Vendor Management Specialist

Gruve; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic software services startup is seeking an experienced professional for the role of Vendor Management Office lead. The ideal candidate will possess over 10 years of experience in vendor management and strategic sourcing. Responsibilities include managing the entire vendor lifecycle, ensuring service delivery excellence, and building strong vendor relationships. The position is crucial for aligning vendor performance with organizational objectives, and offers a competitive salary between $90,000 and $100,000 USD.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in vendor management, strategic sourcing, or contract management.
• Experience in negotiating and managing complex vendor contracts and relationships.

Responsibilities

• Manage the contract lifecycle, ensure service delivery excellence.
• Build and maintain strong vendor relationships.
• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives focused on cost efficiency.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Strategic sourcing expertise

Project management

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Procurement, or related field

Tools

Vendor management tools

Job description

About Gruve

Gruve is an innovative software services startup dedicated to transforming enterprises to AI powerhouses. We specialize in cybersecurity, customer experience, cloud infrastructure, and advanced technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs). Our mission is to assist our customers in their business strategies utilizing their data to make more intelligent decisions. As a well-funded early-stage startup, Gruve offers a dynamic environment with strong customer and partner networks.

About The Role

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead our Vendor Management Office (VMO). This role is responsible for managing the entire vendor lifecycle from requirements gathering and sourcing through contract execution, performance monitoring, and compliance. The ideal candidate will have strong negotiation skills, strategic sourcing expertise, and the ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with key internal stakeholders and external partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the contract lifecycle (requirement management, vendor management, Contract execution and compliance, OTC, PO)
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive vendor performance framework to ensure service delivery excellence and align with organizational objectives
• Build and maintain strong vendor relationships, acting as the primary point of contact to resolve issues and ensure continuous improvement
• Lead & host management forums for quarterly business reviews
• Highly skilled in negotiation, securing favorable terms and conditions with vendors, ensuring efficiency targets were met and cost-saving objectives achieved
• Lead the RFP and RFI processes to identify and select strategic vendors, ensuring that all solutions met operational and business requirements
• Lead the negotiation of contract terms with vendors, ensuring they meet the company’s operational requirements and performance standards
• Collaborated with key stakeholders across the organization to gather and align strategy requirements with overall business needs, ensuring seamless execution of procurement plans
• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, focus on cost efficiency, process optimization, and innovative solutions to meet business needs
• Ensure vendors are aligned with company policies and procedures and service delivery is always as per contractual agreement.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Procurement, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in vendor management, strategic sourcing, or contract management

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience in negotiating and managing complex vendor contracts and relationships.
• Strong project management, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and problem-solving abilities.
• Familiarity with vendor management tools is a plus.

Salary Range

$90,000 - $100,000 USD

Why Gruve

At Gruve, we foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best work. If you’re passionate about technology and eager to make an impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Gruve is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and thank all who apply; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.