Vendor Management Specialist

Job Purpose

The Vendor Management Specialist will support the Strategic Sourcing and Innovation team and Category Managers by overseeing vendor performance, ensuring compliance with procurement policies, regulations, and internal standards. This role serves as a key liaison for vendor relationships, focusing on compliance across procurement activities and maintaining high standards in vendor selection and management.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage vendor relationships to ensure compliance with procurement policies, regulatory standards, and contractual obligations.
• Collaborate with Category Managers to define vendor evaluation criteria, focusing on compliance, performance, and risk management.
• Actively participate in supplier selection and qualification processes to ensure vendors meet compliance requirements and deliver value to the organization.
• Work with internal teams and external partners to identify opportunities for improving vendor compliance, quality, and performance.
• Monitor and assess vendor performance through established KPIs, ensuring continuous improvement in compliance and vendor management processes.
• Support audits and reviews to verify that vendors adhere to industry and regulatory standards, providing necessary documentation and reporting.

Required Education

Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Law or technical fields.

Required Skills and Experience

• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively manage vendor relationships and collaborate with internal stakeholders.
• Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Flexibility to adapt to evolving compliance and procurement needs.
• 2-3 years of experience in vendor management or procurement within structured organizations.
• Strong understanding of procurement processes, vendor management strategies, and IT tools.
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance requirements, with a focus on maintaining vendor adherence to validation and audit processes.
• Experience in public sectors or highly regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, biotech, or other sectors with stringent compliance requirements. (Preferred Experience)

Technical Competencies

• E-Procurement Platforms: Excellent knowledge of e-procurement platforms for vendor qualification and vendor rating processes.
• Reporting Tools: Experience with reporting tools to generate clear dashboards and actionable performance insights.
• Presentation Skills: Excellent proficiency in creating and delivering presentations using PowerPoint.

Required Behaviours and Competencies

• Attention to Detail: Rigorous focus on accuracy when qualifying vendors and analyzing rating data.
• Effective Communication: Strong interpersonal skills to interact with vendors and internal stakeholders, ensuring that expectations and results are clearly communicated.
• Collaborative Mindset: Ability to work closely with category managers and cross-functional teams in vendor evaluation and improvement initiatives.
• Problem-Solving: Proactive approach to identifying issues in vendor performance and recommending targeted improvements.

Required Languages

Full proficiency in English, both written and spoken. Knowledge of a second language is a plus.

Travel required in %

Up to a maximum of 30% travel.