Strategic Vendor Relations & Governance Lead

First Tech Federal Credit Union; Marlborough (MA); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

401(k) match

Paid time off

Job summary

First Tech Federal Credit Union is seeking a Staff Vendor Relations Manager to lead governance and performance management of its third-party vendor portfolio. You will serve as the primary relationship manager for strategic partners, ensuring contractual commitments, SLAs, and regulatory requirements are met.

You will develop vendor governance frameworks, drive scorecards and executive reporting, manage escalations, and partner with Risk, Legal, Compliance, Information Security, and Procurement

Qualifications

• 6 to 8 years of experience in vendor governance, SLA management, and escalation frameworks.
• Experience developing multi-dimensional vendor scorecards and QBR programs.
• Working knowledge of third-party risk management (TPRM) frameworks, including NCUA third-party guidance.
• Proficiency in vendor performance management platforms and GRC tools.
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Bachelor’s degree or 4 additional years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree.

Responsibilities

• Lead governance and relationship management for strategic and critical vendor partners.
• Develop and manage vendor scorecards, performance metrics, and executive reporting.
• Conduct regular business reviews to ensure vendor performance meets contractual commitments and SLAs.
• Lead vendor issue escalations and remediation efforts to drive accountability.
• Monitor vendor risks including operational, financial, cybersecurity, concentration, and compliance risks.
• Coordinate with Legal, Compliance, Risk, Information Security, and stakeholders for effective oversight.
• Support audit, regulatory, and examination activities; ensure documentation is audit-ready.
• Analyze vendor portfolio trends, spending, and dependencies to support risk management.
• Oversee complex vendor relationships to ensure services align with standards and objectives.
• Lead negotiation and management of SLAs and performance metrics.
• Identify risks or inefficiencies and develop improvement strategies; lead cross-functional problem solving.
• Ensure adherence to contractual obligations and regulatory requirements.
• Influence vendor strategy with insights on performance and cost delivery.
• Lead vendor onboarding, integration, optimization, and process improvements.
• Align vendor services with business needs and priorities.
• Support contract renewals and strategic planning with analyses and recommendations.

Skills

Vendor governance

SLA management

QBR programs

TPRM frameworks

GRC tools

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Vendor performance platforms

Job description

First Tech Federal Credit Union is seeking a Staff Vendor Relations Manager to lead governance and performance management of its third-party vendor portfolio. You will serve as the primary relationship manager for strategic partners, ensuring contractual commitments, SLAs, and regulatory requirements are met.

You will develop vendor governance frameworks, drive scorecards and executive reporting, manage escalations, and partner with Risk, Legal, Compliance, Information Security, and Procurement