SharePoint and internal tracking systems, ensuring complete, auditable records.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal teams and external vendors, facilitating cross-functional alignment to support project timelines and business objectives.
• Develop and refine internal vendor management processes, tools, templates, and workflows to drive operational efficiency, service quality, and long-term vendor relationships.

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Business Administration, or related discipline. Master's degree or professional certification (e.g., PMP) preferred
• Minimum of 3 years experience in clinical vendor management, clinical operations, procurement, or related oversight function.
• Comprehensive knowledge of GCP, ICH, and regulatory expectations related to vendor oversight and clinical delivery
• Demonstrated experience managing CRO's, clinical service providers, and/or enterprise-level vendors
• Strong negotiation, contract interpretation, and vendor relationship management skills
• Proficiency with clinical systems, vendor management platforms, project tracking tools, and SharePoint
• Strong analytical, communication, and presentations skills with the ability to convey complex information to senior stakeholders
• Proven ability to operate independently while managing multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment

What We Offer:

• Private healthcare insurance
• Long-term illness Cover
• Death in service cover
• Salary sacrifice pension
• Annual leave
• Paid maternity & paternity leave
• Volunteer day
• Great social events

What sets us apart:

WEP Clinical partners with sponsors to help patients and physicians gain early access to medicines when no other treatment options are available. WEP Clinical has over 15 years of experience distributing products to over 120 countries worldwide to treat unmet patient needs.

We're Committed to Our Team:

WEP has many initiatives to encourage wellness, growth and development, and team relationships. Check out our LinkedIn Life Page to learn more about our team events, and all we do to support our employees.

We're Committed to DEI:

At WEP Clinical, acceptance, recognition, and engagement are the core of our DEI values. We are committed to giving employees opportunities for personal and professional success and growth, embracing everyone's unique identities.

Our services include:

Access Programs

Clinical Trial Services

Patient Site Solutions

Clinical Trial Supply

Market Access and Commercialization

WEP Clinical is a smoke-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free work environment.

WEP Clinical is an equal-opportunity employer. WEP Clinical does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment based on an individual’s race, colour, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, marital status, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination. WEP Clinical will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.