Vendor & Ecosystem Specialist

Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.; Kraków; On-site; PLN 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Well-being & care

Paid and unpaid leave

Flexible work options

Financial security benefits

Job summary

Hitachi Energy Krakow is seeking a Vendor & Ecosystem Specialist to scout and evaluate vendors, technology partners, and startups across AI and emerging technologies. You will translate findings into structured inputs for innovation assessments and architecture reviews, and collaborate with Hitachi Group entities.

You will maintain vendor intelligence repositories, create capability summaries and landscape maps, and support reuse of internal capabilities.

Qualifications

• Three or more years of vendor/partner management in a technology environment.
• Strong knowledge of AI, data and emerging digital tech vendor landscape.
• Experience producing vendor assessments and ecosystem maps.
• Familiarity with startup scouting, corporate venturing and innovation partnerships.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Scout and evaluate vendors, partners, and startups across AI and emerging tech.
• Maintain a structured vendor intelligence repository and landscape maps.
• Serve as the central Innovation-as-a-Service contact for vendors and startups.
• Coordinate information gathering for innovation assessments and briefings.
• Create capability summaries and ecosystem maps for internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with architecture teams to support solution assessments.

Skills

Vendor management

Vendor scouting

Startup scouting

Market intelligence

RFI processes

Stakeholder management

Job description

Location: Krakow, Lesser Poland, Poland. Job Schedule: Full time. Remote: No.

Job Description

The opportunity As a Vendor & Ecosystem Specialist within Hitachi Energy’s Innovation-as-a-Service function, you will discover and assess external vendors, technology partners, and startups, and manage relationships across AI and other emerging technologies, including within the Hitachi Group innovation network. Your work will combine on-demand solution scouting for internal innovation topics with proactive scouting. You will serve as the primary direct interface between Innovation-as-a-Service and relevant vendors, technology partners, and startups. You will clarify their offerings, capabilities, constraints, and available commercial information, translating these into structured inputs for innovation assessments, recommendation packages, and architecture reviews. Alongside this work, you will identify relevant startup and partner opportunities and maintain reusable vendor intelligence, including capability summaries, comparison matrices, and ecosystem maps. In close collaboration with other stakeholders and using the relevant repositories, you will support the effective reuse, scaling, and enterprise readiness of internal capabilities and solutions already available within the company.

How you’ll make an impact

• Scout and evaluate solution providers, technology partners, and startups across AI and other emerging technologies, both on demand and proactively.
• Maintain a structured vendor intelligence repository with current capability assessments and landscape maps.
• Act as the central Innovation-as-a-Service contact for relevant vendors, technology partners, and startups.
• Engage directly to obtain and clarify information required for innovation assessments.
• Coordinate with Hitachi Group entities to identify relevant vendor and partner opportunities.
• Facilitate introductions and coordination for initial assessments.
• Scout and assess startups, identifying their fit with Hitachi Energy’s strategic priorities and innovation pipeline.
• Prepare briefing presentations and opportunity summaries for relevant candidates.
• Produce structured comparisons of offerings, capabilities, fit with Hitachi Energy’s requirements, constraints, and available commercial information.
• Create and maintain up-to-date vendor and startup repositories and landscapes across key AI and emerging technology categories.
• Produce capability summaries, comparison matrices, and ecosystem maps for internal stakeholders.
• Contribute vendor and ecosystem intelligence to recommendation packages.
• Structure vendor comparisons and capability information for reuse in reports and presentations.
• Collaborate with the architecture team, providing current vendor-landscape and capability information to support solution assessments.
• Monitor the internal application and platform landscape to avoid duplication and promote reuse of existing capabilities.

Your background

• At least three years of professional experience in vendor management, technology partner management, vendor scouting, startup scouting, market intelligence, or ecosystem management in a technology or enterprise context.
• Strong knowledge of the AI, data, and emerging digital technology vendor landscape.
• Prior experience with Request for Information (RFI) processes.
• Experience producing vendor assessments, capability comparisons, and ecosystem maps.
• Familiarity with startup scouting, corporate venturing, and innovation partnership concepts.
• Strong communication, relationship management, and stakeholder management skills, supported by strategic and conceptual thinking.
• Strong presentation and report preparation skills.
• Knowledge of portfolio, demand, and requirements management, alongside digital competency and an understanding of artificial intelligence and innovation.
• Proactive and creative mindset: You anticipate and adapt to new challenges and topics, readily connecting the dots.
• An assertive, clear, and direct communication style.
• Patience and persistence in research: You seek a deep understanding of a topic and conduct thorough scouting research that goes beyond a superficial assessment.

Our benefit offering

• Competitive salary and incentives
• Well-being and care
• Paid and unpaid leave
• Flexible work options
• Benefits that support your financial security

You will receive more specific information during the recruitment process.

Accessibility and reasonable accommodation

Qualified individuals with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the Hitachi Energy career site as a result of your disability. You may request reasonable accommodations by completing a general inquiry form on our website. Please include your contact information and specific details about your required accommodation to support you during the job application process. This is solely for job seekers with disabilities requiring accessibility assistance or an accommodation in the job application process. Messages left for other purposes will not receive a response.

Use of Al and automated tools in recruitment

As part of our recruitment process, Hitachi Energy uses digital and automated tools, including Al-supported solutions, to assist with activities such as application screening, job matching, and interview scheduling. These tools are designed to support our recruiters and do not replace human decision-making. Candidate data is processed in accordance with applicable data protection and employment laws as well as Hitachi’s Global Data Privacy Notice.

Background Screening and Security Checks

As part of the hiring process, Hitachi Energy conducts pre-employment background checks that may include verification of employment history, education, criminal records, and other relevant information, in accordance with applicable laws. For certain roles—particularly those involving access to sensitive information, financial responsibilities, client data, regulated environments, or security-sensitive functions—additional or more comprehensive background or security screenings may be required. These may include, but are not limited to, enhanced criminal history checks, credit history reviews (where legally permissible), sanctions screening, or other due diligence measures aligned with the responsibilities of the position. The scope and depth of any background or security review will be determined based on the nature of the role and business necessity, and will always be conducted in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Candidates will be notified and, where required, asked to provide consent prior to the initiation of any such checks.

Hitachi brings together the world’s greatest minds to help breathe life into new possibilities – and drive innovation for a better future. That’s why we look for individuals who share our pioneering spirit, have imaginative ideas and are fearless when it comes to tackling the world’s biggest challenges. Our people love technology – and they love making a difference. They have a passion for finding new solutions and working with brilliant colleagues. Every day they dedicate themselves to a huge range of exciting projects, contributing to the Hitachi vision around the globe. From engineering new sustainability solutions that conserve water and energy to creating the infrastructure for the smart cities of tomorrow, there’s no challenge too great for our pioneers. And there’s no shortage of opportunities for you to make a difference. Come and experience the dynamic, collaborative and creative environments where your ideas are welcome and new discoveries are waiting. To help you grow to your full potential, we strive to support our employees in their career aspirations and promote the freedom to explore new horizons.

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